The government has confirmed that from 1 April 2028 Kent County Council, Medway Council and the county's 12 district, borough and city councils will be replaced by four single-tier unitary authorities. For Medway residents the practical outcome is that our city will be part of a newly created North Kent unitary alongside Dartford and Gravesham.
What this means for services in Medway
The new unitary councils will assume responsibility for all local government functions in their areas — the range of services currently split between Kent County Council and the district or unitary councils. That includes:
- Education and children’s services
- Adult social care and public health responsibilities
- Highways, waste collection and street services
- Libraries, leisure centres and housing services
Local leaders have emphasised this will be a phased change rather than an overnight switch. As council leaders stated, "not one of our services will change overnight – you will still be dealing with the same council staff tomorrow and the day after that". The new councils are intended to provide a single point of accountability for these services rather than separate county and district arrangements.
How the county is being divided
The Secretary of State selected a four-authority model following a public consultation. The areas chosen are set out below:
| Unitary area | Districts/Unitary covered |
|---|---|
| North Kent | Dartford, Gravesham, Medway |
| West Kent | Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Malling, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells |
| Mid Kent | Swale, Ashford, Folkestone & Hythe |
| East Kent | Canterbury, Thanet, Dover |
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed said the reforms will "shake up local government so people could get the services they deserve" and that the changes lay foundations for greater devolution and economic growth. Not all local leaders agreed with the chosen pattern; Kent County Council had proposed a single unitary with three area assemblies instead.
Timeline and next steps
The decision follows a government consultation that attracted around 3,000 responses. The new authorities will not be created until April 2028, and until then existing councils — including Medway Council — will continue to operate and provide services. Council leaders have said supporting the thousands of council staff affected by the reorganisation will be a priority during the transition.
For Medway residents, the immediate practical impact should be limited: day-to-day contact and services will remain unchanged in the short term. Over the coming months, however, local people and organisations can expect consultation on detailed transition plans, service redesign and the governance arrangements for the new North Kent authority.
“This is the start of the process of bringing our different teams together with the aim of designing then delivering the best possible services for the people we serve.”
Further announcements will set out how democratic arrangements, staff transfers and budgets will be handled. Residents who rely on council services should continue to use current contact routes while monitoring local council communications for updates about the transition process.
