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Local Government Reorganisation and devolution

Public consultation

Government ministers ran a public consultation about the future number of councils in Kent and Medway and the areas they should cover between 5 February and 26 March 2026. They asked for residents 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 we (Kent County Council (KCC)) deliver some services such as education, social services and roads. Whilst 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.

For more information, including the detailed explanations for each option, visit the Kent Council Leaders website.

Read about our preferred option (1A), one unitary council for Kent and Medway (PDF, 683.3 KB).

The civil servants and ministers will now 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.

Business case

On 28 November 2025, we submitted our Strategic Business Case for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Kent and Medway to Government. The proposal sets out our preferred option for a single unitary authority - the Kent Council - designed to simplify local government, strengthen services, and deliver better value for residents.

The business case submissions form part of the Government plan to reorganise local government. This means councils across Kent will be replaced by one or more unitary council - providing all services within a specific area.

The plans would see the merging of the current two-tier councils, including county, district, and borough, to make a smaller number of larger single unitary authorities. The government says this would be simpler and more efficient.

Councils from across Kent and Medway have submitted a series of draft business cases to help inform the next steps in the government’s biggest shake up of local councils in 50 years.

In September 2025, the Leader of Kent County Council (KCC), Linden Kemkaran, wrote to other Kent council leaders confirming that we will submit a proposal to create single unitary authority covering Kent and Medway. This option is included (as Option 1a) in those published on the Kent Council Leaders website.

Linden Kemkaran says a single unitary council would deliver the best outcomes for Kent residents to quickly bring about cost savings for taxpayers. Whilst ensuring that local communities can have their say on how services in their area are run. By being a single unitary it has the added benefit of avoiding the substantial costs that would come with reconfiguring the county into multiple councils which is being proposed through other LGR options.

This could see an additional cost of up to £40 million every year to run four unitary councils. It could also result in council tax increases or reductions in service to cover the costs.

Read the full letter from Linden Kemkaran to Kent leaders (PDF, 129.6 KB).

Interim plan

The interim proposals reflect key criteria set out by government around:

  • prioritising the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to residents
  • demonstrating that reorganisation plans can meet local needs
  • delivering the best possible local government public services for the future to everyone who lives and works in Kent.

Feedback from the government

On 15 May 2025, the government provided feedback on our interim plan. Read the feedback (PDF, 226.9 KB).

Read more about LGR policy and programme updates.

Will devolution ever happen in Kent

Devolution is still a possibility for Kent and Medway. This would see a Mayor elected and a strategic mayoral authority sitting above these new unitary council structures with funding and decision-making power moving from Whitehall to a devolved area.

The government says it remains committed to supporting all areas of the country on a path towards devolution, and will build on the ‘enthusiasm and consensus’ that Kent and Medway have shown.

Devolution in Kent and Medway - the story so far

While Kent and Medway were not selected as one of the areas to be a part of the government’s Devolution Priority Programme, devolution is still a possibility for Kent and Medway. This would see a mayor elected and a strategic mayoral authority sitting above these new unitary council structures with funding and decision-making power moving from Whitehall to a devolved area.

The UK Government says it remains committed to supporting all areas of the country on a path towards devolution, and will build on the ‘enthusiasm and consensus’ that Kent and Medway have shown.

Council leaders across Kent agree that a devolution deal would give people across Kent a stronger voice in how national decisions affect them and let local councils make important decisions closer to where residents live and work.

Further information

For more information, read our answers to your questions or follow the links below.

Kent County Council media releases:

County council meetings and papers:

Government and devolution: