Polly and fellow Kent Labour MPs have written to the leader of Reform UK in Kent, following concerning reports from the Fire Brigades Union that Reform UK chaos on Kent County Council was risking public safety.
In their letter, the MPs said:
Dear Councillor Kemkaran,
RE: Concerns about fire safety in Kent
We write as Labour Members of Parliament for constituencies across Kent to express serious concern about the situation surrounding the Kent and Medway Fire Authority, as reported by the Fire Brigades Union. We are deeply concerned that the last six months of chaos and dysfunction at Kent County Council (KCC) are having a serious impact on Kent fire services.
Since your election to KCC in May, Reform UK’s governance of Kent has been nothing short of shambolic, with allegations of criminality by councillors, defections, and now turbulence and infighting leading to the attrition of more than one councillor per month from Reform. We were deeply troubled to see you berating and swearing at colleagues in a recent leaked video, which was followed by a purge of councillors deemed to be disloyal to you from the Reform UK group.
The result of that chaos is that no less than five councillors, including the Chair and Vice Chair, have been removed from the board of the Kent and Medway Fire Authority in the last six month. As outlined by the FBU, the endless merry-go-round of sackings and departures in Reform in Kent has left the Authority unable to carry out essential functions, including authorising major expenditure. The Union has described the situation as a “shambles” and “a threat to public safety”, and it is troubling that attempts to engage with you about this serious issue reportedly received no response.
This disruption raises urgent questions about governance, accountability and public safety under Reform UK in Kent. If the Fire Authority cannot meet, approve spending or provide proper oversight, there is a real risk to the continuity and readiness of fire and rescue services. We therefore request that you provide us and our constituents with a full account of the current status of the Fire Authority, the steps being taken to restore its proper functioning, and assurances that operational readiness and funding for frontline services remain unaffected.
It is essential that engagement with frontline staff and their representatives resumes immediately, and that the Fire Brigades Union is granted a meeting without delay. Transparency, open communication, and the swift restoration of governance are the only ways to rebuild public confidence after the recent period of chaos. It is urgent that you as council leader get a grip of the Fire Authority, to ensure Reform’s mismanagement does not compromise public safety or accountability when it comes to fire and rescue services in Kent and Medway.
Yours sincerely,
Polly Billington MP – MP for East Thanet
Jim Dickson MP – MP for Dartford
Lauren Edwards MP – MP for Rochester and Strood
Kevin McKenna MP – MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey
Naushabah Khan MP – MP for Gillingham and Rainham
Sojan Joseph MP – MP for Ashford
Tris Osborne MP – MP for Chatham and Aylesford