Partnership—a marriage made in Kent

Abstract

Kent spreads over an area of 354 000 ha with a population of 1·3 million. Kent County Council (KCC) looks after over 8000 km of roads of which 70% are narrow lanes or residential streets but some of the rest are the busiest and biggest roads in the UK. Traffic is growing at over 3% per year, which is significantly more than the average in the UK. The county is home to five ports, the Channel Tunnel and the high-speed Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Kent is a region of contrasts, being recognised by many romantically as the Garden of England, but is under great development pressure, with Thanet having one of the highest unemployment rates of the entire country. In 1992 KCC directly employed 750 people on Highways and Transportation services. Today it directly employs no more than 150, yet more work is done with less money. This paper gives a brief account of the process of change, what drove it and why partnering is the core principle of the new organisation. It also explores the challenges faced by the complex arrangements and considers what might lie ahead in the future.