Cross-party group to undertake review
Residents of Tonbridge are to be consulted on proposals for the creation of a town council.
A review of local governance arrangements follows a vote by councillors supporting the idea and the submission of a public petition. If the proposal is approved, the new body would represent around 16,000 households in Tonbridge and take responsibility for some local services.
Tonbridge is currently the only area of the borough without a town or parish council. Local services, such as public toilets and parks which elsewhere are provided by parish councils, are currently delivered by the borough council. They are funded via an additional sum called special expenses added to council tax bills for town residents.
The special expenses cost added to bills in Tonbridge for the year from April 2025 will be approximately £77.
The vote to start a review was taken at a full meeting of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council. A petition with more than 2,000 signatures also calling for the move has now been validated by the borough council, triggering what is known as a Community Governance Review.
A cross-party group of borough councillors will undertake the review which must be completed within a year. The process will include an initial public consultation this summer to gauge the views of residents and inform recommendations which will be put to a vote of the full council.
The review is being undertaken at the same time as the government is developing plans to reform council structures in England. The changes will see borough authorities, such as Tonbridge and Malling, merge with neighbouring councils.
Updates on the review process will be published on the TMBC website here: Tonbridge Local Governance Review.
Cllr Matt Boughton, Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, said: “The creation of a town council would mark a significant change for Tonbridge in how some local services are delivered and paid for. We’ll be doing our utmost over the coming months to ensure as many people as possible have a voice in the decision.
“The review will need to be thorough in exploring all the implications of creating a town council and share the relevant information with residents so they are well informed when responding to the forthcoming consultation on this proposal.”