At the annual meeting of Kent County Council, Councillor Richard Palmer was elected as the new Chairman, and Councillor Peter Evans was elected as Vice-Chairman. Councillor Lyndon Kemkaran was elected as the Leader of the Council, and Councillor Antony Hook was appointed Leader of the Opposition.

Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman

Councillor Richard Palmer was elected as the 43rd Chairman of Kent County Council, nominated by Mr Paul Webb and seconded, who cited his military service and dedication to the people of Kent.

Councillor Peter Evans was elected as Vice-Chairman, nominated by Councillor Paul Chamberlain and seconded by Ms Pauline Williams, who highlighted his 25 years of service in the NHS and his experience as Chairman of Planning in Sanit.

Tributes to Roy Bullock MBE

The council paid tribute to the late Mr Roy Bullock MBE, a former member of the council and leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, who passed away recently. Mr Bullock served as a councillor for Tunbridge Wells North from 2007 to 2013 and was made an Honorary Alderman of KCC in 2016. Tributes were offered by Mr Kankaran, Mr Joel Cook, Mr Rich Lehmann, Mr Harry Rayner and Mr Alister Brady on behalf of their respective groups.

Election of Council Leader

Councillor Lyndon Kemkaran was elected as Leader of the Council, proposed by Mr Maxwell Harrison and seconded. As there were no other nominations, Ms Kim-Karron was duly elected.

Flag Flying Policy

Councillor Mike Sole asked Councillor Richard Palmer, the new chairman, if the council would fly the LGBTQ pride flag during Pride Month in June, as had been done in the past. Councillor Palmer confirmed that the pride flag would not be flown and that the only flags to be displayed on or in council buildings would be the union flag, the flag of St George, the flag of Kent, flags to celebrate or commemorate the monarch and the royal family, or the armed forces.

Removal of Ukraine Flags and Symbols

Mr Rich Lehmann asked Councillor Lyndon Kemkaran if she agreed that the 80th anniversary of VE day was an insensitive time to row back on support for Ukraine by removing Ukrainian flags and symbols from County Hall. Councillor Kemkaran responded that she was merely answering questions put to her by journalists and that there was nothing insensitive about wishing to focus the attention of the council on the people of Kent.

Budget and Cuts to Vulnerable People

Mr Alister Brady asked Councillor Lyndon Kemkaran whether her administration would reverse decisions made by the previous Conservative administration to increase charges given to disabled people, further cut the community warden program, cut family hub services in Mealmead and Seashell children's centres, increase the Kent 16 plus travel saver above inflation, and continue to charge for post 16 SEN home school transport. Councillor Kemkaran responded that the new administration was still working its way through understanding the current budget and would not be making any knee-jerk financial decisions. She stated that a department for local government efficiency would be created and that a new budget strategy would be developed primarily for 2026 and 2027.

Marine Pollution

Mr Stuart Heaver raised the issue of marine pollution as a major threat to the local environment, public health, and the coastal economy in his division, Wichstable West. He asked what the administration would do to prioritize tackling marine pollution within the Kent environment strategy and how they would work with key partners to deliver improvements. Councillor Kemkaran responded that while KCC is committed to improving the marine environment, the responsibility of regulation, enforcement, and monitoring of water quality remains with the Environment Agency. She stated that KCC is in the process of developing a framework and strategy for joint action, known as Plan C, that will look to fill the gap left by the local nature recovery strategy and ensure that the marine environment receives the same attention as land-based habitats.

20 mph Zones

Mr Richard Streatfeild asked Councillor Lyndon Kemkaran if she supported 20 mph zones 300 metres around schools. Councillor Kemkaran responded that KCC does not have a one-size-fits-all policy for 20 mph zones and instead uses the Department for Transport Circular 01-2013 setting local speed limits as a guide. She stated that KCC evaluates the feasibility of 20 mph zones based on several factors, including existing traffic speeds, road design, community support, and economic aspects.

Missing Asylum Seekers

Mr Stuart Jeffery asked Councillor Lyndon Kemkaran how the new administration will prioritize improvements to conditions and support for vulnerable children, given that Kent's reception centres for young asylum seekers lost vulnerable children more than 160 times between 2022 and 2024. Councillor Kemkaran responded that the number of episodes per year has fallen substantially since 2023 and that almost a third lasted less than one day. She also stated that the law currently states that all care leavers in Kent, regardless of their country of origin, must be treated equally.

Council Audit Processes

Mr Paul Stepto asked Councillor Lyndon Kemkaran about the internal and external audit processes in place for the council and the dates and costs of the most recent audits. Councillor Kemkaran responded that the county council's external auditors are Grant Thornton and that the basic fee for the last audited accounts, which were 2023-2024, was £447,000.

Rural Bus Routes

Mr John Moreland asked Councillor Lyndon Kemkaran whether the BSIP funding due to be received in summer would be used to re-establish and promote bus routes between rural villages and larger towns, as the village of Ashurst has had its only bus service cut. Councillor Kemkaran responded that the BSIP funding is already committed to maintaining a significant number of services across Kent, supporting the cost of the Kent Travel Saver for 2025 and 2026, and funding a small number of service improvement initiatives.

Folkestone Road of Remembrance

Mr Tim Prater asked Councillor Lyndon Kemkaran to confirm the timetable for the required remedial works to reopen the Folkestone Road of Remembrance, which has been closed following a landslip. Councillor Kemkaran responded that geotechnical investigations, ecological assessments, geospatial mapping, and an unexploded ordnance survey have been conducted to support the design of a permanent solution, but it is not yet possible to commit to a start date for the stabilization work or to confirm when the road will reopen.

Air Quality

Mr Mark Hood asked Councillor Lyndon Kemkaran whether the new administration would commit to take new action to improve air quality, given that there are 22 locations in Kent where air quality is so poor it has legally to be monitored. Councillor Kemkaran responded that the Environment Act of 1995 requires Kent County Council to provide district councils with proposals for particular measures that they will take to contribute to the achievement and maintenance of air quality objectives.

Renewable Energy Infrastructure

Mr Mark Hood asked Councillor Lyndon Kemkaran whether the administration agrees that the council should continue to ask officers to bid for additional funding for renewable energy projects as appropriate where it makes economic sense for the council. Councillor Kemkaran responded that economic sense makes perfect sense and that the two KCC owned solar farms are examples of how environmental benefit is being driven through economically sound projects.

Leader's Report

Councillor Lyndon Kemkaran gave a report as Leader of the Council, in which she thanked her predecessor Roger Gough, outlined her priorities for the council, and responded to points raised by the leaders of the opposition groups.

Proportionality of Council Committees

The council agreed to the proportionality arrangements for council committees, as set out in the report prepared by democratic services.