The reorganisation of local government is not the kind of issue to get voters giddy with excitement.

But make no mistake: this is an important moment for Kent and could be the start of a far-reaching reform of the way we get council services and the amount we pay for them.

The creation of some kind of super council for east Kent has been under debate for years but until recently, the door has been firmly shut.

But the devolution agenda has given councils - at the encouragement of the government - the chance to consider different ways of collaborating.

This is partly driven by the financial pressures that councils have been under for several years under the government’s austerity drive.

But it is also about finding ways of improving services to residents who now tend to judge councils as consumers or customers and have less tribal or political loyalty to the municipal authority that empties their bins or repairs their roads.

An East Kent council is a bit of an artificial construct, of course. But if it provides services efficiently and in a way that is considered value for money, most people don’t generally mind who does it.

And there should be the chance to secure better deals with contractors in the world of procurement.

The business case is, however, a little opaque on exactly when and how council tax may reduce - indeed, some of the calculations make for alarming reading by suggesting some may, at least initially, see increases.

There is, of course, another agenda at play. The five councils who were involved in the initial discussions have candidly acknowledged it: the bolder option of merging to become a unitary authority.

That remains the ultimate goal but it was decided not to pursue it at this point, largely because the government was less keen on this than a “super district” option.

The unitary dream is perhaps why there may be a political buy-in from the parties. Dangling the carrot of home rule and independence from County Hall may well be enough to see the idea get through at least the first hurdle in March, when all the councils involved will hold special meetings to decide whether to push ahead.

The strong message being sent out is that merger now represents the best - if not only - way to achieve what most councillors across the four authorities ultimately want: more power.