Report to:	Governance Committee
Date:	10 March 2026
By:	Deputy Chief Executive
Title of report:	Appointments to Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority Board
Purpose of report:	To make two appointments to the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority (SBCCA) Board
RECOMMENDATION: The Governance Committee is recommended to appoint two members from the County Council to serve on the SBCCA Board for the period until the election in May 2026.

1. Supporting Information

1.1       In December 2024, Government published the English Devolution White Paper which set out its ambitions for devolution and the eventual creation of Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) covering all areas of England. In February 2025, an application from East Sussex County Council (ESCC), West Sussex County Council (WSCC), and Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC), to join the Devolution Priority Programme (DPP) and to establish a Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) for Sussex and Brighton, was accepted by the Government.

1.2       National government undertook an 8-week public consultation from 17 February to 13 April 2025 to engage and seek responses from a range of interested parties across the region. In July 2025, following a public consultation, the Government confirmed that the proposal to create a Mayoral Combined County Authority for Sussex and Brighton had met the statutory tests and that it would move forward with mayoral elections scheduled for May 2026. In October, all three constituent councils agreed to the establishment of the MCCA and delegated authority to Chief Executives to consent to the laying of a Statutory Instrument to create the new Authority.

1.3       On 4 December 2025, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Devolution, Faith and Communities, Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, wrote to the Leaders of East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove City Council to set out the Government’s intention to continue with the establishment of a Mayoral Strategic Authority in Sussex and Brighton from 2026, but to postpone the mayoral elections in 4 DPP areas, including Sussex and Brighton, until 2028.

1.4       In February this year, Cabinet reconfirmed East Sussex County Council’s consent to the establishment of the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority (SBCCA).  Consent of the 3 constituent councils was given and the Statutory Instrument laid in Parliament on 11 February and will be established later in 2026.

1.5       The timing of when the Statutory Instrument will come into force remains unclear and is dependent on Parliament, but it is anticipated to be in late March, early April.  It will then be necessary for the Board to have its first meeting. This is likely to be before the election.  At that meeting it will be necessary to agree certain key documents to enable the new Authority to be able to function, such as the Constitution. 

2. Conclusion and Reason for Recommendation

2.1     The Committee is therefore recommended to appoint two members from the County Council for the period until the election in May 2026 to enable the Authority to be in a position to undertake essential business pending.

PHILIP BAKER

Deputy Chief Executive

Contact Officer: Philip Baker 01273 481564

E-mail: philip.baker@eastsussex.gov.uk

Background Documents

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