KENT could find itself governed by an elected regional assembly for the south east under radical plans unveiled by the Government.

Ministers have announced proposals which would allow for English regions to have a new voice through the creation of directly-elected “mini parliaments.” Under the shake-up, people living in Kent and the rest of the south east will be offered a referendum on whether to have a regional assembly.

The assembly would be made up elected representatives from not just Kent but other areas in the south east – including Oxford, Berkshire, Buckingham and the Isle of Wight.

The reforms are highly likely to lead to the abolition of Kent County Council, which would be replaced by a series of smaller unitary authorities providing services such as education and social services.

These might be created from the merger of district and borough councils. Regional assemblies themselves would be responsible for strategic planning, economic development, housing, transport and culture.

Politicians gave a mixed reaction to the plans. There was precious little support for the idea from KCC’s Conservative leader, Cllr Sandy Bruce-Lockhart.

“Counties the size of Kent are capable of dealing with their own challenges and standing up for the interests of their residents. Kent residents would feel little in common with a remote south east assembly,” he said.

The south east had no sense of regional identity and there was no thirst for change – especially if detracted from the council’s job to improve services, he added.

But Labour opposition leader Cllr Mike Eddy said that some communities in Kent already felt remote from County Hall.

“If you take east Kent, then there are people there who find County Hall remote. There will probably be more unitary authorities to deliver local services and an assembly for strategic issues. There are a lot of issues which KCC is not big enough to deal with and others where it is too big.”

He added that a south east assembly could prove inevitable if other regions decided to move to have them. “We could risk being sidelined,” he warned.

The clamour for powerful assemblies has been greatest in the north, along with the south west, which have complained they are too distant from Westminster.

The south east already has a “voluntary” regional assembly made up council representatives and others. SEERA was set up in 1999 and has very limited powers.

Its chairman, Cllr David Shakespeare, said: “It has to be 'horses for courses'. Not all regions may feel they need elected regional government. If regional diversity means anything, regions must be given the freedom to choose how they are governed at the regional level."

The plans have been set out in a White Paper “Your Region – Your Choice: Revitalising the English Regions.”