Have your say on the way councils in Kent and Medway are organised

On Thursday 5 February, Government ministers launched a consultation on the future number of councils in Kent and Medway and the areas they should cover.

They want to hear your views on the biggest proposed shake up of local government in 50 years.

Ministers asked councils to come up with plans to create unitary councils in a process known as local government reorganisation (LGR).

Under the current system Kent County Council (KCC) delivers some services such as education, social services and roads, and district or borough councils deliver others like emptying your bins and providing housing services.

Under the proposed system, a much smaller number of unitary councils would deliver all council services in one area. Medway Council operates in that way today.

Councils across Kent and Medway have worked together to draw up a series of options for the number of unitaries needed and what areas they should cover.

In a joint statement, council leaders in Kent and Medway, said: “Our councils are your councils and it is important you have your say on their future and how they deliver vital services.

“We’ve worked really closely together to pull together the evidence to support a number of options for the people of Kent and Medway so everyone can make an informed decision.

“Each council has nailed its colours to the mast of a particular option and explained why.

“It’s now over to you, and organisations throughout Kent and Medway, to help ministers make an informed decision.”

Learn more and take part in the government’s consultation here.

The deadline for responses is 11.59pm on Thursday 26 March.

There is lots of background information, including the detailed explanations for each option, at KentCouncilLeaders.org.uk/lgr-consultation.

Councils may also contact residents and other organisations to explain why they think their preferred option should be chosen by the government.

Once the consultation closes, the civil servants and ministers will consider everyone’s responses alongside the evidence that has been presented to them.

A decision on which option ministers have chosen is likely to be announced in the summer.