Devolution
In December 2024 the Government published the English Devolution White Paper inviting councils to apply for priority status.
The White Paper proposed both the devolution of powers and budgets to elected mayors and the reorganisation of local government resulting in the abolition of county and district councils and the creation of new unitary councils.
Kent County Council (KCC) and Medway Council responded to the White Paper by asking to be included in the Devolution Priority Programme (DPP).
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Devolution and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Following the publication of the White Paper and the decision by Kent and Medway to ask to be included in the DPP, Tunbridge Wells Council Leader Ben Chapelard worked together with the Leaders of district and borough councils across Kent to begin the process of shaping the future of local government across the county.
An Extraordinary Meeting of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council was held on 4 February 2025. This meeting was an opportunity for members to note the contents of the English Devolution White Paper and the potential consequences. Members agreed to set up a cross-party advisory working group to consider all matters associated with devolution and local government reorganisation, with membership of the working group to include two members from each political group plus the Leader of the Council as Chair.
Read the full agenda and report presented to Full Council at the meeting .
Government decision not to include Kent in DPP
On 5 February 2025 the Government announced that Kent and Medway councils had not been included in the Devolution Priority Programme (DPP).
Read KCC's response to the Government’s decision.
Response to Government decision not to include Kent in DPP
Statement from the Leader of the Council Ben Chapelard following the announcement on 5 February 2025 that Kent and Medway councils had not been included in the Devolution Priority Programme (DPP).
‘I am disappointed that Kent has not been accepted on to the Government’s Devolution Priority Programme. The news is not in the best interests of the borough or the county’s residents.
‘All Council Leaders across Kent have worked together to agree a way forward. We have demonstrated a commitment to the Government’s ambitious devolution programme and to reshaping local government for the benefit of residents and businesses. We now need to hear from the Government to understand why the unanimously supported Kent application was rejected and what this now means for transferring power away from Westminster to Kent and Tunbridge Wells.
‘Devolution and reorganising local councils has the potential to boost local decision making to tackle the issues residents and businesses care about. The Government’s delaying is not in our best interests and we need to get on with it to deliver for the communities we serve.’
Local government reorganisation
Although Kent was not selected for the Devolution Priority Programme the process of local government reorganisation is continuing. We have received a letter from the Minister inviting the Council to submit a proposal for local government reorganisation in Kent and setting out the criteria against which any such proposal will be assessed.
The proposal would see Kent County Council, the borough and district councils in Kent, and Medway Council, being replaced with unitary councils.
Read more about local government reorganisation on our Local Government Reorganisation webpage.