Issue - meetings

Consideration of recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 13 November 2025 in respect of the draft Local Government Reorganisation business case for submission by the Borough Council to meet the Government’s deadline of 28 November 2025.

Due to the timescale and publication deadline, these recommendations are ‘to follow’ and will be circulated in advance of the meeting.

Consideration was given to the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in respect of the Borough Council’s preferred option for Local Government Reorganisation.

Due regard was given to the views of the Committee, the financial and value for money considerations, the assessment of risk and the legal implications detailed in the business case attached at Annex 3.

Cabinet welcomed the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, recognised the detailed and robust debate of Members and shared the concerns expressed regarding the financial impact of local government reorganisation and the overall devolution timetable.

The business case (attached at Annex 3) proposed a 3-unitary model  (option 3A) with a West Kent authority comprising Tonbridge and Malling, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone areas.  Following positive engagement and collaborative working with other Kent authorities, this option was potentially supported by five councils across the County.

It was observed that this was an important decision which would have significant consequences for the future of the Borough for decades and generations to come.  Particular reference was made to the views of parish/town councils and Cllr Boughton proposed that relevant supporting documentation could be included in the Borough Council’s final submission if provided in sufficient time.  It was also proposed by Cllr Boughton that any final drafting changes to the Borough Council’s submission before the Government deadline be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader.  Both of these proposals were seconded by Cllr Taylor and supported unanimously.

In recognition that the Borough Council had to submit a response to Government by 28 November 2025 and that option 3A offered the most efficient and least disruptive multi-unitary option for Kent, enabled long-term financial sustainability and reflected the position previously confirmed by Tonbridge and Malling at the interim submission to Government in March 2025, Cllr Boughton proposed, seconded by Cllr Taylor and Cabinet

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the draft proposals for Local Government Reorganisation, be noted;

(2)             based on the evidence set out in the business case (Annex 3), the 3 unitary model, Option 3a be submitted to the Government by the deadline of 28 November 2025 as the Borough Council’s preferred option for Local Government Reorganisation;

(3)             any final drafting changes ahead of the submission deadline be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Borough Council; and

(4)             any relevant supporting documentation be included in the Borough Council’s final submission to Government if received in advance of the 28 November 2025 deadline.

(Decision Notice D250121CAB)

Consideration was given to the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in respect of the Borough Council’s preferred option for Local Government Reorganisation.

Due regard was given to the views of the Committee, the financial and value for money considerations, the assessment of risk and the legal implications detailed in the business case attached at Annex 3.

Cabinet welcomed the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, recognised the detailed and robust debate of Members and shared the concerns expressed regarding the financial impact of local government reorganisation and the overall devolution timetable.

The business case (attached at Annex 3) proposed a 3-unitary model  (option 3A) with a West Kent authority comprising Tonbridge and Malling, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone areas.  Following positive engagement and collaborative working with other Kent authorities, this option was potentially supported by five councils across the County.

It was observed that this was an important decision which would have significant consequences for the future of the Borough for decades and generations to come.  Particular reference was made to the views of parish/town councils and Cllr Boughton proposed that relevant supporting documentation could be included in the Borough Council’s final submission if provided in sufficient time.  It was also proposed by Cllr Boughton that any final drafting changes to the Borough Council’s submission before the Government deadline be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader.  Both of these proposals were seconded by Cllr Taylor and supported unanimously.

In recognition that the Borough Council had to submit a response to Government by 28 November 2025 and that option 3A offered the most efficient and least disruptive multi-unitary option for Kent, enabled long-term financial sustainability and reflected the position previously confirmed by Tonbridge and Malling at the interim submission to Government in March 2025, Cllr Boughton proposed, seconded by Cllr Taylor and Cabinet

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the draft proposals for Local Government Reorganisation, be noted;

(2)             based on the evidence set out in the business case (Annex 3), the 3 unitary model, Option 3a be submitted to the Government by the deadline of 28 November 2025 as the Borough Council’s preferred option for Local Government Reorganisation;

(3)             any final drafting changes ahead of the submission deadline be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Borough Council; and

(4)             any relevant supporting documentation be included in the Borough Council’s final submission to Government if received in advance of the 28 November 2025 deadline.

Following publication of the English Devolution White Paper in December 2024, the Councils were invited to make an interim submission to Government on 21 March 2025 setting out its preferred geography for new Unitary Councils across Kent.  This was for the three unitary model, which the evidence demonstrated was the most financially sustainable option while aligning with the Government’s stated criteria including population size, identity, and using borough boundaries as the building blocks.  This report brings together the detailed evidence-based work on the business case that has been undertaken to meet the Government’s deadline of 28 November 2025.

Following an interim submission to the Government by the 21 March 2025 deadline to propose the Borough Council’s preferred geography for new Unitary Councils across Kent, the report of the Chief Executive set out the detailed evidence-based work subsequently undertaken on the business case to enable a submission to be made by the Borough Council on the proposals for the Local Government Reorganisation to the Government by the 28 November 2025 deadline.

Particular attention was drawn to the business case for Option 3A, attached at Annex 3, which proposed a 3-unitary model with the West Kent authority comprising Tonbridge and Malling, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone areas.  Members noted that this option was potentially supported by five councils across Kent (the West Kent councils plus Folkstone and Hythe), although these Councils still had to complete their formal decision-making processes during November.  The advantages of Option 3A, in comparison to Option 4B (a 4-unitary model), being the other option that had been broadly supported by councils in Kent and Medway area and developed by the Strategic Partner, KPMG, with the funding allocated by the Government, were outlined in Section 6 of the report.

Due regard was given to the financial and value for money considerations, risk assessment, legal implications and the Equalities Impact Assessment [Annex 4].  There was robust and detailed discussion on a number of areas including the impact on communities and parish/town councils, the operation of potential neighbourhood area committees and the importance of retaining localism and the role of elected and civic Mayors.    Members expressed concern about the financial impact of local government reorganisation and the overall devolution timetable.  Many of these issues would be for the new unitary authority to finalise but the need for a balanced approach to ensure financial stability was emphasised.

In recognition that the Borough Council had to submit a response to Government by 28 November 2025 and that option 3A offered the most efficient and least disruptive multi-unitary option for Kent, enabled long-term financial sustainability and reflected the position previously confirmed by Tonbridge and Malling at the interim submission to Government in March 2025, Cllr Oakley proposed, seconded by Cllr King and the majority of the Committee

RECOMMENDED*:  That

(1)            the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the draft proposals for Local Government Reorganisation, be noted; and

(2)            based on the evidence set out in the business case (Annex 3), the 3 unitary model, Option 3a be submitted to the Government by the deadline of 28 November 2025 as the Borough Council’s preferred option for Local Government Reorganisation.

*Recommended to Cabinet

[In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 8.6, Cllrs Athwal, Cope and Hood asked that their vote against recommendation (2) be recorded in the Minutes.]