Local government reorganisation consultation
Published
Thursday 5 February, 2026
Updated
Friday 27 March, 2026
Government ministers a consultation on Thursday 5 February launched on the future of councils in Kent and Medway.
They wanted 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 unitary councils needed and what areas they should cover.
The consultation has closed, and the Government will now consider everyone’s responses alongside the evidence that has been presented to them.
A decision on which option the government has chosen is likely to be announced in the summer.
