Ministers decide future shape of Kent and Medway’s councils

In the biggest shake up of local authority arrangements in 50 years, the government is replacing Kent County Council, Medway Council and the 12 district, borough and city councils that currently deliver services in the county with four new unitary councils. 

Those councils will deliver all of the services in their area, much like Medway Council does today, including education, social services, highways, libraries, emptying your bins, leisure centres, and housing services. 

 

Following a government consultation which attracted around 3,000 responses, the Secretary of State has opted for: 

• a unitary council covering the areas currently served by Dartford, Gravesham and Medway in the north 

• a unitary council covering the areas currently served by Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells in the west 

• a unitary council covering the areas currently served by Swale, Ashford and Folkestone and Hythe in the middle of Kent 

• a unitary council covering the areas currently served by Canterbury, Thanet and Dover in the east 

Jeremy Kite, Leader of Dartford Borough Council, said: “The government proposals will mean big changes, but nothing will change overnight. Your current council will continue to deliver council services until the new arrangements come into force in Spring 2028. There is plenty of work to do between now and then to make sure the arrangements are right.  

Councils across Kent and Medway have a strong track record of working together in the interests of our communities, and that spirit of collaboration will be more important than ever as we move through this process. 

Our task now is to bring together the very best of what each council does and use that experience to shape services that are fit for the future, and deliver the best possible outcomes for residents. 

We must also recognise the thousands of dedicated council staff across the county who work tirelessly every day on behalf of local people. Supporting them through this transition will be a key priority, while ensuring residents continue to receive the high standards of service they expect. 

Throughout this process, my priority will remain exactly the same: making sure Dartford residents continue to receive excellent services while we work with colleagues across Kent and Medway to shape the strongest possible future for local government. 

There is a great deal of work ahead, but we will approach it with ambition, common sense and a clear focus on doing what is right for the people we serve. Our goal is simple – to seize every opportunity to build stronger, more efficient, and more responsive services for the future.” 

You can read the background to local government reorganisation here.