Have your say on how councils in Kent and Medway are organised
Published: 09 March 2026
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) is set to bring the biggest structural changes to local councils in over 50 years. The Government is now consulting on how councils in Kent and Medway should be organised in the future, and they want to hear from residents, businesses and organisations across the county.
What are the options for Kent?
All 14 affected local authorities submitted evidence to Government setting out five proposed options for the future structure of local government in Kent and Medway. These options include:
- A single unitary authority for the whole of Kent and Medway
- A three‑unitary model
- Two different four‑unitary models
- A five‑unitary model
Each option groups council areas and services differently, and each has different implications for geography, service delivery, identity, scale and cost.
For more information about the five proposals or the LGR process, visit the Kent Council Leaders website.
Six councils looked at all the options and felt that having four unitary councils offers the best balance for Kent. Out of the two options for a 4-unitary, three councils supported Option 4B – which sees Dover grouped with Thanet and Canterbury (4D sees historical ‘East Kent’ split up with Dover grouped with Folkestone & Hythe and Ashford).
Here’s a summary of the reasons why (this can be read in more detail in the business case submitted to government):
It’s big enough to be efficient, but still local
Out of the options available, some councils feel that four unitaries would be large enough to provide strong, sustainable services, while still being close enough to communities to understand local needs.
It keeps reorganisation simple by keeping to existing boundaries
4B is the only four‑unitary option that follows existing district boundaries. Reorganisation is a complicated process – sticking to current district boundaries would mean less disruption and lower costs as district services wouldn’t need to be broken up or redrawn.
It helps services continue smoothly
By keeping current boundaries, fewer services would need major changes. Councils said this could make the transition easier and help avoid disruption for residents.
It offers a practical balance
In the evidence submitted, councils said that four unitaries offered a middle ground — not too large, not too small — making it a manageable and efficient model.
Government wants to know your thoughts on all options – we encourage you to respond to the consultation.
It's now time to have your say on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) for Kent and Medway.
The government is running a statutory consultation to find out what you think of the proposals.
They're looking for your views on the five proposals submitted by our local councils which suggest how new unitary councils should be created in our area. Take part in the Government consultation
You can take part in the consultation online, by email or letter.
The consultation ends at 11.59pm on Thursday 26 March 2026.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will collect and consider the views put forward.