Local government reorganisation
Published
Monday 3 March, 2025
Updated
Monday 3 March, 2025
Local residents will have the chance to find out what local government reorganisation could mean for them at a public meeting next week.
Currently most people in Kent get council services from Kent County Council, which is responsible for services such as social care, highways and education, and 12 district councils, like Swale Borough Council, who deliver services like waste collection, planning, and housing.
There is also Medway Council – a unitary council - which delivers all these services to its residents.
The Government wants to change this by reorganising council areas so that one unitary authority is responsible for all these services over a larger area.
This could mean Kent having three or four unitary authorities delivering all council services.
Swale Borough Council’s leader, Cllr Tim Gibson, is inviting residents from across the borough to Swale House, on 12 March, to learn about upcoming changes, what they could mean, and to share their opinions.
There will be a presentation at 7pm that will explain what the changes could mean, how they will be decided, and when they could take place.
People would then be invited to ask questions and share their thoughts and opinions.
Cllr Tim Gibson, leader of the council said:
“There is a lot of change on the horizon for local government as the Government has made it clear it wants to replace existing two-tier systems, like we have in Swale, with new unitary authorities.
“We now need to work with councils across Kent to put together plans for what this could look like, and we are keen to hear from local people to make sure their thoughts and concerns are considered.
“We know this is not going to be an easy process, and there are still a lot of things we don’t know, but we want to be open about the process which could have a significant impact on the area for decades to come.
“It will take a lot of hard work and time, and ultimately, the decision rests with the Government, but I want to reassure people that we’ll be pushing for the best possible outcome for Swale.”
An initial deadline of 21 March 2025 has been set by the Government for areas to submit interim plans for their shared area. This interim plan can have more than one option and won't be set in stone.
Full proposals must then be submitted by 28 November 2025 and if agreed by the Government, new unitary authorities could then come into being in 2028.
The meeting will take place at Swale House, Sittingbourne, at 7pm on Wednesday 12 March.
The meeting will be broadcast live on the council’s YouTube channel, and a recording will be available shortly after the meeting.
Anyone unable to attend, who wants to ask a question, can send them to lgr@swale.gov.uk or by post to local government reorganisation, Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 3HT.
Questions may be limited to one per person and won’t be answered individually if the topic is covered in the presentation, or by other similar questions.
