Vince Maple, Leader of Medway Council, speaks to Weald of Kent Labour on Devolution

In a public meeting hosted by Weald of Kent Labour in Tenterden on 1st April, Vince Maple, Leader of Medway Council, gave an informative and insightful talk about devolution and local government reorganisation in Kent. Vince is Labour’s most senior Labour Council leader in the our region and will play an influential voice in the future reform of Kent’s local democracy.

Based on his experience as a Medway Councillor for 18 years in our region’s only unitary authority Vince is strongly in favour of the devolution proposals and also a new Mayoralty. He argued that a unitary structure “encouraged accountability making it far simpler for residents to understand what Councillors & the authority are actually responsible for”. He believes the Mayor for Kent – supported by a strategic authority – would provide leadership across the region to get things done above and beyond the role of the new unitary authorities. They will also be able to speak for the entire Kent region to central government. He also supported Weald of Kent Labour’s view that the Mayor should be elected using supplementary vote. Vince favours four new unitary councils to replace the existing fourteen (12 Boroughs/Districts/KCC and Medway) and is supportive of giving an enhanced role to parish/town councils in this major re-organisation of Kent local government. The final plans for reorganisation must be submitted to the Government by 28^th November. This makes it likely that elections for the new unitary authorities could be held in 2028.