Democratically elected representatives in Medway

Medway Council is one of the largest unitary authorities in England and provides all local government services. The council has a legal responsibility to make decisions about such matters as collecting income from the community (through council tax and charges) and from central government, and the type and range of services provided to the public.

The electoral register
Medway lists 181,000 voters. Every four years they can vote at local elections for councillors - the people who make decisions about how resources are spent in Medway and what services are provided.

The council composition
The council is made up of 55 councillors from 22 wards throughout the authority. Medway is also democratically represented at Parliament in Westminster by three Members of Parliament and in the European Union by a Member of the European Parliament. There are also 11 Parish Councils responsible for local facilities in some parts of the area.

The Conservatives won overall control of Medway Council at the 1 May elections, 2003. The political breakdown is Conservative, 30 Labour, 17 Liberal Democrat, 6 Independent 2.