Five new unitary authorities would 'save £52m a year'

Brighton & Hove City Council has unveiled its proposal for five unitary authorities

Creating five new unitary authorities for Sussex would save £52.4m a year, Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) leaders have said.

The council's proposal for restructuring councils includes expanding the city eastwards to include East Saltdean, Telescombe Cliffs, Peacehaven and Falmer parish. Plans to stretch to Newhaven and Kingston have been dropped.

But some leaders have accused BHCC of drawing up plans "in secret" that would "dismantle communities".

Councils across the county have until 26 September to submit plans to replace borough, district and county councils with new unitary authorities from 2028.

Brighton and Hove City Council's proposal would redraw existing county, borough and district boundaries

BHCC is proposing five unitary authorities across Sussex, which would not align with existing county, borough or district boundaries.

Instead, it said the new suggested boundaries had been "thoughtfully drawn to reflect how people actually live, travel and work".

In a statement, the Labour-led council said its plan offered a "resilient and connected framework for governance" with five unitary authorities serving between 300,000 and 400,000 residents.

"Each council is large enough to deliver essential services, such as adult and children's social cares, with the necessary capacity and expertise yet remains small enough to stay rooted in the communities it serves," a council spokesperson said.

It also said that the distribution of population would prevent any single authority from dominating and give a mayor "equal partners" for future decision-making.

It will debate the plan at full council on 24 September and make its decision on 25 September.

'Lack of respect'

Zoe Nicholson, the Green Party leader of Lewes District Council, reiterated her anger at BHCC's plans, adding that making plans to reorganise other areas of Sussex without consultation showed "a complete lack of respect".

Meanwhile, the Conservative leader of East Sussex County Council, Keith Glazier, said residents were the most important people to have a say in the future of its local government.

He said: "It's bewildering that maps have been drawn up in secret for their communities with almost no discussion with them or with us."

Both Nicholson and Glazier said the One East Sussex plan, jointly commissioned by all existing East Sussex councils, was based on strong partnerships and would not involve additional complexity and cost.

Plans released by both East Sussex and West Sussex focus on options within their counties and do not suggest how the whole of Sussex should be reorganised.

All proposals will be debated and decided upon at meetings of existing councils Sussex over the coming week.

Devolution fast-track

It has already been confirmed that an election for the first mayor of Sussex, who will be responsible for strategic planning, will take place in May 2026.

Alongside devolution powers, Sussex is obliged to reorganise its council structure, scrapping all borough, district and county councils and replacing them with new unitary authorities.

Sussex's inclusion in the government's fast-track Devolution Priority Programme means leaders have until 26 September to submit final plans for how councils will be restructured from April 2028.

If those plans are accepted by the secretary of state, the government will launch a public consultation and make a final decision in spring 2026.

Elections for new authorities would take place in spring 2027 to allow for a shadow year while local services are handed over.