Kent now in 'slow lane' and stuck in 'devolution desert' after rejection says Kent council leaders
The leader of Medway Council has told us they were 'actively encouraged' by the civil servants to apply for devolution.
The leader of Medway Council has told us Kent is now in the 'slow lane' and 'stuck in a devolution desert' after missing out on the priority programme.
Yesterday, the government confirmed the county wouldn't be included in the devolution priority programme after Leaders of the Kent County Council and Medway Council were informed by Jim McMahon OBE, MP Minister for Local Government and Devolution, that the bid to be part of the first round of Devolution had not been successful.
It means county elections will still go ahead this summer, there will be no mayor and the structure of the councils will stay the same and Vince Maple expressed his disappointment in missing out on the scheme.
He said: "We weren't included due to the size of the two councils, and that's something that has been well documented, people know we have a unitary authority and county council. The government felt that wasn't appropriate but they knew the size of those two councils and we were very actively encouraged by civil servants to apply...very actively encouraged.
"This was all about improving the lives of the people here in Kent and Medway, for example, we're now stuck with two private sector organisations running our buses and that's not acceptable to me, I want a better offer for our people.
"And while devolution will eventually happen we are now effectively in the slow lane, which I don't think is good enough for our county, though we will move on and get through this.
"Medway is a resilient place, there have been many difficult situations and this is another one but rest assured we will continue to deliver for our residents, we will continue on this devolution journey but today is a set back and it is disappointing."
When asked if the outcome was 'embarrassing' for both Medway and Kent County Council, Vince said: "It's frustrating, it's disappointing but it's not embarrassing, blimey! People across the region will be listening to this who have got far more difficult things going on in their life than decision which is fundamentally about government's and their structures."
The counties included in Devolution were: Cumbria, Cheshire & Warrington, Norfolk & Suffolk, Greater Essex, Sussex & Brighton, Hampshire & Solent
And, speaking to us yesterday, leader of the KCC, Roger Gough, couldn't believe Kent wasn't included, surrounded by counties that were, he said: "I'm disappointed, angry and baffled, I think, in roughly equal measure as the result of a pretty comprehensible decision for which I have seen no proper justification or rationale and Kent find it's self in a devolution desert.
While their words were constrained, you could tell from the body language of both leaders that this decision had confused and shook them.
When applying for Devolution just last month there was a quite confidence from everyone involved - and despite being worried about the delay of the county elections, most parties appeared excited for the fresh start on the horizon, after a difficult few years for Kent's councils.
And that is where the dream will have to stay for now, on the horizon, with both council leaders turning their attention to this years' budget while having to process a situation that leaves the county in limbo and with everyone asking 'what happens next?'