Tonbridge Bean

The campaign is gaining momentum and now you can have your say– here’s what’s happening and how to get involved.

Tonbridge might be on the verge of a major political change – and it starts with a simple question: should the town have its own elected town council?

Today (2 June), a six-week public consultation opens to find out what local residents and businesses think. It’s part of a wider governance review led by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council – and it could result in Tonbridge finally getting the kind of local representation that every other part of the borough already has.

Tonbridge is currently the only area in the borough without a parish or town council, meaning all decisions are made by the borough and county councils. That could now change thanks to a growing community-led campaign – and a public petition that forced the issue onto the council’s agenda.

“Whether we need a town council for Tonbridge is something that must be decided by those who live and work in the area. That’s why we want as many people as possible to engage with the information we’re making available and voice their opinion through this consultation exercise.

“I’d urge everyone who cares about the future of Tonbridge to make their voice heard on this important decision.”

– Damian Roberts, Electoral Registration Officer at Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council.

Where did this all come from?

The push for a town council hasn’t come out of nowhere. A group of local residents launched a petition earlier this year calling for better local democracy in Tonbridge – and it gathered enough support to trigger a formal response from the borough council.

The campaign is being led by Tonbridge Town Council Campaign – a grassroots initiative aiming to establish a representative body for the town. They argue that Tonbridge deserves a voice of its own to make decisions with the community and for the community.

The campaign says a town council could help improve transparency, strengthen the town’s identity, and give residents more influence over how money is spent on local priorities.

Anyone visiting the Lion’s Community Fete yesterday will have no doubt seen the Tonbridge Town Council Campaign tent. From what I saw, it was rather popular!

What would a town council do?

A Tonbridge Town Council could take on a number of responsibilities, such as:

• Managing open spaces and allotments
• Supporting community initiatives
• Promoting local tourism
• Representing the town in borough-wide decisions

The town council would be made up of 13 to 27 elected councillors, chosen by voters in the Tonbridge area.

What about the cost?

One of the biggest questions surrounding the creation of a town council is cost — and it’s likely to be a key point of debate.

Here’s what Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council (TMBC) has said:

“Town council services and overheads would be funded via an additional precept on Tonbridge council tax bills. The “special expenses” charge currently levied by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council to pay for such services would be adjusted to reflect any transfer of responsibilities to the new town council.  The special expenses element of council tax bills in Tonbridge is currently £77.65 for a band D home.” – TMBC

In other words: TMBC expects that if certain local services are passed to a town council, their cost would shift from the special expenses charge (which appears on your council tax bill now) to a new town council precept. But — and this is important — TMBC has said that the special expenses would be adjusted, not removed. That means there’s no guarantee the new system would cost the same or less overall.

What Does the Campaign Say about cost?

The Tonbridge Town Council Campaign addresses this directly on their website. Two key points stand out:

1. It’s possible that the cost of current services could transfer across without increasing your bill — but it depends what services are transferred, and whether TMBC reduces its charge accordingly.

“For any of these [services], the budget would transfer along with the responsibility, so the special expense charge would decrease, and the town council precept increase with no net effect on the council tax bill.” – Tonbridge Town Council Campaign

However, that’s not guaranteed. Some services might remain with TMBC, while others are taken on by the new council. If that happens, you could end up paying both a town council precept and a reduced special expenses charge.

2. The future cost depends on how ambitious the town council becomes. A modest council could keep costs similar to now. A more active one might invest more in the community — and require a higher precept.

The campaign points to Sevenoaks as an example of an ambitious town council:

“In Sevenoaks the town council runs the Stag Theatre, community centres, a youth club, the No. 8 local bus service, street markets, and a community grant scheme… The precept in Sevenoaks is £150/year for a Band D property.” – Tonbridge Town Council Campaign

Another comparison could be drawn with Snodland Town Council. As highlighted by the Tonbridge Town Council Campaign in a Facebook post today “The Band D equivalent Town precept is £87.08 [for Snodland], which is approximately in the middle of the pack of Parish precepts.”.

They add that this level of spending is unlikely in the short term (1–5 years), but possible in the longer term (5–20 years) — and would be subject to democratic control.

So, Will the Cost Go Up?

It might. If only existing services are transferred and TMBC reduces its charge, the cost could stay roughly the same. But if services are split, or the new council takes on more responsibilities, residents could pay more.

There are no guarantees either way. That’s why this issue is part of the consultation — because a new town council could influence both how much you pay, and how that money is invested in Tonbridge.

Why now?

This consultation is your chance to have a direct say in the future of Tonbridge. The feedback will feed into a Governance Review – a formal process that could take up to a year and will ultimately be decided by a vote of the full borough council. So whilst we might see big change, we won’t see things happen overnight.

It’s happening at the same time as broader government proposals to overhaul local government in England, including plans to merge borough, county, and unitary councils into larger, single authorities by 2028. Establishing a town council now could potentially help ensure Tonbridge keeps its local voice in a changing political landscape.

When and how can you take part?

The consultation runs for six weeks and closes at 5pm on Monday 14 July.
You can:

• Wait for the leaflet coming to your door
• Visit the borough council website to read more and complete the survey
• Follow updates from tonbridgetowncouncil.com

At the Tonbridge Bean, we will also be following this closely and posting updates on the reg.

So what do you think?

I’ve just completed the survey and it took all of 90 seconds – do it whilst you brush your teeth, make a brew, or wait for the train to arrive.

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