Local Government Reorganisation and devolution - your questions answered
What is Local Government Reorganisation?
Local government reorganisation is the process in which the structure and responsibilities of local authorities are reconfigured. In the English Devolution White Paper the Government set out plans to move away from the current two-tier system of district and county councils. The Government has indicated that for most areas this will mean creating councils serving a population of 500,000 or more, but there may be exceptions to ensure new structures make sense for an area and decisions will be on a case-by-case basis.
What is the difference between Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution?
Devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. Local government reorganisation is about how the powers and funding that sit with local government are organised between councils.
What is a Unitary Authority?
Unitary authorities are a single tier of local government responsible for all local services in an area, such as Medway Council in Kent. London boroughs are also unitary authorities.
What is the process for Local Government Reorganisation?
There are two ways in which local government reorganisation (LGR) can take place.
The first is instigated by an invitation to make a proposal for unitarisation by the Secretary of State. The procedure for this can be found in sections 1 to 7 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. It is important to note that while invitations may be issued because an area has unanimously agreed to a reorganisation, unanimous agreement is not a precondition. This is the most common path to LGR.
The second way is where authorities in an area are in agreement about their preferred way forward. In that case, under section 15 of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016, they can make a proposal to the Secretary of State. It is unusual for all authorities to agree and so this provision is not expected to be extensively used.
What are the timelines for Local Government Reorganisation in Kent?
For areas in the UK that were included on the Government’s Devolution Priority Programme the Government has said it will work with them to move to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible, potentially holding shadow unitary elections in May 2026.
In Kent, the Leaders of Kent County Council, Medway Council, and the county’s 12 District and Borough Councils were asked to submit an interim proposal to Government to replace the current two tier system with new unitary councils by 21 March 2025.
Now further extensive work will take place collectively over the coming months to agree final proposals which need to be submitted by 28 November 2025.
How will Local Government Reorganisation affect the services delivered to residents?
The Government’s White Paper argues that reorganising Local Government will ‘cut wasteful duplication of bodies’ and create efficiency savings. The proposed approach to simplify local government structures would ensure better outcomes for residents, save significant public funds which can be reinvested in public services, and improve local accountability.
The Government says its aim is to build empowered, simplified, resilient and sustainable local government for Kent that will increase value for money for council taxpayers.
Will Kent residents have a say on Local Government Reorganisation plans?
As in areas that are on the Devolution Priority Programme, where consultations are already underway, it is expected that the Government will run a statutory consultation on Local Government Reorganisation in due course.
As part of the process ahead of the November submission councils in Kent will be carrying out wide engagement with local partners and stakeholders, residents, our workforces and businesses and that engagement will inform the development of the final submission.
What about Devolution?
Devolution is about taking decisions as near as possible to where they will have an impact, and allowing the people who know their areas best to decide where money is spent. At the moment, many decisions about what happens in Kent and Medway are taken by the government and its departments. Through a process known as ‘devolution’ the government wants to give more areas more powers to make their own decisions on issues such as transport, skills and support for business.
The Leaders of Kent County Council, Medway Council and all 12 District and Borough councils in Kent submitted an expression of interest to the Deputy Prime Minister in July 2024 just after the general election setting out how they are keen to work with government to shape an innovative and comprehensive devolution deal for Kent and Medway.
The Government’s Devolution White Paper was published in December 2024 inviting submissions to join the government’s Devolution Priority Programme (DPP).
Following a decision by KCC Cabinet Members on 9 January 2025 after an extraordinary meeting earlier that day when the proposal was considered by KCC members, a letter signed jointly by the Leaders of KCC and Medway Council was sent to Jim McMahon OBE MP, Minister for Local Government and Devolution, to formally request that Kent and Medway be included in the DPP.
However, on 5 February 2025 the Government told council Leaders that Kent had not been selected for the DPP, but that plans for Local Government Reorganisation should continue.
Will devolution still happen in Kent and Medway?
The Leader of Kent County Council has been clear that Local Government Reorganisation must go hand in hand with devolution, as without devolution many decisions will continue to be made in Westminster, far away from the Kent local communities and local people they actually affect.
He is calling on Government to provide a clear and committed timeline for devolution for Kent, that proceeds in line with Local Government Reorganisation.