Medway's chances of being bestowed with the honour of being a city have been given a shot in the arm with the news that more than once place could be given the title.
An announcement is due in the first half of this year and Medway is one of 25 competitors vying for the title.
These include Reading, Middlesbrough, Croydon, Bournemouth, Luton and Colchester.
A Cabinet Office spokesman told the Messenger: "One new city is expected to be chosen, which could be in any part of the UK.
"However, it remains possible for any UK-wide civic honours competition, including the current one, to result in more than one winner."
The bookies' odds on the Towns being triumphant when the announcement is made continue to fall.
Last summer you could get odds as long as 50/1 on Medway being chosen. In September this dropped to 16/1. Now this has shortened slightly to 14/1.
Reading remains the overwhelming favourite, with odds of 10/11.
Cllr Alan Jarrett, deputy leader of Medway Council, said he believed Medway was in with a strong chance.
He said: "This year looks set to be a busy and exciting one for Medway and it's good to see that as the expected announcement on the creation of a new British city draws closer, the odds on Medway's bid being chosen are continuing to improve.
"City status will bring enormous potential benefits and inward investment to the area and, with all the key credentials of a city right here in Medway, we certainly believe we're in with a strong chance."
The decision to award city status is being made as part of the Queen's 60th anniversary celebrations.
This is Medway's third bid in just over 10 years, having been unsuccessful in 2000 and 2002.
The government requires that an administrative area rather than an individual town, such as Rochester, must bid.

The Medway Messenger is supporting the bid for city status.