CONSERVATIVE leader Kemi Badenoch made her second visit to Kent in six weeks, declaring her party can cling onto power at the county council elections on May 1.
However, Badenoch, who was in the county on Tuesday (22) to meet a farmer impacted by the government’s changes to inheritance tax, insisted “we are going to have to work hard for it”. Eighty one seats are up for grabs at Kent County Council (KCC) next week.
The Conservatives were elected in 2021 with more than 60 members, dwarfing the opposition parties.
But with low national poll ratings, a surge in support for Reform UK and the Green Party and Liberal Democrats anticipated to make significant gains, the outcome is far from clear.
Asked if the Tories can retain control of KCC, Badenoch said: “Of course we can win. But we are not going to win by just saying we are going to win.
“We are going to have to work hard for it. We have to remind people why they should vote Conservative, and that’s what I’m doing right now.
“We can never take the electorate for granted, especially when we have had such an historic defeat as we did last year.”
The Tory leader also said she was not convinced the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner’s “Devolution Revolution” – which will see councils abolished to be replaced by a smaller number of larger unitary authorities and mayoralties created – is the answer to problems faced by the local government.
The government believes council reorganisation will be cheaper, more efficient and will devolve greater powers to communities. Badenoch said, “I worry about how Labour is carrying on about devolution – it’s top down, not bottom up. It’s reorganising things without looking at the problems, and I don’t think we will get the bang for our buck with reorganisation.”
Last week, Badenoch visited Cambridgeshire, where she said more economic growth is needed for councils to be better funded. Every seat at Cambridgeshire County Council is up for election this year. Locals will also be asked to elect a new mayor to head up the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
Badenoch was joined by the Conservative candidate for mayor, Paul Bristow, during the visit last Thursday (17).
(Local Democracy Reporting Service)
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