Issue - meetings

Report by the Chief Executive

41.1     The Cabinet considered a report by the Chief Executive.

41.2     It was RESOLVED to:

1) agree East Sussex County Council’s responses to Government’s statutory consultation on proposals for local government reorganisation in the East Sussex and Brighton & Hove area as set out in the appendices of the report; and

2) approve the submission to Government by the closing date of 11 January 2026.

Reasons

41.3     The report outlines that the ‘One East Sussex’ proposal for a single tier of Local Government for East Sussex as a unitary council on the current footprint of the county council, with Brighton and Hove City remaining unchanged, is underpinned by a clear evidence base.

41.4     The ‘One East Sussex’ proposal is the only option for LGR in East Sussex that:

·       Aligns with existing service delivery footprints (e.g. social care, education, public health).

·       Minimises disruption to statutory services and partnerships.

·       Builds on established collaboration across the six councils.

·       Meets the Government’s population guidance and maintains a coherent geographic identity.

·       Creates operational savings and avoids the substantial costs of disaggregation.

·       Does not require boundary changes at county or district level, which are costly and disruptive to implement.