County Identity at Stake in ‘Kent’ & Medway Plans

The Campaign for Historic Counties has submitted its response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) consultation on proposals for unitary local government in the current “Kent & Medway” area.

The consultation seeks views on multiple proposals, ranging from a single unitary council to models with up to five new authorities. While the Campaign does not take a position on the preferred configuration or precise boundaries of the new councils, it emphasizes the importance of respecting historic county identities in any outcome.

The area under consideration is not the full geographic County of Kent, and it also includes parts of Sussex. Whatever the new local government arrangements, they must not obscure or redefine the enduring historic counties that form the nation’s geography and cultural heritage.