A multibillion-pound promise to local government by the Labour party has been labelled a ploy to keep campaign foot soldiers sweet by council leader Jeremy Kite.

Writing in the Sunday Times newspaper, Labour party leader Ed Miliband said he would soon unveil a report that would recommend £30bn would be transferred to city and county regions.

Labour also announced it wanted to give more power to local governments in regards to housing spending, jobs, and support to businesses.

This would mean that Dartford council would have more say over the important decisions in our area, rather than all rules being made by those in Westminster.

Cllr Kite (Con) said: “I’m afraid I have been around long enough to see that every desperate government promises this to local government.

“And the reason they do is that a lot of the people that will be used as their foot soldiers for the campaign are involved with local government.

“I have never known a government to transfer powers away from the centre.

“I don’t want to be too sceptical but I’ve heard it all before.”

Dartford Labour Party leader Cllr Geoffrey Prout said that in the borough’s financial state any extra funding would be welcome.

He said: “Dartford has suffered about a 30% cut in its revenue funding in the past four years and it stands to take a lot more, so any funding to local government is welcome.

“Local council governments are struggling everywhere and Dartford is no different.”