Medway Matters Live brings a free Q&A to Strood

Medway residents can question the area’s council leadership at Medway Matters Live on Thursday, 1 October. The free public meeting runs from 7pm to 8.45pm at Strood Sports Centre, with council service stalls opening an hour earlier at 6pm. It is intended for residents who want to hear about Medway’s future, learn about available services or raise their own concerns.

Booking is essential through the Medway Council website, despite tickets being free. The event will bring residents face to face with council leader Cllr Vince Maple and chief executive Richard Hicks, with former BBC South-East journalist and Medway resident Rob Smith returning as host.

Timings at Strood Sports Centre

The stalls will give attendees an opportunity to explore the range of services offered by the council and find out what support is available. The main meeting will begin at 7pm when Smith opens proceedings.

Maple and Hicks are then due to provide updates on recent developments within the council, its plans and the next stages of local government restructuring and devolution. The format moves from those presentations into a moderated question-and-answer session.

Council restructuring will shape the discussion

This will be the first Medway Matters Live event since the July announcement about restructuring councils across Kent and Medway. Under the announced plans, Medway is due to form a new North Kent Council with Dartford, Gravesham and Kent County Council in 2028.

That makes the meeting the first opportunity identified by Medway Council for residents to hear directly from Maple and Hicks about what the restructuring means for the area and what happens next. The supplied announcement does not set out detailed decisions for individual services, so the event is positioned as a place to hear the latest council account and put questions directly to its leadership.

Maple said the meetings allow the council to show residents what it has been doing while receiving “honest feedback”. He also urged residents not to miss the opportunity to ask about the future structure of local government in Kent and Medway.

Residents will be able to put questions directly

After the leadership updates, residents will be invited to question Maple and Hicks in a session moderated by Smith. The council says attendees can also use the evening to express their views, learn about recent developments and find out more about local services.

Hicks said residents who are passionate about the area attend for different reasons, including to seek information, ask questions and share their views. He described giving residents the chance to be heard as a central purpose of the event.

Free entry requires advance booking

Tickets cost nothing, but Medway Council states that booking is essential through its website. The announcement does not provide transport or accessibility information, so anyone needing those details should check with the council before attending.

The service stalls open at 6pm, while the public meeting starts at 7pm and finishes at 8.45pm. Residents planning to attend should secure their free ticket through the Medway Council website before travelling to Strood Sports Centre.

Source: Medway Council