Brighton and Hove City Council’s proposed expansion – to include East Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs and Peacehaven – has been put on hold.
The decision was announced in the House of Commons this afternoon (Monday 7 September) by Angela Rayner after at least eight councils around the country started legal challenges or considered doing so.
One of the local authorities believed to be weighing up legal action was East Sussex County Council – and like most of the others, it was unhappy with the “footprint” for the proposed new councils.
Ms Rayner, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said that plans for council reorganisation would be paused and reviewed in East Sussex and Brighton and Hove.
The process would also be paused in West Sussex, she said, where a decision had yet to be made on the geography of two proposed new councils.
In the Commons, MPs criticised the waste of time, money and effort on the process so far but Ms Rayner said that this was not the case. And her review, she said, would take weeks rather than months.
Her fellow Labour MP, Chris Ward, who represents Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, said: “A pause in the review is clearly the right step.
“But my constituents – particularly those in East Saltdean, Peacehaven and Telscombe (Cliffs) – will want to know what comes next.
“Will she answer two specific questions? First, will the review that she has announced look again at the precise boundaries announced in May, as well as the legal process that got to them?
“Secondly, how will my constituents have a chance to shape that decision? Will it be through MPs? Will there be another consultation?
“How can they feed in so that we can get this right and make (local government reorganisation) the success that we both know it can be?”
Ms Rayner said: “The review will look at those issues. I will then be able to give a more detailed response to how that happens with ministers.
“I want to ensure that local members feel that this review takes into account the issues and concerns that people raise and that it is done in a prompt and inclusive way so that we can make the right decisions for my honourable friend’s local area.”
James MacCleary, the Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, said: “Large numbers of my constituents took part in the government’s consultation on proposed boundaries for the East Sussex unitary authority in good faith.
“They were appalled by Brighton and Hove City Council’s attempted land grab in our area and, together, we resisted it.
“Can the Secretary of State be crystal clear for my constituents on whether she intends to reopen the discussion over East Sussex’s local government boundaries as part of this review?”
Ms Rayner replied: “Again, at the moment I can give the honourable member an assurance that I am looking at the areas and that I will look to ensure that all the consultation, information and advice is correct and that we are making robust decisions.
“I want to ensure that I do that. I am happy for him to be in contact with the relevant minister or myself to ensure that we hear what he is saying about that process but I have heard him today.”
The Reform UK leader of East Sussex County Council, Andy Woolley, echoed the Lib Dem MP’s remarks.
Councillor Woolley said: “A pause in the process announced by the government today is surprising but is very good news, especially for people in East Saltdean, Peacehaven and Telscombe (Cliffs) who overwhelmingly said they wanted to remain in East Sussex.
“This will now be the case until further notice.
“It’s also welcome news for all residents of East Sussex who are being spared, for now, the additional costs from the government’s plan for reorganisation.
“While we’ve been working closely with our partners to build a sound and effective unitary council, we’ll use this pause to ask for more evidence for the reasoning behind the government’s decision in July to separate a part of East Sussex for transfer to Brighton and Hove.
“This review will offer the chance to present the detailed evidence behind that decision. We hope the Secretary of State will permanently think again.
“We are continuing to hold government to account to ensure that decisions on (local government reorganisation) are evidence-based and in the best interests of local people
“And (we) will be seeking to understand how local areas will be involved in the review and the new timelines that we are expected to work towards.
“We also look forward to seeing further government proposals for rewiring the relationship between local government and other parts of the state.
“Local government services urgently require funding which matches the needs of people in East Sussex, now and in future.
“We await further details from the government as to what this means in practice. We note that borough and district elections planned for 2027 in many parts of East Sussex will now take place as originally planned.
“We are ready to resume local government reorganisation for East Sussex as soon as a final decision is made. Meanwhile, all services will continue as normal.”
