Your report on the problems in Kent county council stresses the conflicts in the ruling Reform UK party over the budget (‘Suck it up’: leaked video exposes bitter infighting at Reform UK’s flagship Kent council, 18 October). These squabbles must not obscure the very real problems that the county faces in meeting government requirements to restructure into three or four new unitary councils.
The new pattern of unitaries is likely to divide wealthy West Kent from East Kent, which has the highest concentration of social need and the least capacity to raise council tax. The level of debt that unitaries will inherit from the existing district councils makes things much worse – virtually zero in West Kent and probably near £500m in East Kent. Kent county council’s additional £750m debt makes matters worse
The issues of social need, the capacity to invest in good-quality jobs and how to address the debt crisis must be at the forefront of debate about how we go forward. Otherwise the future for East Kent will be bleak.
Prof Peter Taylor-Gooby
Lead, East Kent Poverty Study
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