Decision details

Local authorities in East Sussex have been invited to submit a proposal for a single tier of local government across East Sussex. As part of this, the Government has requested an interim plan setting out progress on developing the proposal needs to be submitted on or before the 21 March 2025. Cabinet is asked to consider and agree the proposed interim plan for submission to Government.

78.1     The Cabinet considered a report by the Chief Executive.

78.2     It was RESOLVED to:

1)         agree in principle the Interim Plan set out at Appendix 2 of the report;

2)         delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, authority to finalise the content of the Plan for submission to Government; and

3)         approve the continued development of proposals for the establishment of a single tier authority for the East Sussex area including public and stakeholder engagement.

Reasons

78.3     The Government has issued a statutory invitation for proposals for a single tier of local government across East Sussex by 26 September 2025. In doing so it has issued guidance to which the Councils have to have due regard. The Government has adopted a staged process, the first being that the Councils have to submit an interim plan by 21 March 2025 which sets out our progress on developing proposals in line with the criteria and guidance. The plan at Appendix 2 of the report has been developed jointly with the Districts and Boroughs and is consistent with the Government’s guidance. It is important to note that this interim plan, is not the proposal, but a document setting out progress. There is a very significant amount of work and engagement that has to be undertaken to develop a proposal by the ambitious deadline that has been set by Government.</AI6>