Council to request elections delay for devolution

KCC has informed the government it wishes to apply for a fast-track devolution scheme

Kent County Council (KCC) has voted to ask the government to accept them onto the fast track devolution programme, which will see the scrapping of local councils, as well as Kent County Council and Medway Council.

KCC's cabinet also voted to ask the government to delay this May's local elections to allow a new mayor to be appointed in May 2026.

The meeting, which took place on Thursday afternoon, discussed the plans and went in favour of the government's Devolution White Paper.

The government announced in December it would would like to reorganise how local government works and do away with district and county councils in favour of unitary authorities, overseen by a new metro style mayor.

How many unitary authorities would be created in the area is yet to be decided.

Speaking after the cabinet vote, the council's leader Roger Gough said: "It's only right for Kent's future to ask the government to be included in these new devolution proposals."

The leader hit back at those who said councillors were like turkeys voting for Christmas by asking central government to reorganise how local government works.

Mr Gough said: "If that's the case then I'm the biggest turkey of them all, because I truly believe in these changes and the benefits of a Mayor of Kent."

Kent County Council will need to inform the government it wishes to apply for a fast track devolution scheme by the Friday deadline.

However, not all parties agree on a need for devolution.

Around 20 protesters met at KCC's headquarters before the meeting began.

Stuart Jeffery, the Green leader for Maidstone Borough Council, joined them outside County Hall where he called plans to scrap elections the "death of democracy".

He told BBC Radio Kent: "In small wards, residents know who's looking after them and have that relationship with their councillors.

"In those big wards you don't know who to go to so it's less democratic, less supportive of residents and that's a bad thing for democracy."

Stuart Jeffery, the Green leader for Maidstone Borough Council, joined protesters outside County Hall

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Gough spoke about Kent's "need" to be in the first phase of local government devolution.

"Without pushing ahead with fast track, the South East risks falling behind its neighbours and the rest of the country," he said.

If KCC applies and its application is granted by the government, it is expected Kent would elect a new metro mayor in May 2026.

It could then be a further two years until district councils are reorganised into new unitary authorities.

If selected for a fast-track reorganisation and devolution priority programme, KCC, alongside Medway Council, would have until March to outline how Kent and Medway would be divided into new unitary councils.