A public consultation is to take place over plans to introduce more councils in Swale.

A document will be released at the end of July which will include proposals for the borough being given an additional five parish and two town councils.

It’s one of a number of options being considered as part of a community governance review for Sheppey and Sittingbourne.

These include band and boundary changes as well as proposed parish council mergers.

Cllr Mike Whiting, cabinet member for localism, has been a driving force behind the review.

He was among members discussing the issue at a full council meeting last Wednesday.

He said: “In some respects, the areas that don’t have parish councils are at a slight disadvantage to those that have.

“For example, parish councils are consulted on planning applications or developments. If there’s no council, there’s no say.”

Speaking last week, Labour’s Cllr Ghlin Whelan dismissed the idea, saying there were more pressing local problems to address before introducing more third tiers of government.

The first public consultation will last 12 weeks. It will help form another set of proposals which residents will also be asked to respond to.

It’s estimated a decision on the findings will be made at a full council next spring.
If it’s agreed to increase the number of local authorities, elections for the posts will take place alongside the borough and national vote in May 2015.

Kemsley, Murston and Milton Regis are among the areas which could see the setting-up of a new parish council.

A plan to merge parishes to form a Sittingbourne town council has also been mooted.

Cllr Whiting said: “Parish councils act as a very cohesive force, particularly in those areas where there’s new development.

“I’d set Iwade as an example.

“It’s grown four-fold in the last 10 years, and to a large extent, the council has acted as a catalyst to enable new communities to interact with the old."