Following agreement by Full Council in February 2026 to establish a Town Council for Tonbridge, a Reorganisation of Community Governance Order (‘the Order’) was prepared and sent off to the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, along with a number of other key bodies.
In addition to being made available on the our website, hard copies of the Order are also available to view at our Offices at Gibson Drive, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4LZ and at Tonbridge Castle, Castle Street, Tonbridge TN9 1BG.
About the review
Following a decision made at full council in February 2025 and the submission of a valid petition, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council consulted residents on whether a town council should be formed in Tonbridge to provide some local services.
Community Governance Reviews (CGR) are a process where councils can consult on local governance arrangements, including the creation of new parish or town councils.
The review considered:
- Whether a town council should be established
- Potential boundaries for the town council
- Electoral arrangements, including the number of councillors
The final decision was made by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council following completion of the review process. On Tuesday 24 February, a meeting of the council agreed the recommendations to create a new Town Council in Tonbridge.
This concludes the Community Governance Review, and we will now move on to the setting up phase of Tonbridge Town Council, which is due to go live in May 2027 following the scheduled Parish/Town Councils elections.
Borough councillors approved recommendations confirming:
- A new Tonbridge Town Council
- 18 elected councillors
- Six wards across the town
- First elections in May 2027
- A new “Oast” ward name for the unparished parts of Hildenborough
Results of the two consultations which took place during the review can be found below.
Second consultation results
The consultation on the proposal was held during November and December 2025 and attracted 897 responses.
- 69% of people that responded stated that they would like the area to be divided up into wards.
- How many councillors should a town council have?
- 41% favoured 13 councillors
- 37% favoured 18 councillors
- 10% favoured 30 councillors
- 12% favoured a different number
- 62% of people that responded stated they believe the town council should have a mayor.
First consultation results
The consultation ran from June to July 2025, and we received 3,257 responses, representing approximately 12% of the eligible population.
- 72% of respondents supported the creation of a town council for Tonbridge. While 23% were opposed, and 5% were unsure.
- The most common reasons for support included:
- Giving residents a stronger voice in local decisions (47%).
- Improving local facilities and support (31%).
- Enhancing the status of Tonbridge (19%).
- Those opposed raised concerns about:
- Additional costs to council tax bills (41%).
- Duplication of services already provided by the Borough Council (27%).
- Increased local bureaucracy (27%).