One East Sussex - the business case



One East Sussex is a detailed proposal for a single council for the county, to serve its 555,000 residents and its businesses from 2028.

The evidence-based business case was developed over several months following the government’s decision to replace the present two-tier structure of county council and borough/district councils. It was worked up by all six existing councils in East Sussex and draws on detailed evidence, analysis and the views of local people.

One East Sussex shows that a single unitary council would be simpler for residents, would save money, and would avoid the extra complexity of splitting up existing services.

It would also meet the government’s guidelines for new unitary councils and would preserve the partnerships between councils, NHS, emergency services and government so that we could continue to develop services with our communities.

The proposal was submitted to government on 26 September. Public consultation by government is expected to follow before a final decision, expected in March 2026.

Appendix

Annexes

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