Local Government Reorganisation
What is Local Government Reorganisation?
In December 2024, the government published the English Devolution White Paper. This White Paper included the government’s plans for simpler council structures, with residents served by just one local council. This is known as Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).
Kent currently has two layers of local government. Kent County Council looks after some services (like education, highways, libraries, children’s services and social care) and the 12 borough and district councils (including Dartford Borough Council) deliver the other local services (such as planning, waste collection, parks and open spaces, housing, environmental health, licensing and council tax). This two tier structure will be replaced with a single unitary council that will provide all of the services listed above. Medway Borough Council is already a unitary council and provides all services across its borough.
All two tier areas have been asked to put forward their proposals for moving to unitary councils. The proposals for Kent were submitted to government on November 28, 2025. Under these proposals, Kent County Council, Medway Borough Council and the 12 borough and district councils will be replaced by a number of unitary councils. It is proposed that there will be either one large unitary or three, four or five smaller unitary councils across Kent.
What will LGR look to achieve?
Dartford Borough Council is concerned that LGR will result in larger councils that will be less connected, less responsive and less trusted. We feel that the financial pressures of delivering adult social care and children’s services, along with pressures around homelessness, are likely to mean that the new unitary councils will be unable to continue delivering those discretionary services our communities so value.
The government, however, is keen for LGR to happen and believes it will put local government on a more sustainable financial footing. It believes that LGR will bring benefits in the following areas:
- The current system of two councils providing services is confusing to residents. By bringing services together, residents can deal with a single council, ensuring the right support at the right time.
- A single council can provide a more integrated and streamlined approach to service delivery. Bringing transport, housing and planning together, ensures greater strategic control to better meet local needs.
- Where boundaries of unitaries align with other services such as health, police, fire and education, this enables more joined up thinking and provides the right footprint for prevention and intervention and for wider public service reform.
- There will be efficiency savings through economies of scale and by reducing duplication in back-office functions and senior management. There will also be opportunities to achieve better value from larger procurements.
What consultation has been undertaken on the proposals?
The government consulted on the five proposals put forward for Kent between January and May 2026. The consultation responses will be considered as part of their decision making process.
What does LGR mean for our organisation/our contract/our SLA with Dartford Borough Council?
The services and property currently operated by Dartford Borough Council will, in time, transfer to the new unitary authority. While it is too soon to know the detail of how that will work and what that will look like in every individual case, we are committed to keeping you informed and working out the best ways to ensure continuity of service for all our residents.
What about devolution?
Devolution is about the transfer of powers and funding from Westminster to new strategic authorities led by locally elected Mayors.
In December 2024, all upper tier authorities (Kent County Council and Medway Borough Council in Kent) were asked if they wanted to be part of the Devolution Priority Programme (DPP). The DPP would provide a fast track to devolution, with the expectation that the new strategic authorities would go live in April 2028.
Kent County Council and Medway Borough Council responded to the invitation on behalf of all of Kent, expressing their keenness to be part of the DPP to ensure additional powers and funding for Kent.
However, in February 2025 it was announced that Kent & Medway had not been selected to be part of the DPP.
In February 2026, the Government invited those areas without a devolution deal to come forward with expressions of interest for the establishment of new Foundation Strategic Authorities (FSAs). FSAs will have devolved powers over local transport and skills and are a stepping stone towards a Mayoral Strategic Authority.
The Kent authorities, with the exception of Kent County Council, put in an expression of interest in response to the invitation. Kent County Council, whilst supportive of devolution of certain powers to Kent and Medway, felt that this could be achieved through their LGR proposal for a single unitary council for Kent, without the need for an additional strategic authority.
The outcome of the expression of interest is still awaited.