Hopefuls respond to KCC questions

Prime Minister hopefuls Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt’s response to an open letter from Kent County Council has been described as a “fudge” and “worrying”. Several county councillors raised issue with the replies from both Tory leadership candidates on the main issues laid out,, including housing and infrastructure, devolution, education and funding. In their responses, Mr Hunt and Mr Johnson pledged to provide more funding for KCC, devolve more powers to the county authority and create more infrastructure including hospitals and schools, to cope with increasing housing development. Cllr Paul Carter, KCC leader, said he was “optimistic” about the pledges, but other county councillors said they very “worried’ about the cost of delivering the initiatives and the new PM’s undoubted focus on Brexit.

The responses from the two MPs were announced by Cllr Carter during the full council meeting at Maidstone County Hall just hours before Mr Johnson and Mr Hunt were due to arrive in Maidstone to continue their hustings as they vie for the job at Number 10.

A presentation detailing the responses were screened in the council chamber at the start of the public meeting Opposition leaders at KCC were critical of the pledges, fearing the two MPs would not commit to these promises in the long term.

Independents leader Martin Whybrow described the promises from Hunt and Johnson as a “fudge” which he said would likely leave the authority with an “unacceptable financial deal” in the short term. Cllr Rob Bird, leader of Kent’s Liberal Democrats, said Mr Hunt’s lack of assurances on social care were “worrying”. In contrast, Cllr Carter said the responses would act as a reference point in the coming years to ensure pledges were fulfilled.