Residents request feedback as council responds to government request for proposals for local government reorganisation

People are being asked for feedback on council proposals for local government reorganisation following a government request for submissions on how local government should be organised in the future.

Government is abolishing two-tier councils, such as our neighbouring authorities East Sussex County Council and Lewes District Council, in favour of unitary authorities which provide all local government services under one roof.

Every council in Sussex has been asked by government to put forward suggestions for how unitary authorities could best replace the two-tier system which currently exists in some areas.

Unlike other councils in Sussex, Brighton & Hove is already a unitary authority. However, as part of the government’s proposals for local government reorganisation, it will need to serve a larger population than it currently does.

The government has set out criteria in its local government reorganisation white paper.

As a result, Brighton & Hove City Council is now exploring four proposals for adjusting its boundaries – each of which would take the population from around 280,000 to above 300,000 – and are keen to hear residents’ views on these.

As part of the local government reorganisation process, the council has already carried out an engagement exercise with residents, collecting initial feedback on how local people felt about local government reorganisation and what concerns, if any, they may have had.

That feedback, which found local people would feel positively about local government reorganisation if it led to improved services and financial savings, has informed the four options now being shared with residents for further feedback.

Each option has been designed to reflect how people already live, rather than forcing a change to local identity or community life.

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As well as the results of previous community engagement, a host of factors were taken into account when deciding on the options. These included existing ties with neighbouring areas where many people already rely on Brighton & Hove for work, schools, healthcare and transport.

The aim is to create a fairer, more balanced structure across Sussex, where each council has the population, resources and voice to deliver services effectively and best represent the communities that use them.

The options put forward by Brighton & Hove City Council all involve merging its footprint with local government wards to the east.

The council has decided not to explore westward expansion after taking into account feedback from residents during the initial engagement back in April.

In-depth analysis also found increasing the council’s footprint to the west would not be financially viable.

As a result, the options are as follows:

•    Option A would see East Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs and Peacehaven become part of Brighton & Hove City Council’s area.
•    Option B adds Kingston and the small rural villages to the east of Brighton & Hove to the changes suggested in Option A.
•    Option C is for East Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs, Peacehaven and Newhaven to join the Brighton & Hove City Council footprint.
•    Option D is for all of East Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs, Peacehaven, Kingston to be included.

A month-long public engagement exercise will now take place, with people encouraged to share their thoughts via a survey on the council’s online platform Your Voice. Further information outlining the rationale for each option is included in the survey, which is now on the council’s website.

There will also be a number of in-person events across the eastern edge of the city, where residents can hear more about each option, the rationale behind them, and provide feedback directly to council staff.

The first will take place at St Martin’s Church Hall, in Longridge Avenue, Saltdean from 6pm on Friday 1 August.

Councillor Bella Sankey, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “We are setting out our positive vision for local government reorganisation in our area, by proposing options that would merge the city with wards to the east of our current boundary which we already have very close connections with.

“Since Brighton and Hove joined together 25 years ago we have achieved a huge amount, regenerating key aspects of the city while keeping council tax lower than neighbouring councils.

“We also know from our experience in Brighton that it is possible to do this while preserving and celebrating the unique identities of each our communities.

“As a council we do this already; Rottingdean is very different to Moulsecoomb, Portslade to the North Laine.

“We believe our proposals will bring benefits to people across our area and now we want to hear from people on their thoughts and feedback.

“Our proposals represent opportunities for our regional economy, and services and infrastructure we already share but can improve, such as health services, leisure and transport links. The proposals would also create opportunities for our creative industries and the vital tourism sector which stretches along the coast.

“With mayoral elections coming next year and local government reorganisation moving along in tandem with that, it is vital we hear from residents about how they are feeling about these changes before we move to the next stage.”

There is a video featuring Councillor Sankey talking about local government reorganisation on the council’s YouTube channel.

To request a broadcast interview with Councillor Sankey, please email news@brighton-hove.gov.uk