Kent risks becoming a "devolution desert" - County Council leader warns
Losing out in devolution race will cost Kent
Kent risks becoming a devolution desert and losing out to other authorities in the race to secure government support for greater independence.
Cllr Roger Gough, the Conservative leader of the county council said he had still not heard from the government the reasons why Kent did not get on to the first wave of councils given the priority to work up a plan for regional independence.
He told a meeting of the council’s cabinet on Tuesday that he stood by his view that the decision not to permit Kent and Medway to go forward with devolution plans was “totally incomprehensible.”
The government had “gone forward with an incoherent argument and frankly in my eyes it remains the same.”
“It is frankly extraordinary that if you look at a map, all the way down from Norfolk to the southeast, heading to Hampshire and the Isle of Wight there is apparently no issue with the size of the authorities there,” he said.
That was a reference to the government minister in charge saying that he was concerned at the disparity in terms of population between and among both the county and with the Medway unitary authority.
“Kent and Medway alone is a devolution desert that has serious implications for our residents. It is something we continue to pursue the rationale for the [government] decision.”
At the same time, KCC was continuing to talk with the government over other options so they could get the debate “back on track” without devolution being integral to it.
“That [devolution] ship sailed a month ago…but it should not be placed in limbo. Reorganisation without devolution is of very small benefit indeed,” he said.
The remarks indicate that KCC is still smarting from the decision not to put Kent and Medway forward for inclusion in the first wave of areas to devise devolution deals and have an elected mayor.
The bid for an elected county mayor that would have key powers over some areas - such as transport - was knocked back by ministers last month.
You can watch the meeting held on Tuesday 5th March here.
What’s next?
The government has now instructed the district councils, along with the county council and Medway council, to put forward separate plans for reorganising the local government structures into new unitary authorities.
Those plans are likely to be submitted in the coming weeks.