Tonbridge Bean

The campaign for a Tonbridge Town Council gained significant momentum last night following a highly productive two-hour meeting at the Angel Centre. Chaired by a dedicated group of Tonbridge Council Campaigners and additonally representatives from established Parish Councils in nearby towns such as Snodland and Sevenoaks, the gathering aimed to shed light on the complex realities, benefits, and responsibilities a local council might entail for Tonbridge.

In a poignant quirk of fate, it was approximately 50 years ago that Sevenoaks was granted its own town council, while Tonbridge, despite its considerable size and influence, was not. The prevailing reason at the time was that Tonbridge was considered “too big” to warrant such a local governance structure. This historical anomaly, arguably a longstanding “wrong” to be righted, formed an unspoken backdrop to the evening’s discussions.

The Inevitable Tide of Change: Unitary Authority Looms

The core thrust of the meeting revolved around the inevitable wave of change sweeping through local government. With the national government indicating its intention to abolish all existing county and borough councils within the next few years, the landscape of local administration is set for a radical overhaul. This will see the creation of larger, unitary authorities. In plain English, this means that Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (TMBC) as we know it will cease to exist. The proposed new unitary body is expected to encompass a vast geographical area of west Kent, including Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, and potentially even Maidstone.

The Tonbridge Council Campaigners articulated a compelling argument that this impending restructuring will, without a local town council, create an even greater democratic deficit for Tonbridge. Under such a large, overarching unitary body, decisions impacting our town could be made by representatives from a much wider area, potentially with less direct understanding of Ton Tonbridge’s unique nuances and needs. Without a dedicated town council to speak solely on Tonbridge’s behalf, the town could find its voice diminished within a much larger administrative entity. The timeline for this sweeping change is anticipated to see the new unitary body formed as early as 2028.

An Imperative for Self-Governance

Given this impending shift, a key point of discussion amongst the panel was the imperative for Tonbridge to establish its own town council either before this unitary body is formed or, at the very least, concurrently. The consensus was that securing a town council now would provide a vital layer of local representation and decision-making power that would be otherwise lost in the larger unitary structure.

Intriguing questions from the engaged audience touched upon what assets a new Tonbridge Council would be responsible for. The panel prudently agreed that any new Tonbridge Council would likely be reluctant to take on assets that come with significant staff overheads. Similarly, the larger unitary body would probably be disinclined to relinquish substantial income-generating assets, such as the town’s car parks. More likely candidates for devolution to a new Tonbridge Council were identified as open green spaces (crucially, areas that could host community events), local cemeteries, and public toilets.

One particularly exciting advantage highlighted regarding control over green spaces in Tonbridge was the enhanced ability it would give a new Town Council to organise events more closely and successfully. This resonates strongly with recent community concerns about the escalating costs and bureaucratic hurdles faced by local event organisers, a topic Tonbridge Bean has covered previously. A dedicated town council could potentially streamline processes, offer more direct support, and foster a more vibrant events calendar that truly binds the town together.

Practicalities of running a Tonbridge Council

Discussions also touched upon the practicalities of governance, specifically how many councillors would sit on a new Tonbridge Council. The number brought up was between 13 and 23. A significant point, met with approval from the audience, was the understanding that these roles would be entirely unpaid. The audience further expressed a strong preference that any future councillors should either live within or very near Tonbridge itself, and ideally possess an apolitical persuasion, focusing purely on local issues rather than party politics.

The meeting concluded with a clear call to action from the Tonbridge Council Campaign. Attendees were urged to spread the word about the importance of this initiative and, crucially, to sign the petition supporting the creation of a Tonbridge Town Council. Tonbridge Bean will be following this story extremely closely. It seems absolutely crucial that Tonbridge seizes this moment to right a wrong from 50 years ago and finally secures the dedicated local governance it deserves.

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