Overview

• Kent County Council affirmed on July 5 that it has not altered formal policy and only issued internal instructions to keep adult works out of children’s library areas.
• Earlier this week Linden Kemkaran and cabinet member Paul Webb used social media to announce the removal of transgender-related titles following a constituent’s complaint.
• The exact number of relocated books and the council’s criteria for classifying transgender-related material remain undisclosed.
• Liberal Democrat opposition leader Antony Hook condemned the announcements for bypassing official council procedures and has requested a full list of affected titles.
• The incident underscores Reform UK’s wider cultural agenda in newly won councils, which has included scrutinizing LGBTQ+ content and regulating local flag displays.