What is reorganisation and devolution?

Print all pages

Reform of local government means two changes are planned which would affect people in East Sussex.

  1. Reorganisation
    Everyone would be served by just one council, providing all day-to-day services in East Sussex. This would replace the present two-tier system where some services are provided by the county council and some by a district (or borough) council.
  2. Devolution
    A strategic authority for the whole of Sussex, including an elected mayor, would have funding and powers to plan and decide long-term issues which affect the whole area.

Find out more in our short video which explains these changes:

- The way councils work is changing

Watch on YouTube: "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 could 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).

All 6 councils have now published a detailed plan for a single council on the current footprint of East Sussex:

2. Devolution

The government has 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.

A new mayor for the whole of Sussex will be elected in May 2026.

The mayor and representatives each from East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council would form a mayoral combined county authority for Sussex.

The new combined authority will have powers for strategic issues including transport, housing, skills and employment, economy, environment and climate change, health and public safety.

The combined authority will work with local councils in East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove, which would continue to operate most day-to-day services.

Support for devolution

The government’s White Paper on Devolution in England published in December 2024 asked local authorities to say how they would respond to the Government’s intention to devolve more powers to local areas.

The cabinet of East Sussex County Council decided in January 2025 to proceed with the proposal for Sussex. after agreement with West Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council.

Partners agreed it would be an opportunity to give the 1.7 million people in all parts of Sussex a stronger voice in how national decisions affect them and greater power to shape investment and major projects across the area.

Angela Rayner, Secretary of State for Local Government, announced on 5 February that it would include a Sussex mayoral combined authority in its priority programme for devolution in England.

A public consultation on devolution for Sussex closed in April 2025.

In July 2025, Jim McMahon, Minister for Local Government, confirmed in Parliament that the Sussex proposal had met the tests to proceed.

What happens now?

There are no immediate changes to services or council operations.

The government will introduce legislation in early 2026 to allow a new mayoral combined authority for Sussex (provided East Sussex County Council and its partners agree).

The election of a mayor for Sussex will take place in May 2026.

On reorganisation, the One East Sussex proposal (see above) has now been submitted to Government.  

The Government is expected to consult people in East Sussex from November on any valid proposals for local government reorganisation.

After a final option is chosen, we can expect elections in 2027 with a new unitary council or councils operating from 2028.

More information