The Leader of Medway Council has issued a statement following the news that Medway has not been successful in the city status competition, launched to mark Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Her Majesty agreed for a competition to be held to grant the prestigious and rare civic honour of ‘city status’ to a limited number of towns and cities in the United Kingdom.
Continue to make Medway a place to be proud of
Cllr Alan Jarrett said: “We are, of course, disappointed that Medway has not been successful in our bid to attain city status, however, we are still of the view that Medway is a city in all but name. We are very proud of everything that Medway has to offer, as well as the huge steps forward that Medway has taken in recent years. We were up against significant competition in this important Platinum Jubilee year, and we send our congratulations to the winners.
“I would like to thank our many partners who came together with us to champion and support this bid. This is not the end of the story and together we will continue to make Medway a place to be proud of.
“We firmly believe Medway is one of the best places to live, work, learn and visit in the south-east. Medway already has so much to offer its 280,000 residents, and together with our 14,000 businesses and our monumental regeneration drive, we will continue to grow the area’s already strong economy of £5.9bn over the coming years. Our ambition for Medway, for a sustainable and prosperous future, remains undimmed, with or without city status.
A leading visitor destination in the south-east
“We are very proud of our reputation as one of the leading visitor destinations in the south-east, attracting five million visitors each year to our many attractions, including our beloved castle and cathedral, and the renowned Historic Dockyard Chatham. Visitors and local people alike can enjoy our green spaces offering the equivalent of 13.3 Hyde Parks and we are proud to be home to eight Green Flag award-winning parks, providing safe places for families to enjoy. The area’s rich cultural infrastructure and traditions, including holding 30 plus free events and festivals each year, will continue to flourish and grow.
“Most importantly we will continue to shape the future of Medway around our children and young people, the Medway residents of the future, ensuring they have the best start in life and have their say in the Medway they want to see tomorrow. Our emphasis on excellence in education sees young people learning at a wide range of schools and with access to a multi-university campus in the heart of Medway together with an excellent further education college means we are equipping our young people with the skills they need to secure the employment opportunities of the future. Through a number of initiatives, we will continue to make Medway even more child-friendly.
“I am incredibly proud of the huge progress the area has made since Medway was created as a unitary authority nearly 25 years ago and we will continue to champion it and show the world what a great place Medway is to live, work, learn and visit.”