Listen Live

Is It Devolution?

Monday, 20 January 2025 16:17

By Julia Neal & Martin Webber

The Green Party County Councillor for Tonbridge, Mark Hood, has attacked the government's planned council changes as a "concentration of power".

Mark Hood told West Kent Radio that the Green Party supports devolution but he believes the current proposals are not really devolution.

He continued: "Devolution entails passing power down as close to the community as possible.  But what we are actually seeing is a bit of a power grab and the concentration of more power in the hands of fewer and fewer people".

"So you are going to have an elected mayor who's going to be given loads of powers. And we're not sure how he's going to be held to account. Is there going to be any effective method to do that at all?  That's completely unspecified at the moment."

Mark Hood believes that the 500,000 minimum population for each new unitary authority is too high. He says: "Democracy is becoming more remote from people."

He also says there should have been a referendum to decide on whether the people of Kent wanted a mayor. 

Mark Hood hopes that there will be more support for a petition calling for Tonbridge to form a Town Council.

He believes "it's absolutely crucial" for Tonbridge to have a Town Council to represent residents when the new West Kent Authority is likely to be based far way, maybe in Maidstone.

You can hear more of Mark Hood's views in this audio:

Share

More from WEST KENT NEWS

  • Boost to Biodiversity

    Kent Wildlife Trust has bought an area of intensively farmed land near Lamberhurst and will convert it into a haven for nature.

  • MP concerned by "Housing Crisis"

    Objectors to plans for 500 new homes on green fields to the south of Tunbridge Wells say they're disappointed by the "neutral" stance on the issue taken by local Liberal Democrats.

  • Reform UK's Big Plan

    The Reform UK leadership of Kent County Council is to press ahead with a proposal for a single council in Kent to achieve local government reform.

  • West Kent Unitary Authority Nearer

    Council leaders in Kent have agreed on two local government reform options, with both of them involving merging together Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone.

  • MP's Views on Migration Policy

    The MP for Tunbridge Wells, Mike Martin, has said the forced resignation of the deputy Prime Minister for not paying enough tax, was another "hammer blow" to public trust in politicians.

  • Boost For Local Conservatives

    One of the Borough Councillors for the Rural Tunbridge Wells area, David Knight, has switched from the Tunbridge Wells Alliance Party to the Conservatives.

  • 100 Homes for Hadlow

    More green fields are to be replaced by housing under a plan for the north west of Hadlow.

  • 500th Park Run in Dunorlan

    The Tunbridge Wells Park Run marked a major milestone on Saturday 30th August.

On Air Now Alex Smith 8:00pm - 10:00pm
Now Playing
No Name Jive Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra
Recently Played
  • Don't Be That Way Benny Goodman & His Orchestra 21:11
  • Nightmare Artie Shaw & His Orchestra 21:08
  • Bebop In Pastel Sonny Stitt-Kenny Dorham-Bud Powell-Al Hall-Wallace Bishop 21:05

COMING UP

  • The Wind Down

    10:00pm - 1:00am

    The Wind Down

  • Through The Night

    1:00am - 7:00am

    Non Stop Music

SOCIAL MEDIA