DDC has given its unanimous backing to a four-unitary council option for Kent and Medway, as part of the government’s biggest shake up of local authorities in 50 years.
DDC's Full Council considered the five business case options on Wednesday 19 November for Local Government Reorganisation. They recommended Option 4b (a four-unitary model with no boundary changes) be approved as the preferred option for submission to the government, whilst recognising the benefits and challenges associated with Option 4d (a four-unitary model with boundary changes that see east Kent including Folkestone and Faversham). This was subsequently agreed by Cabinet.
Under the current system, Kent County Council (KCC) delivers some services such as education, social services and roads, and district or borough councils deliver others like emptying your bins and providing housing services. Under the proposed system, unitary councils would deliver all council services in one area.
The Leader of the Council, Cllr Kevin Mills, said: “The preferred option 4b would see Kent and Medway divided into four new unitary councils, with the East Kent unitary covering the current district areas of Dover, Canterbury and Thanet.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to set up a unitary council that will lead on improvements and be that one-stop shop that we don’t currently have. It shouldn’t be seen as just a money saving exercise but about providing a better service to the public.
“A four-unitary model will ensure that we’re not too big, and we have good experience of working closely with Canterbury and Thanet and together we already have a strong identity as East Kent.”
Councillors felt Option 4b would create unitary councils at a sensible scale, as well as preserving local identity and preferred ties between communities, whilst building on the strong existing relationships between councils.
All 14 councils in Kent and Medway need to submit detailed business cases for their preferred option to national government by the deadline of Friday 28 November 2025. In the new year, the government is expected to carry out public consultation with all Kent residents on the preferred options. A decision by the government on the final structure of unitary councils is expected in the summer 2026.
For further information, see Local Government Reorganisation
Posted on 24 November 2025