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District council services

We are responsible for certain services across the whole of Kent, for example education, highways and social care. There are 12 district councils, also known as borough or city councils, responsible for services including bin collections, environmental health, leisure facilities, housing and planning.

To check who your local district council is and to visit their website use the postcode checker.

Medway residents should visit the Medway Council website.

Your district council can support you with animal enquiries relating to:

  • animal welfare
  • bats and badgers
  • dangerous dogs
  • dead animals
  • dog bins
  • dog wardens
  • exhibiting or training
  • foxes
  • fouling fines
  • lost dogs
  • pest control.

Contact your local district council about animals

Contact Kent Police if you’ve witnessed:

  • an aggressive or out of control animal
  • an owner using an animal to intimidate people
  • someone who is using animals in illegal activities such as dog fighting.

How we can help

Your district council collects your:

  • household waste bins
  • garden waste
  • recycling and bulky waste collections (furniture and white goods).

Contact them directly to report any issues about your bin collections, garden waste or if you are missing your bin.

Or visit one of our Household Waste Recycling Centres to get rid of your household waste yourself.

Clinical waste collection

To arrange collection or disposal of a sharps container contact the healthcare service who provided the item or your district council may offer a collection service.

Your district council provides business licences for:

  • alcohol
  • busking
  • dog breeding
  • exhibiting or training performing animals
  • food
  • gambling
  • health and safety
  • scrap metal
  • street performance
  • street trading
  • taxis.

Contact your local district council about business issues

Find out what business licences we can support you with.

Council Tax is paid directly to your district council.

Contact your district council for any enquiries relating to your Council Tax including:

  • appeals
  • benefits
  • changing your details
  • exemptions
  • fraud
  • reductions.

Contact your local district council about Council Tax

Find out what your Council Tax pays for.

To be able to vote in elections or referendums you need to be on the electoral register which you can apply for with your district council.

Contact your local district council about elections and voting

Learn more about county council elections.

You can report problem with the following to your district council:

  • bonfires
  • dog bins and fouling
  • graffiti
  • hygiene inspections of local businesses, including health and safety
  • lanterns
  • noise and light pollution
  • pest problems
  • public toilets
  • road and pavement sweeping
  • smoke and air pollution
  • stray dogs.

Contact your local district council about environmental health

Fly-tipping is illegal.

Report fly-tipping on public land - please don’t attempt to remove the rubbish in case there are hidden sharp or dangerous items.

Your district council will arrange for the rubbish to be removed.

Contact your local district council about fly-tipping

Contact Highways England

Highways England are responsible for cleaning up litter next to the roads they look after.

Find out what roads they look after and how to contact them.

Contact your district council to apply for council housing or for information about:

  • affordable housing
  • community housing
  • council housing
  • homelessness (or if you are about to become homeless)
  • housing benefits
  • private renting.

Your district council has information about local parks and play areas, including:

  • location
  • accessibility points
  • car park.

Find your nearest park and play park

Visit our Kent Country Parks

Why not visit one of our Kent Country Parks and find something to do in the great outdoors!

Find your nearest Kent Country Park.

Contact your district council for parking enquiries, including:

  • abandoned vehicles
  • disabled parking bays and restrictions
  • parking restrictions
  • parking permits/ residential parking schemes
  • selling vehicles on the road or verge
  • vehicles parked on the road or verge
  • white vehicle access lines.

Contact your local district council about parking

For more information visit our restrictions webpage.

Contact your district council for:

  • new planning applications for households, commercial or industrial building works
  • road names
  • house numbering
  • planning advice
  • building regulations.

We deal with waste, minerals and county council developments.

Contact your local district council about planning