Earlier today, councils from across Kent and Medway published a series of draft business cases to help inform the next steps in the government’s biggest shake up of local councils in 50 years.
These business cases, compiled with the help of experienced advisors KPMG, explore different options for the proposed unitary councils in Kent, and the areas they should cover in the future.
Under the current system, Kent County Council (KCC) delivers services such as education, social services, and highways, and district and borough councils deliver others like emptying your bins and providing housing services.
With the proposed system, unitary councils would deliver all council services in one area. Medway Council already operates in that way today.
In September 2025, councils in Kent chose two different unitary options to explore in more detail using government funds.
The first – option 3a – was three unitary councils consisting of Dartford, Gravesham, Medway and Swale in the north; Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells in the west; and Ashford, Canterbury, Thanet, Dover and Folkestone and Hythe in the east.
The second – option 4b – was four unitary councils consisting of Dartford, Gravesham and Medway in the north; Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells in the west; Swale, Ashford and Folkestone and Hythe in the middle of Kent; and Canterbury, Thanet and Dover in the east.
Councils across Kent also had the option to pay for and submit business plans for alternative options themselves, using the KPMG data.
Dartford Borough Council produced an alternative in partnership with Gravesham Borough Council – option 5a – which consists of five unitary councils: Dartford, Gravesham, Swanley and parts of Medway up to the River Medway and to Snodland in the north; the rest of Medway south of the River Medway and Swale in the middle of Kent; Faversham, Canterbury and Thanet to the east; Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells in the west; and Ashford, Folkestone and Hythe and Dover to the south. Dartford and Gravesham councils felt that this would protect local decision-making and safeguard local identities, whilst also aligning boundaries with health and care services to provide better outcomes for residents.
Kent County Council has announced its intention to explore the case for a single unitary council which would cover the whole of Kent and Medway, supplemented with three area committees covering the north, east and west of the county.
Medway Council has also proposed an option for a four unitary model – option 4d – which includes some boundary changes. Most notably for Dartford, it would see the borough split into Dartford North and Dartford West, with the four unitaries being: Dartford North, Gravesham North, Medway North and Swale North in North Kent; Dartford West, Gravesham West, Medway West, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, and Tunbridge Wells in West Kent; Ashford, Folkestone and Hythe (Mid) and Maidstone in Mid Kent; and Canterbury, Dover, Faversham, Folkestone and Hythe (East) and Thanet in East Kent.
Throughout November 2025, each individual council will use its own decision-making process to confirm its preferred model and associated business case.
Business cases then need to be formally submitted to the government by Friday 28 November, with the government expected to carry out public consultations with Kent residents in the new year on the preferred options.
A decision by the government on the final structure of Kent unitary councils is projected for Summer 2026.
Meanwhile, the results of a public and stakeholder engagement exercise have been published. It was held to find out from people living, working, and studying in Kent what is important to them in reorganising councils. It found that the public wants the new arrangements to focus on the quality of the services provided ensure efficiency and value for money, and to solve people’s problems quickly.
The public saw opportunities in simplifying local government structures, clarifying responsibilities, and making the most of economies of scale to streamline operations, reduce bureaucracy, and deliver better value.
KCC also ran its own separate engagement exercise asking for views on its proposals.