On this week’s Kent Politics Podcast our reporters discuss the news Kent and Medway won’t be on the priority list for devolution and local government reorganisation.
Local government leaders have expressed disappointment and want answers about why the county was unsuccessful in its bid to be among the first areas to get a Mayor and see the shape of its local councils changed.
They’re also joined by Lib Dem county councillor Ian Chittenden who talks about his path into politics and reveals which seats his party will be targetting when the next general election rolls around.
Our reporters speculate the reasons behind why Kent and Medway weren’t among those areas chosen by the government and also talk what this delay will mean for local elections.
They also discuss the latest figures for Medway Council’s finances and how it has been predicted to overspend by £8 million – a reduction from £11 million in November.
They talk the possibility of some MPs who were defeated at the general election making a comeback in the county and an increase in rural crime and what’s being done about it.
The weekly podcast brings together Simon Finlay, Robert Boddy and Dan Esson, of the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Simon covers Kent County Council while Robert reports on Medway Council and Dan specialises in borough and district councils.
And KM senior news editor Nikki White takes us through the latest developments in Westminster.
You can listen to the podcast at IM Listening, or download it from Apple Podcasts, Spotify and TuneIn – just search for Kent Politics Podcast.
Readers can also keep up-to-date with the latest political news on our dedicated Kent Politics page on KentOnline.
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