The leader of Medway Council has reacted to the Towns losing out on city status once again and revealed the bid cost just £320.

Medway faced international competition to claim city status for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, but didn't make the final cut.

It is the fourth time Medway has lost out.

Council leader Alan Jarrett (Con) said he was disappointed but not surprised: “After the awful tragedy in Southend and them being awarded City Status, I don’t think any of us in Medway realistically thought we would get city status as well, because of the proximity to us.

"Once that happened we thought our chances were pretty well dashed."

Southend was awarded city status October in honour of murdered MP David Amess who was a long-term advocate of its benefits.

The award was made separate to the Queen Jubilee bid which saw 39 places, including Medway, vying for city status.

To mark 70 years on the throne in 2022, Her Majesty promoted eight places to cities: the Welsh town Wrexham, Douglas on the Isle of Man, Bangor in Northern Ireland, Dunfermline in Scotland, Colchester, Doncaster, Milton Keynes and Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands.

Cllr Jarrett added: "It is disappointing [to miss out] but there are a lot of positives to come out of it.

"It was a really good process, engaging with the community and engaging with partner organisations, getting a great deal of support and helping to further put Medway’s name out there and put Medway on the map. The process was a valuable one."

Encompassing the five towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, and Rainham and boasting a population of 280,000, this is the fourth time Medway has failed to be named a city.

Cllr Jarrett said the council would definitely" apply for city status again in the future: "The reasons for applying remain.

"We are a city in all but name, we are the second largest conurbation in the south east outside of London, we act and behave like a city, why shouldn't we have formal city status."

The council has come under fire for spending money on another bid but Cllr Jarrett said it had cost just £322.

The money was spent on producing a booklet, and apart from staff time, no other money was spent.

The council is now awaiting feedback on why it wasn't chosen this time around.

Cllr Jarrett said: "We did learn lessons from last time.

"One of the reasons we weren’t awarded it last time is that the panel thought we didn’t have a coherent city centre but we have been working on putting that right with the work we are doing in Chatham which is under way but not complete.

"It will be interesting to see what the feedback says."

In a statement Cllr Jarrett said: "We are very proud of everything that Medway has to offer, as well as the huge steps forward that Medway has taken in recent years.

"We were up against significant competition in this important Platinum Jubilee year, and we send our congratulations to the winners.

“I would like to thank our many partners who came together with us to champion and support this bid. This is not the end of the story and together we will continue to make Medway a place to be proud of.

“We firmly believe Medway is one of the best places to live, work, learn and visit in the south-east.

"Medway already has so much to offer its 280,000 residents, and together with our 14,000 businesses and our monumental regeneration drive, we will continue to grow the area’s already strong economy of £5.9bn over the coming years.

"Our ambition for Medway, for a sustainable and prosperous future, remains undimmed, with or without city status.

“We are very proud of our reputation as one of the leading visitor destinations in the south-east, attracting five million visitors each year to our many attractions, including our beloved castle and cathedral, and the renowned Historic Dockyard Chatham.

"Visitors and local people alike can enjoy our green spaces offering the equivalent of 13.3 Hyde Parks and we are proud to be home to eight Green Flag award-winning parks, providing safe places for families to enjoy.

"The area’s rich cultural infrastructure and traditions, including holding 30 plus free events and festivals each year, will continue to flourish and grow.

“I am incredibly proud of the huge progress the area has made since Medway was created as a unitary authority nearly 25 years ago and we will continue to champion it and show the world what a great place Medway is to live, work, learn and visit.”

Medway Labour leader Vince Maple said the lost potential of the local economy expanding if the Towns were to get city status was "frustrating".

Steve Barclay, chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, said these places "make Britain great".

He added: "What was clear to me during the process of assessing each application was the pride that people felt for their communities, local heritage and the Royal family.

"As we celebrate Her Majesty The Queen's colossal contribution to society, I am thrilled that we are able to recognise some of the many places that make Britain great."