What is reorganisation and devolution?
Reform of local government means two changes are happening which affect people in East Sussex.
- Reorganisation
Everyone in East Sussex will be served by just one council, providing all day-to-day services. From April 2028 this will replace the present two-tier system where some services are provided by the county council and some by a district (or borough) council. - Devolution
A strategic authority for the whole of Sussex is being given funding and powers to plan and decide long-term issues which affect the whole area. A mayor for Sussex will be elected in 2028.
Find out more in our short video which explained how these changes would be introduced.
- The way councils work is changing
1. Reorganisation of local government
The national government wants local government to reorganise. Its aim is for people to be served by just one local council (known as ‘unitary government’).
In East Sussex, this will mean moving away from the two-tier model of county council (East Sussex County Council) and borough or district councils (Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes, Rother and Wealden).
The Government has decided a new single council will be created for almost the whole county, following the One East Sussex model proposed by the county's existing councils.
The new body will serve a population of about 530,000. There will be elections to the new council in May 2027 and it will run in shadow form before full operation from April 2028 when it will replace East Sussex County Council and boroughs or districts of Eastbourne, Lewes, Hastings, Rother and Wealden.
The only communities which will not remain part of East Sussex are East Saltdean, Peacehaven and Telscombe. The Government has decided they will be transferred into an expanded Brighton & Hove City Council from 2028.
These decisions were set out by the Secretary of State for Local Government in Parliament on 16 July.
2. Devolution
The government agreed a proposal from East Sussex County Council and its neighbours for devolution across Sussex.
Devolution means drawing down more powers and funding to people in Sussex: allowing more decisions to be made locally rather than at a national level.
The Sussex & Brighton Strategic Authority began operation in April 2026.
A new mayor for the whole of Sussex will be elected in May 2028.
The mayor will join representatives from East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council in the combined authority.
The authority will have powers for strategic issues including transport, housing, skills and employment, economy, environment and climate change, health and public safety.
It will work with local councils in East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove, which continue to operate most day-to-day services.
What happens now?
There are no immediate changes to services or council operations.
All councils work with each other, with partners and with residents to provide excellent local services before, during and after transition to the new local government structure.
Elections to a new unitary authority for East Sussex (and a new version of Brighton & Hove City Council) will be held in May 2027. Both the new authorities will operate in shadow form before replacing the existing councils in April 2028.
The election of a mayor for Sussex will take place in May 2028.