Devolution - your questions answered
What is local government reorganisation?
Local government reorganisation is the process in which the structure and responsibilities of local authorities are reconfigured.
At present, there is a two-tier system in place of district and county councils. The English Devolution White Paper outlines plans to move away from this.
The government has said that for most areas this will mean creating new councils. These councils will service a population of 500,000 or more. There may be exceptions to ensure new structures make sense for an area. They will decide this on a case-by-case basis.
What is the difference between local government reorganisation and devolution?
Devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. Local government reorganisation is about how the powers and funding that sit with local government are organised between local councils.
What is a unitary authority?
Unitary authorities are a single tier of local government responsible for all local services in an area. Medway is a unitary authority. As well as London boroughs.
What is the process for local government reorganisation?
Local government reorganisation (LGR) can happen in two ways.
The first is instigated by an invitation to make a proposal for unitarisation by the Secretary of State. View more about this procedure in sections 1 to 7 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. It is important to note that while invitations may be issued because an area has unanimously agreed to a reorganisation, unanimous agreement is not a precondition. This is the most common path to LGR.
The second way is where authorities in an area are in agreement about their preferred way forward. If this is the case, they can make a proposal to the Secretary of State. View more about this procedure under section 15 of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016. It is unusual for all authorities to agree, and so this option is not expected to be used.
What are the timelines for local government reorganisation in Kent?
For areas in the UK that were included on the government’s Devolution Priority Programme the government has said it will work with them to move to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible, potentially holding shadow unitary elections in May 2026.
In Kent, the leaders of Kent County Council (KCC), Medway Council, and the county’s 12 District and Borough Councils were asked to submit an interim proposal to government to replace the current two tier system with new unitary councils by 21 March 2025.
Further work will take place over the coming months to agree on final proposals. These must be submitted by 28 November 2025.
In September 2025, the Leader of Kent County Council, Linden Kemkaran, wrote to Kent leaders (PDF, 129.6 KB) confirming we are also planning to submit a proposal to the government to create a single unitary council covering Kent and Medway.
How will local government reorganisation affect the services delivered to residents?
The government’s White Paper argues that reorganising local government will ‘cut wasteful duplication of bodies’ and create efficiency savings. The proposed approach to simplify local government structures would ensure better outcomes for residents, save significant public funds which can be reinvested in public services, and improve local accountability.
The government says its aim is to build empowered, simplified, resilient and sustainable local government for Kent that will increase value for money for council taxpayers.
Will Kent residents have a say on local government reorganisation plans?
As in areas that are on the Devolution Priority Programme, where consultations are already underway, it is expected that the government will run a statutory consultation on local government reorganisation in due course.
As part of the process ahead of the November submission councils in Kent will be carrying out wide engagement with local partners and stakeholders, residents, our workforces and businesses and that engagement will inform the development of the final submission.
What about devolution?
Devolution is about taking decisions as near as possible to where they will have an impact, and allowing the people who know their areas best to decide where money is spent. At the moment, many decisions about what happens in Kent and Medway are taken by the government and its departments. Through a process known as ‘devolution’ the government wants to give more areas more powers to make their own decisions on issues such as transport, skills and support for business.
The government’s Devolution White Paper was published in December 2024 inviting submissions to join the government’s Devolution Priority Programme (DPP). However, on 5 February 2025 the government told council Leaders that Kent had not been selected for the DPP, but that plans for local government reorganisation should continue.
While Kent and Medway were not selected as one of the areas to be a part of the government’s DPP 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.
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.
Will Kent residents have a say on local government reorganisation plans?
As in areas that are on the Devolution Priority Programme, where consultations are already underway, it is expected government will run a statutory consultation on local government reorganisation in due course.
Before the November submission, councils in Kent will engage with:
- local partners
- stakeholders
- residents
- workforces
- businesses.
This engagement will help shape the final submission.