Looking back on 2024, and ahead to 2025

Here is the New Year message that I’ve written (and put out on KCC’s media hub) as we head towards 2025. It’s a bit longer than usual - but then both looking back and looking forward, there’s quite a lot to say …

As we reach the end of 2024, we have a lot of achievements to look back on – and both plans and challenges for 2025.

Just before Christmas the Government’s White Paper on devolution set out a vision for the future for local government, one that now starts us on a path of the most important and potentially transformational journeys that KCC has seen for many years. It is clear that changes will happen, and on the government’s timetable – not ours. Early in 2025 government will set out which areas belong to the priority devolution programme. It is certainly open to Kent and Medway to be part of that, and we will continue our conversations with officials and ministers.

I know that the prospect of change can be unsettling. At this very early stage it is not possible to say exactly what the changes will involve or how we may all be affected. We can however be sure that any future arrangements will have to build on our record of effective delivery, and the vital services that we provide will be needed as much or more than ever under any new arrangements.

2024 saw some remarkable work and achievements across the council. A visit from Ofsted confirmed the strength of our children’s services, rated Outstanding in 2022. We are now delivering our programme of Family Hubs; I was able to see some of this exceptional work on a visit to a family hub in Maidstone with Sue Chandler (Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services) and other colleagues. In SEND, we saw the lifting of the Improvement Notice imposed in 2023 and the continued delivery of our programme of change that is now yielding results.

Responding to the court judgments of 2023, we have built out five new reception centres for all Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking (UAS) Children arriving in Kent. On 14 November, we welcomed government ministers Dame Angela Eagle and Janet Daby to two of our Reception Centres to see first-hand the great work our staff are doing to safeguard the welfare of UAS Children and the very real challenges we continue to face in doing so.

This work has enabled us to cope with unprecedented levels of arrivals (2,728 referrals up to 20 December), while our willingness to challenge governments of whatever complexion has meant that we have shielded the Kent council taxpayer from the financial impact of this and have ensured much faster transfers (2,316 this year) of UAS Children to other Local Authorities via the National Transfer Scheme (NTS). We continue, however, to press for further changes to ensure that the system works efficiently and effectively in the future. Kent and its services must not shoulder an excessive responsibility for what is a national, and international issue.

We have deepened our collaboration between social care, public health and the NHS through the delivery plan for the Integrated Care Strategy and are developing innovative work to manage winter pressures.

We spent much of the year preparing for the introduction of the EU’s new external frontier, the Entry Exit System (EES). It was delayed just weeks before its scheduled introduction in November but our teams, working with local and national partners, had carried out detailed preparations to mitigate the potential impact on the county. This work will serve us well if, as seems likely, we see a more gradual move to the new system in 2025. Meanwhile, this summer saw a largely successful management of traffic pressures around the ports.

In spite of the continuing inadequacies of national funding for road repairs, our highways teams oversaw a major pothole blitz and are our front line in responding to severe weather and winter pressures. Our public transport team has delivered vital support for local bus services while bringing forward further development of Fastrack services at either end of the county.

I was delighted to attend the opening of a state-of-the-art Waste Transfer Station in Sevenoaks in the autumn, while our environment teams are bringing forward both the detail of Making Space for Nature and longer-term plans for environment and adaptation in our county. We have continued to press for the restoration of international train services at Ashford and Ebbsfleet, and for new nuclear at Dungeness, while also working to support the development of Discovery Park, where in August I was delighted to join the Park’s owners in welcoming Asymchem, who are establishing their European development and pilot manufacturing site there.

In July the council unanimously agreed to develop work on a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chernihiv region in Ukraine. At the invitation of the regional administration, I and colleague Cllr Jordan Meade Mead travelled there at the end of October. The short trip, at our own expense, was an opportunity to sign the agreement in person and discuss areas of further learning and cooperation. It was an unforgettable few days and there is a powerful bond between our communities.

On the Government’s decision to remove the Winter Fuel Allowance, we launched a very strong campaign with our district and borough colleagues to promote the take up of Pension Credit, which unlocks that benefit and a number of others. We then went a step further with a slice of the latest round of Household Support Fund from the Department for Work and Pensions; our Just Missing Out scheme is there for those of pension age just over the threshold who are by no means hugely affluent and will therefore be impacted by the changes.

This work is linked to our innovative and impactful Financial Hardship Programme which seeks to not only support but also build resilience in some of our most vulnerable residents. It’s an area I am proud we as a council have taken forward, utilising very specific funding opportunities in the most effective way.

Under our Securing Kent’s Future programme, we have made a lot of progress in reducing the areas of financial pressure that were so severe in 2022 and 2023. However, in common with much of local government, significant stresses and strains on our budget remain and the support we receive from central government has not kept pace with the increased pressures. We also need to see fundamental reform in the areas that generate our budget pressures: adult social care, children’s social services (in particular, placement costs) and special educational needs and disabilities. These issues of budget pressures and reform, along with devolution, will be the major themes of 2025.

My final word must be for the staff of Kent County Council who, with a quiet diligence and commitment while facing many challenges, seek to do the very best for the people of Kent day in and out. I owe them my gratitude and deeply held respect.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone in Kent a very Happy New Year.

English Devolution: big decisions ahead

The English Devolution White Paper, published at the start of last week, heralds the most radical changes to local government, and the structure of government in England, for at least fifty years. ‘At least’ because in many respects these proposals are more profound and wide-ranging than those of 1972-74, which were the foundation of our current system. Much of the last week has been caught up in work to understand, report on and respond to the White Paper - so there’s been little time to write. 

I did, however, have to report on Devolution to our County Council meeting last Thursday, and so set out some of my thoughts (see our media release). In brief, this is a massive change, full of challenges and risks, and one that will be driven by national government’s wishes rather than ours. There are also some big opportunities in this, and Kent and Medway - the historic county - is well-placed to respond to them.

In brief, the White Paper makes clear that the expected model of governance across England will be one of Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs), bringing together a directly elected Mayor with a number of councils making up a Combined Authority. This model is already in operation in many parts of the country, such as Greater Manchester (with Andy Burnham as Mayor) and the West Midlands (where my friend Andy Street served as Mayor 2017-24). The government expects this to be universal across England by the end of this Parliament. 

This much was already indicated as early as in the letter that Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner sent to upper tier (County and Unitary) Council Leaders in July, shortly after the government was formed. It was made still clearer at the Local Government Association conference in October, where the Minister of State for local government, Jim McMahon, made clear that mayoral authorities would be the essential building block of the system and that there would be ‘no orphan areas’. And, of course, there are many similarities with proposals launched (and mayoral authorities created) under the last government, when Michael Gove was the Secretary of State. 

What is new, however - and came up on the rails in the closing weeks before the launch of the White Paper - is the emphasis on local government reorganisation (LGR). In our case, that means the replacement of the two-tier (county and district council) system with one of a number of unitary councils. This too is a programme that government is determined to press forward, and is closely linked to the development of MSAs. Under the scenario of Kent and Medway being an MSA, and reorganisation accompanying it, none of today’s 14 councils - Kent County Council, Medway Council, the 12 Districts and Boroughs - would exist in their current form.

What are the possible benefits of all this? Some eighteen months ago, under the previous Conservative government, I made clear that I favoured a Mayoral solution and the form of MSA that was then on offer. The attraction of this, then and now, was that government is prepared to devolve a number of key strategic powers - across infrastructure, economic development, transport, environment, employment support and strategic planning - to MSAs. 

Local government, especially in bodies such as County Councils, has lost much of its power in this area through national policy decisions and the intense financial pressures of recent years from adult social care, children’s social services and special educational needs. This offers a way back, and with powers coming to a body that would not be hamstrung by those spending pressures.

In addition, devolution would bring a single financial settlement from government for the MSA - in contrast to the mess of smaller, sometimes competitive funding pots which councillors of all parties decry - and national level representation through a new Council of Nations and Regions.

Ministers have also emphasised what in the previous Labour government was known as Total Place, and is now called Public Service Reform: bringing public services in an area closer together to deliver better services and more value for the Kent pound. Kent and Medway is well suited to benefit from this: not only are we an area of almost 2 million people with a strong historic identity and clearly defined geography, we have the same boundaries as major public services such as Police, Fire and Rescue and Health.

It was on this basis that Kent and Medway - with a much stronger effort than in many parts of the country to ensure that all our democratically elected councils were engaged in the process - put in a strong submission to the government’s call for Expressions of Interest in the autumn. 

We now face a decision as to whether or not to be part of the Devolution Priority Programme, the group of areas that will move ahead rapidly to undertake these changes. I made clear in my report to the Council that, to my mind, there are many advantages to moving sooner rather than later, both to get the benefits of devolution (in terms of powers and funds) quickly, and to shape our own future. No decision has yet been made, however, but it will have to be by 10 January. The New Year will be off to a busy start.

Franks Lane bridge works vandalised

Many Horton Kirby residents will have seen that the works on the Franks Lane bridge, running through the week commencing 16 December, have been vandalised. This took place on Thursday, and as the picture shows (photo credit: Councillor Alan White) the new brick work has been pushed into the river.

This is the most dismal and appalling vandalism, and comes when the works were heading to completion. I have been in contact with Kent Highways officers, and contractors were due to attend and assess the damage on Friday. I was told that they plan to return during the week beginning 6 January, provided that the materials needed for the works are available. I will update when I know more.

Franks Lane: closure for bridge repairs next week

Repairs will take place to the Franks Lane bridge in Horton Kirby at the start of next week. 

KCC officers attended the bridge on 29 November to inspect the damage (a large part of the parapet wall knocked into the river, more damage to the remaining part) and make plans for repair. 

The road will be closed (9:30 to 3:30) for up to five days starting Monday 16 December. Officers are hoping to maintain pedestrian access when it is safe to do so during this period. While repairs are carried out, new signage warning of narrow bridge ahead will be installed directly on to the brickwork of the parapet.

Help for Pensioners Just Missing Out

Last week at Kent County Council we launched our Just Missing Out scheme to help pensioners affected by rising living costs and the withdrawal of the Winter Fuel allowance. This builds on our work over recent years supporting residents through our Financial Hardship Programme.

The Chancellor announced in the summer the withdrawal of Winter Fuel Payment from all older people except those in receipt of Pension Credit. In response, we have already got under way a campaign, along with many of our partners, to spread the word about Pension Credit and boost takeup. There are an estimated 18,000 households in Kent who are eligible for Pension Credit but not claiming it. Getting access to that can unlock a number of other entitlements, including Winter Fuel Payment. We continue to push this campaign, especially since the deadline for applying for and backdating this year’s Winter Fuel Payment is approaching (21 December). 

The problem is that this initiative, important as it is, cannot help the ‘Just Missing Out’ group of pensioners who are not on high incomes but are above the eligibility level for Pension Credit. We have therefore allocated for this group £1m out of the £11m that we were allocated in the latest round of the Household Support Find (a scheme set up under the previous government and continued by the new administration). Under this scheme, which went live on 28 November, we will be providing £200 vouchers which can be redeemed for food, energy or both. This will be available to households with annual incomes ranging from £11,383.80 (single households) or £17,713.40 (couples) to £40,000. 

The application link can be found on our website.

In recent years, KCC has provided extensive support to residents through our Financial Hardship Programme, which aims both at immediate help and building a lasting legacy of enhancing financial resilience. The programme has meant the distribution of 48,000 food and fuel vouchers to help with household bills, 5,000 laptops being supplied to people without access to technology, 150 children are now in their own beds, rather than sharing with siblings or sleeping on sofas, and more than 2,600 people are not dealing with their debt on their own. 

Our Cabinet meeting last week both launched this new scheme for pensioners and reviewed the achievements of the Financial Hardship Programme while planning for its future.

You can find our media release about the scheme, and our Cabinet meeting here.