Residents are being invited to share their thoughts on how an elected town council for Tonbridge could operate.
A consultation opening today forms the second stage of a review process triggered earlier this year by a vote by councillors and a public petition calling for a town council to be formed. At present Tonbridge is the only area of the borough without a parish or town council.
An initial consultation during the summer attracted more than 3,000 responses and found a majority of those taking part were in favour of creating a town council. The six-week consultation, which opened in June, found that 72 per cent of respondents favoured the idea, while almost a quarter (23 per cent) were opposed. Five per cent of respondents were unsure.
The second consultation will ask residents for views on key aspects of how a town council could operate. These include whether the town council area should be divided into wards, the number of councillors that should be elected and whether the town should have a mayor. The consultation runs until 12 December.
The results will feed into a year-long review process with the final decision on whether to establish a town council due to be taken by a meeting of borough councillors in February 2026.
If the decision is made to establish a town council, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council would continue to provide most local services. A new town council, serving around 16,000 households, could take on responsibilities such as allotments, open spaces, community schemes and support for tourism. It may also represent the interests of the community on a range of matters.
Damian Roberts, Electoral Registration Officer at Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, said: “With our first consultation showing strong support for a town council among those who took part, we now need to hear further views on some of the more detailed considerations that will inform the final decision.”
Read more about the town council review and take part in the consultation.