Warning councils could disappear over funding

Kent County Council has to find £87million in savings by February 2025

The councillor responsible for Kent County Council’s (KCC) budget has said most local authorities could disappear due to issues with funding.

Peter Oakford told BBC Radio Kent if the way local government is funded continues in its current form, councils could be replaced by a single mayor and a "handful" of larger councils.

“Will Kent County Council still be here in four years’ time? I very much doubt it,” he said.

He was speaking ahead of preparations for the budget due to be set in early 2025, in which KCC has to find over £87m of savings.

Mr Oakford said: “I think the time has come where we have to look at a Metro mayor and perhaps three unitary authorities across Kent and Medway if local government is to survive in a way that’s there to support the general public.

“We’ve had to make savings of over £1bn over the last 10 years.

"We are getting to the stage now where, if it’s not a statutory service, we are really having to question if it will be here in the future.”

Peter Oakford is responsible for the Kent County Council budget

Kent County Council is the largest local authority in the country, but has seen cuts affecting staffing in recent years, from 19,000 to just over 7,000 full-time posts.

The budget will be set next February by the Conservative-controlled council, with all members then being up for re-election in May.

The council is currently consulting on a wide rage of cuts to services.

In February this year Kent County Council voted to put up its share of council tax by 4.9%, the maximum allowed without a referendum.