It’s clear that there is a good deal of pessimism and misunderstanding about devolution. I take a different view and as the Sussex motto says: “We wunt be druv.”
There is an independence of spirit that is summed up in those words. But there is also a deep pride in place. There’s a love of countryside. There is entrepreneurship through the generations. Innovations that help shape a nation.
With the Downs, the sea, a national park and a UNESCO biosphere, there’s also so much to celebrate – in our villages, small towns and small cities. Our vibrant community and voluntary sector shows how much Sussex cares.
We have a Premier League club and a proud football pyramid that motivates and support our children into sport. We have a table tennis club and countless other volunteer sports clubs that are the catalyst for Olympic medals of the present and future. Sussex loves sports but needs better facilities.
We have good schools, a thriving airport that seems back to normal after covid, three universities, dynamic further education colleges and lots of skills providers.
But we can’t really thrive with a knowledge economy for the few, with new digital or Ai skills for an elite and opportunity restricted to who you know.
Is Sussex, despite some successes, the economic powerhouse we could be? Do we really work together in positive ways for all our communities?
Lots of our local well-loved neighbourhood businesses also need support to grow. There remain areas of disadvantage – or perhaps we could call them areas that have never been given a proper opportunity.
Devolution demands us to ask some tough questions about the place we all live in and how we can make it better. How well are the present structures actually serving residents?
We need to further develop policing again in our neighbourhoods, fire services and improve our NHS across the county.
Can our institutions serve Sussex people better? Do we often get lost in petty party politics and rehearse that dull old ancient mantra, “we’ve always done it this way.”
Devolution has to unlock new thinking and better services for residents or it’s not worth it. We have to build new ways of working that really open up access to skills, create jobs and promote our Sussex for investment.
Other places are not bashful about promoting their areas for new businesses and more investment. The Sussex tourism and hospitality sector is also growing and adapting to changing times all over the county, let alone Harvey’s, new micro-breweries and a growing wine industry.
We need to celebrate and support our young people – and those who have good business ideas – to start-up and to scale-up business. Business growth and new investment won’t be shared if we do what we have always done.
When the French bought Newhaven harbour, they were protecting the interests of the Normandy region. Despite the good work of the Newhaven Economic Partnership, decisions should be made in Sussex not Rouen.
Just look along the coast, to Shoreham, for how a port can become an economic and sustainability “lung” for an area.
Do all our assets serve Sussex well enough? Local government needs to think differently, that’s for sure. Young families need housing and transport needs to take a leap forward too. As a county – or to use the new term – as a strategic authority, we can better shape and advocate for the things we need for all our futures.
We will also learn lessons from other areas further down their devolution journey. Devolution maintains we are stronger together. People also want a new politics of purpose, collaboration and focus.
We need to design services around people not boundaries – scale, co-ordination and prevention should be watchwords. Willingness to compromise will also be a hallmark of success. And not afraid, either, to learn about what might work from other places.
We’ll need a devolution that respects the past and acts as a catalyst for new thinking about the future.
When we sing Sussex by the Sea, it is about respect for sacrifice. But it also celebrates where we live now and our collective future.
Councillor Ty Goddard is a Labour member of Brighton and Hove City Council.
It alarms me that I have heard multiple Labour councillors misapply the Sussex motto to the changes they want themselves to forcibly push through in the area.
It’s not a case of Sussex councillors telling us they “wunt be druv” it should be Sussex residents telling them that – except we can’t because they have ruled out a refereddum.
The council Leader Bella Sankey even misapplied the Sussex motto to make it all about her at a council meeting when she said “I wunt be druv”.
Rather than councillors telling us whether they will or wunt be druv, they should spend more time listening to residents and letting them have a proper say, so we can decide ourselves whether we will be druv or not.
Ideally the number of councils and multi layers of non effective administration should be seriously chopped down to something useful and efficient, also the councillors who have zero qualifications should be booted into oblivion, make it work, it’s long overdue. 880,000 peple in W.Sussex, 166 local authorities and councils, enough to run every bin shed.
Qualifications or not – they serve the residents and the community and we should not let outsiders rule us.
You mean ruled by local numptys instead of opening oppotunities for qualified local people, there are plenty of people interested but I doubt most of them would engege with deadbeat council members who close ranks just to conceal the amount of work that unqualified people get to decide on, have you seen the amount of money these people make decisions on ?? for that reason alone there should be highly qualified people involved. Local companies local trades social housing HA’s it’s endless. roads policing schools, some serious money there. We need better service, not some shabby organisation running low quality products for top dollar costs and payments with tax funded pensions on top.
I agree that devolution presents an opportunity for fresh thinking and better services, but it must be communicated effectively to garner public support. Many may not grasp the full benefits of decentralising power, so presenting clear, tangible examples of how it could improve daily life is crucial. Emphasising the positive outcomes, such as increased local control and better services tailored to specific community needs, can help overcome scepticism Devolution will only be considered valuable if it results in real, measurable improvements for everyone.
True, public hearings not controlled by the current councils could be a means of getting information out there, or even postings on Social Media that have a fairly wide audience young and not so young, something in laymans terms to relate the possibilities compared to the existing multiple councils systems, not sure what’s best but I know that lack of clarity will only skew peoples perception of devolution.
Oh, I completely agree with putting it out there in layman’s terms. A lack of understanding allows fear-based tactics to be employed; rather than an informed perspective.
Mr Goddard you paint a rosy picture of our city and rural areas but you don’t say how devolution is going to improve our lives and the area because you, the council and the despicable liars in government have no clue how to do this in reality. Ms Sankey was also unable to explain this to me in her feeble short response to me recently. Devolution will be YEARS of very COSTLY changes with no results, paid for by the taxpayer.
This smacks of dishonest propaganda trying to persuade us that devolution will be great for us when in reality only the council and politicians will benefit with increased size, power and control. This does not benefit the electorate, yes the citizens who elected you to deliver on the promises you made.
Show us that you can sort out the bloody potholes and basic public space services first then stop making ridiculous investment decisions with our tax and do everything you can to make it easier (deregulate) for small business to grow.
All this is moot however once the contract between the electorate and the elected council expires at the end of the current term. Instead of allowing a free and honest local election, you seem to be doing everything you can to prevent an election for another 2 years in the name of this ‘devolution’ nonsense. If you ask me, you’re terrified of losing the election.
Things are going to change, maybe you could as well and revert to serving the electorate rather than yourselves.
DO BETTER!
Mr Smith – I was trying not to be rosy but optimistic about potential. I have looked at Greater Manchester and other Combined Authorities. I also think you make good points about pot holes and the basic services. They are important and extra investment will show returns.
This devolution is a model that seems to work in other areas like Greater Manchester – where around ten local authorities came together to pool their strategic interests. The economy, housebuilding and investment is soaring in GM. Of course, there are still challenges but the Combined Authority is working. That is the model that is out for consultation now for us in Sussex. Also, other areas, like the West Midlands seem to have an energy / focus on jobs, skills and apprenticeships that is increasing.( And btw, I also had respect for some of the things done by the previous Mayor who wasn’t in the same party. )
Thanks for all the responses – they are important to me.
To be honest, I understand the cynicism; less so being called a numpty or liar.
This is a model that seems to work in other areas like Greater Manchester – where around ten local authorities come together to pool their strategic interests. The economy, housebuilding and investment is soaring in GM. Of course, there are still challenges but the Combined Authority is working. That is the model that is out for consultation now for us in Sussex. Also, other areas, like the West Midlands seem to have an energy / focus on jobs, skills and apprenticeships that is increasing.( And btw, I also had respect for some of the things done by the previous Mayor who wasn’t in the same party. )
Here is what I predict.
Higher Taxes for Less Service
More ‘Talk’ Less ‘Do’
Local Government less reflective of the needs of Local People.
TOTAL WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY.
The good thing is we don’t have to predict; this isn’t Brexit – there’s a reliable evidence base. Research on devolution generally suggests that it can lead to more responsive and tailored governance, as local authorities gain the ability to address regional needs more directly. Decision-making moves closer to those that are affected by those decisions. Studies also highlight that devolution can boost local economies by enabling regions to leverage their resources and priorities.
However, to be balanced, the devil is in the detail, your prediction is an option – one that can be avoided by engaging with the process that is going to happen regardless to ensure the best details are chosen.