Protesters gathered outside County Hall to express opposition to sweeping reforms to local government which will change the way councils are run.

The government’s “Devolution Revolution” would see the introduction of an elected mayor and the adoption of unitary authorities.

All 14 councils in Kent will be abolished under the scheme which hopes to simplify and streamline services offered to communities.

But some members of Tory-run Kent County Council’s (KCC) opposition groups are angry at the possibility of this May’s elections being cancelled. That decision would lie with a government minister.

The KCC leadership is in favour of a fast track approach, which could secure Kent more money and powers in the future.

Around 20 demonstrators chanted “don’t kill democracy” ahead of an extraordinary meeting of the council this morning (January 9).

Stuart Jeffery, Green Party leader at Maidstone council, said: “There are a bunch of proposals which are being made today and we feel the changes that are being foisted on us are being rushed and the vote today will be about whether we go even faster.

“It will end up with the elections being cancelled and we want to see a slower process; we want to see proper discussion and engagement with people and we want an outcome that works for Kent.”

He said that stopping the elections in May was “killing democracy”.

Opposition groups are to table a number of proposed amendments, principally to prevent the cancellation of the elections.

Speaking outside County Hall, leader of the Liberal Democrat group at KCC Antony Hook, said: "We're tabling three amendments to the Conservative proposals.

“One is for the elections to go ahead, one to say that change must be led by the public and one to say there should be more transparency and no more secret meetings.”

KCC leader Roger Gough opened the meeting to set out his support for the fast track approach.

But his speech was interrupted by a sound system malfunction in the chamber which brought matters to a half for a short time until the problem was resolved.

Councillors will later be asked to endorse ongoing work by all councils on evolution; to endorse the fast track approach under the government’s devolution priority programme; to note that mayoral elections may take place in May 2026 and that the KCC election in May might be postponed, subject to a ministerial decision.

The changes to local government were launched in a White Paper by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner last month.

If it goes ahead it would hail the biggest and most rapid shake-up in Kent’s local governance in 50 years.