Purpose

Decision:
 
Cabinet to:

Agree to submit a request to
Government, jointly with Medway Council, for Kent and Medway to be
included in the Devolution Priority Programme
Note that acceptance onto the
Devolution Priority Programme will commit Kent and Medway to
elections to a new Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA) in May 2026
and implementation of local government reorganisation by either
April 2027 or April 2028
Agree to request that the
Minister for Local Government and English Devolution consider
postponing County elections scheduled for May 2025 

 
Decision
details:
 
Details of the merits and
considerations relating to the DPP are set out in the report to
Full Council and Cabinet on 9 January.
 
Acceptance by Ministers of Kent
and Medway on the Devolution Priority Programme will commit the
County Council, working with Medway Council and the District and
Borough Councils in Kent to the following:
 

The creation of a
Mayoral Strategic Authority: Areas which are in the Devolution
Priority Programme must work to create a Mayoral Strategic
Authority (MSA) and holding the first elections for the Mayor by
May 2026.

 

The delivery of Local
Government Reorganisation: Areas which are in Devolution Priority
Programme will be committing to delivering local government
reorganisation by either April 2027 or April 2028. Areas on the
programme will be expected to set out initial reorganisation
proposals by March 2025 and detailed proposals by Autumn
2025

 
In line with the details set out in the
Ministerial letter and the understanding that acceptance onto the
Devolution Priority Programme is directly related to the
Government’s view of whether elections can and should be
postponed, this decision also makes the request to delay the
elections as a logical corollary of the requested Devolution
arrangements.
 
It should be noted that the decision on
KCC’s acceptance onto the DPP and any delay of elections will
be taken by Ministers.
 
 
 
Reason for
Urgency:
 
Following the publication of
the English Devolution White Paper on 16 December 2024 the
Government proposes to establish a Devolution Priority Programme
for a limited number of areas which wish to access the benefits of
both devolution and local government reorganisation as quickly as
possible. The deadline for applications to the programme is 10
January 2025.
 
The decision to request Kent
and Medway be included in the Devolution Priority Programme is a
matter for the Executive pursuant to section 7 of the KCC
Constitution and the relevant legislation.
 
However, Members received a
briefing ahead of an extraordinary County Council meeting that was
held on 9 January to provide an opportunity for all Members to
debate the issue and provide an informative to assist Cabinet in
making their decision.
 
 
 
Background
 
The publication of the English
Devolution White Paper on 16 December 2024 provides a definitive
policy position from Government in regards
to both devolution and local government reorganisation. The
Government proposes to establish a Devolution Priority Programme
for a limited number of areas which wish to access the benefits of
both devolution and local government reorganisation as quickly as
possible.
 
Entry onto the priority
programme will support stronger and more constructive engagement
with Ministers and civil servants in developing proposals in a way
that works best for Kent and Medway, as well as earlier access to
the benefits of devolution in terms of powers, funding (and funding
flexibilities) and a national level voice.
 
In joining the priority
programme, it is the quickest route for Kent and Medway to draw
down devolved powers and monies from Government to deliver new and
reformed services and improvement programmes for the benefit of
Kent and Medway residents and businesses. Multiple strategic
statements from KCC have placed achieving devolution as a key
strategic objective of the council, and entry onto the Devolution
Priority Programme provides the quickest route to finally meeting
that objective from May 2026. This would then give Kent an
immediate stronger voice in discussions on national policy and
priorities with Government through membership of the Council of
Nations and Regions, and the Mayoral Council.
 
Moreover, given the criteria
for moving to Established MSA status is primarily an 18 month running period, the sooner Kent and Medway
delivers an MSA the sooner it can gain the substantive benefits of
an integrated settlement with Government, gaining greater freedoms
over the use of devolved monies, and seek additional and bespoke
devolved powers. The risk of not seeking Devolution Priority
Programme status is that Kent and Medway would be further
disadvantaged and left behind by an increasing majority of local
areas with access to a range of powers and funds that will simply
not be otherwise available to Kent and Medway for many
years.
 

Decision

Cabinet to:

Agree to submit a request to
Government, jointly with Medway Council, for Kent and Medway to be
included in the Devolution Priority Programme
Note that acceptance onto the
Devolution Priority Programme will commit Kent and Medway to
elections to a new Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA) in May 2026
and implementation of local government reorganisation by either
April 2027 or April 2028
Agree to request that the
Minister for Local Government and English Devolution consider
postponing County elections scheduled for May 2025