Agenda item

Background:

The report provided the Cabinet with an update on Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and set out the next steps on developing plans for LGR in Kent and Medway.

Devolution, which was a separate process, would involve the transfer of additional powers to local communities. Medway and the areas across Kent had not been successful in their request to join the Devolution Priority Programme. Congratulations were given to neighbouring Essex and Sussex whose applications had been accepted.

The Government had written to all local authorities in two-tier areas to invite them to work towards becoming part of a new unitary authority area. While Medway was already a unitary authority, the other areas in Kent currently had a two-tier system.

The first key milestone was 21 March 2025, which was the deadline for an initial declaration to be submitted to the Government. While this submission would not include detailed plans, the aim was for the 14 councils in Kent and Medway to have a collective position.

The creation of a single council for the whole of Kent and Medway was not considered to be viable and the prevailing view across the area was that three or four unitary authorities should be created. Medway favoured the establishment of four councils. Medway would be making its own submission as well as being part of a joint Kent and Medway submission. It would be made clear that there was no merit in creating a single council for the whole area and that there was no need for any parts of Kent and Medway to be joined with any areas in neighbouring counties for the purposes of creating the new councils.

Engagement would take place over the next few months with residents and stakeholders and the Minister of State for Local Government and Devolution would be taken up on his offer of a visit.

A second deadline of 28 November 2025 would require a more detailed submission to be made to the Government setting out proposed boundaries of new local authority areas. The Government had advised that these new authority areas should each contain populations of around 500,000. As Kent and Medway had a combined population of around 2million, Medway considered that the creation of four authorities would be needed.

The changes proposed were considered to be more significant than the local government changes that had taken place 50 years previously and it was anticipated that they would support improving quality of life and outcomes for local areas.

Thanks were given to senior officers for the work they had undertaken on LGR and Devolution to date. It was noted that resources had been set aside by Medway Council to support the work and that support offered by the Government would also be taken up. It was emphasised that Medway Council would continue with business as usual until the new authorities were fully operational. It was considered that the Government had made a strong case for Devolution and LGR and the Council wanted to take the opportunities provided by Devolution.

While decisions to be taken by Medway Council in relation to LGR and Devolution were executive decisions, the proposals would also be considered by Full Council. A special meeting of the Council would take place in early November 2025 ahead of Cabinet making a final decision on 18 November, ahead of the 28 November submission deadline.

It was anticipated that the new authorities would be established in shadow form from May 2027 with the new authorities and an elected Mayor for Kent and Medway being fully established and replacing the existing councils from May 2028. As Medway Council would cease to exist after May 2028, it was considered unlikely that the Council elections currently due to take place in May 2027, would be held.

The report noted that in line with rule 15.11 of Chapter 4, Part 5 of the Constitution, call-in could be waived where any delay likely to be caused by the call-in process would seriously prejudice the Council’s or the public’s interests. In this case, the deadline for the Council to submit an interim plan setting out draft proposals for a single tier of local government in Kent and Medway to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government was 21 March 2025. On this occasion it was proposed that the call-in period be waived to enable this deadline to be met. The Chairperson of the Business Support and Digital Overview and Scrutiny Committee had agreed that the decisions proposed were reasonable in all the circumstances and to them being treated as a matter of urgency and to waive call-in. The Chairperson was thanked by the Cabinet for his agreement to waive call-in.

Reasons:

The Government had provided information on its expectations regarding engagement and consultation on local government reorganisation. The Council would work with other Kent local authorities to ensure a consistent approach throughout the county, including the governance arrangements.