Peacehaven and Falmer look more likely to become part of Brighton and Hove after the government announced a new consultation today (Tuesday 12 May).
The proposed changes are part of a wider shake up of councils that would take place alongside the election of a first executive mayor for Sussex and the creation of a combined county authority.
The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government is asking for views about an expanded Brighton and Hove that would include electoral wards that are currently served by Lewes District Council and East Sussex County Council.
The wards that would switch to Brighton and Hove are East Saltdean and Telscombe Cliffs, three wards in Peacehaven and the parts of Falmer parish that are currently in Kingston ward.
As a result, the population of Brighton and Hove would increase to about 308,000 while the proposed neighbouring authority – the rest of East Sussex – would serve about 537,000 people.
The new East Sussex authority would replace the county council and five districts – the rest of Lewes along with Eastbourne, Hastings, Rother and Wealden.
At the same time, the government is proposing two new single-tier or unitary councils in West Sussex to replace West Sussex County Council and seven districts.
One would comprise the areas served by four of the current districts – Chichester, Crawley, Horsham and Mid Sussex. The population would be about 566,000.
The other would comprise the areas served by the three other districts – Arun, Adur and Worthing. The population would be about 349,000.
The government had hoped for the new unitary councils to have serve broadly a similar population size while, as far as possible, respecting existing boundaries and communities.
Both consultations are due to close at 11.59pm on Monday 15 June.
They can’t even sort their current affairs and now you want them to take on more.
Disaster waiting to happen. And for the people already under BHCC your council tax gets put up by a lot (they pay more currently). And doubt the waste collection will improve (we all know how good to are at that).
BHCC council tax will not be put up because of this. Currently the LDC council tax is higher than BHCC and it’s already been clearly set-out that the areas of LDC that will move into BHCC will have their council tax frozen until such time that BHCC council tax catches up with it in a year or two time.
Interesting that the govt waited to publish after the local elections. It makes all the effort in the elections almost entirely useless and wasted. Deeply depressing. On the other hand as a resident of Telscombe Cliffs ward I am pretty much positive about becoming part of Brighton and Hove
There are Restrictions as to what it can publish during the pre election period (AKA purdah) in case it had an influence on the results in the east and West Sussex elections that took place last week.