The leader of Kent County Council says breaking up the county into different councils would be a “mássive disaster” and a waste of time.

Cllr Paul Carter (Con) set out his unease over the prospect of councils merging under the government’s devolution plans for town halls.

In what amounted to a warning shot across the bows of Kent’s district and borough councils, he said the county could not afford to get “bogged down” in the distraction of a radical shake-up.

Five east Kent councils are exploring whether to join forces to become a “super council” which could lead to them becoming a combined authority or a unitary authority running all local services. They are Canterbury, Dover, Ashford, Shepway and Thanet.

And it has emerged that Medway council has been in talks with Dartford, Gravesham and Maidstone council about options for joining forces to find new ways of delivering servlces.

Cllr Carter warned against a far-reaching break-up, saying that while he backed devolution, he would not countenance any plans to break up the existing two-tier system.

He told councillors it would be an unnecessary distraction: “The great counties of this country should not be broken up. That would be a massive disaster for this country. County governance working with other public sector partners and boroughs and districts have the ability to deliver transformation.”

We haven’t got time for all that nonsense...we have to make the best of what we have got and move forward - KCC leader Cllr Paul Carter on prospect of new unitaries

“Local government re-organisation would set the clock back three or four years and get us bogged down in establishing new authorities. We haven’t got time for all that nonsense...we have to make the best of what we have got and move forward.”

He also warned that any attempt to forge new combined authorities would lead to the imposition of a directly-elected mayor by the government.

Referring to the talks among east Kent councils, he said it was “evident we have a little local difficulty”.

The prospect of a break-up of the county did draw support from other parties at KCC, who said there needed to be more openness about what was happening.

Green county councillor Martin Whybrow said: “We have been asking for devolution for a long while.”

Labour group leader Cllr Gordon Cowan complained that while everyone knew discussions were taking place, they were being kept out of the public domain.