Local Government Reorganisation
In December 2024 the Government published the English Devolution White Paper inviting councils to apply for priority status.
Alongside plans for devolution, in the biggest shake-up of local government in 50 years, the Government plans to replace existing county councils and borough/district councils with unitary councils – this is known as Local Government Reorganisation.
In most areas, this means creating councils that serve at least 500,000 people. However, there may be exceptions to make sure the new system works well for each area. Each decision will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Although Kent was not selected for the Devolution Priority Programme, the process of Local Government Reorganisation continues. Council leaders across Kent received a letter from the Minister inviting them 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.
In England, devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. It is important because it ensures that decisions are made closer to the local people, communities and businesses they affect.
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.
Read more about devolution on our Devolution webpage.
Devolution means giving local government more power and funding from the national government. Local Government Reorganisation is about deciding how that power and funding is shared between councils.
Unitary councils deliver all council services in the area they serve from education, social services and roads to emptying bins and providing housing services.
Unitary councils provide the same services as both county and district councils do now.
The Government envisages that most new unitary councils should be the right size to achieve efficiencies, be financially resilient and improve capacity.
Currently in the Tunbridge Wells borough local government services are provided by both Kent County Council and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.
Kent County Council is responsible for, among other things, highways, social services and education. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is responsible for, among other things, planning services, licensing, recycling and waste collections. A unitary council would be responsible for all local government services in its area.
Working with the other councils in Kent we submitted an interim proposal to the Government on 21 March 2025.
Feedback on the interim proposal was received on 16 May 2025. The feedback focused on key things that need to be incorporated into the final submission, it did not approve or reject any of the options in the interim proposal.
Read the feedback received in May 2025:
On 3 September 2025 Kent’s councils asked experienced advisors KPMG, whose work is being paid for by the Government, to look in more detail at two options for new unitary councils and the areas they should cover.
A final proposal must be submitted by 28 November 2025.
Based on the Government’s timetable, the new arrangements could be in place as early as April 2028.
Nothing has been agreed yet.
Leaders of the 14 Kent councils submitted an interim proposal in March 2025 suggesting three or four unitary councils.
On Wednesday 19 March 2025 an Extraordinary Full Council meeting considered the interim proposal. You can watch a recording of the meeting in our Extraordinary Full Council, Full Council - Wednesday, 19th March, 2025 6.30 pm page of our democracy website.
On 3 September 2025 Kent’s councils asked experienced advisors KPMG, whose work is being paid for by the government, to look in more detail at two options for new unitary councils and the areas they should cover.
Option 3a – Three unitary councils
Three unitary councils consisting of Dartford, Gravesham, Medway and Swale in the north; Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells in the west and Ashford, Canterbury, Thanet, Dover and Folkestone and Hythe in the east.
Option 4b – Four unitary councils
Four unitary councils consisting of Dartford, Gravesham and Medway in the north; Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells in the west; Swale, Ashford and Folkestone and Hythe in the middle of Kent and Canterbury, Thanet and Dover in the east. Individual councils can also choose to commission and submit business plans for other options too.
Once KPMG and council staff have worked together to draw up business cases for each of the options, each council will go through its own decision-making process to decide which option it supports.
The final decision rests with ministers.
Town and parish councils are not affected by local government reorganisation.
We will keep residents, businesses and other partners informed about the progress of Local Government Reorganisation in Kent and will give you the opportunity to get involved.
In the meantime, if you have any concerns, questions or views that you would like us to be aware of please email reorganisation@tunbridgewells.gov.uk
You can also read about Local Government Reorganisation on the Kent Council Leaders website.
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