KCC Leader Linden Kemkaran's reaction to the government pausing Local Government Reorganisation plans video transcript

This video transcript is for the video shown on our news article Kent County Council responds to latest Local Government Reorganisation decision.

Kent County Council Leader, Linden Kemkaran is standing in front of the Kent County Council chamber responding to the latest decision around Local Government Reorganisation.

Linden: We have spent months working in good faith on proposals for significant change to the structure of local government, changes to Kent County Council did not seek in the first place.

Despite that, we've done everything the government have asked of us meticulously, transparently, and by the book. We put forward a sensible proposal designed to deliver the best outcome for Kent's residents, but that proposal was turned down.

Since then, councils have continued to invest huge amounts of time and effort responding to the government's requirements.

This process has already cost tax payers in the region of £1million, only for ministers to now pause it without providing any real detail about what happens next.

Local authorities, staff, and residents have been left in limbo.

The government urgently needs to provide clarity, explain its intentions, and set out a credible way forward.

[End card: Kent County Council logo shown, alongside kent.gov.uk/news]