County council leader asks for time to design reorganisation

DEADLINE 'ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE' FOR NEW ADMINISTRATION

- By DANIEL ESSON Local democracy reporter

KENT County Council's new Reform UK leadership has requested a four-month extension to an “almost impossible” deadline for the reorganisation of local government.

Under the Government's plans, Kent is set to see the largest shake-up since current authorities were created in 1974.

In the existing ‘two-tier’ system, the county has 12 district and borough councils, which split responsibility for public services with the over-arching county council.

For example, district and borough councils are responsible for getting bins collected, but the county council is responsible for disposing of the waste by running tips.

Medway Council is an entirely separate unitary authority and runs all of its services itself.

However, under the new plans, all of these councils will be abolished and Kent is set to be split into three or four large unitary authorities.

These will also pool some limited overall powers into a “combined authority” covering the county, which will be led by a directly elected mayor of Kent and Medway.