Kent will be carved up into four new unitary authorities once the 14 existing councils abolish themselves in the coming monthsThe Local Democracy Reporting Service understands Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reed has chosen an option, known as 4b, which comprises new authorities in the north, west, mid/south Kent and east.
Fourteen leaders put forward five options for the government to choose from, based on geography and population size and growth.
Option 4b would be made up of: Dartford, Gravesham and Medway in the north; Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells in the west; Swale, Ashford and Folkestone and Hythe in the middle of Kent and Canterbury, Thanet and Dover in the east.
In the short-term, key services such as bin collections, tips, libraries, Highways and social care, will stay the same for residents but work will now start on finding the most effective way to run them under the new system.