Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation will affect the way services are provided in our village and across Sussex.

This involves the transfer of powers, funding and responsibilities from central Government to local areas. This allows more decisions to be made at a local level and includes taking strategic responsibility for issues such as highways and transport, housing, economic growth, public safety, climate change. 60% of the English population already live in an area covered by devolution.

Following the publication of the English Devolution White Paper in December 2024, and a consultation earlier in the year, the Government announced in February 2025 that West Sussex, East Sussex and Brighton and Hove had been accepted into the Devolution Priority Programme.

A Mayoral Combined County Authority will be formed and the election for the first Sussex Mayor is expected to take place on the 7^th May 2026.

The Government also wishes to reorganise local government across Sussex, by moving away from the two-tier model of County Council and District Council so that residents are served by just one Unitary Council (which will take over the work currently done by the District and County Councils).

West Sussex County Council, East Sussex County Council, Brighton and Hove Council and the District Councils in each County (apart from Wealden District Council) consulted with residents during the summer and have now submitted their proposals for local government reorganisation, which have been published for public consultation.

There are four separate proposals:

1. Two Unitary Councils covering East Sussex and Brighton and Hove: One covering the current East Sussex County Council area, the second (covering Brighton and Hove, which would remain unchanged (supported by East Sussex County Council and the District Councils except Wealden)

2. Five Unitary Councils across Sussex as follows:
   
   • Brighton and Hove plus 4 wards and 1 parish from Lewes
   • Eastbourne, Hastings, Rother plus 5 wards from Lewes and 9 wards from Wealden
   • Mid Sussex plus 34 wards from Wealden and 10 from Lewes
   • Chichester, Crawley and Horsham
   • Adur, Arun and Worthing
     (supported by Brighton and Hove Council)
3. One Unitary Council to cover the whole of West Sussex (supported by West Sussex County Council)

4. Two Unitary Councils in West Sussex: one covering the current Mid Sussex and Horsham Districts plus Crawley, the second covering the current Adur, Worthing, Arun and Chichester Districts (supported by Mid Sussex District Council and Adur, Worthing, Arun, Chichester and Crawley)

The Consultation link is here: https://consult.communities.gov.uk/local-government-reorganisation/east-sussex-brighton-and-hove-west-sussex/
where the business cases for the differnet proposals can be read.

Ashurst Wood comes within the Mid Sussex District and West Sussex County. Although the District and County have put forward separate options, they have confirmed that they are committed to working together on whichever option is selected by the Government.It is expected that shadow elections for the new Unitaries will be held in May 2027. The new Unitaries will then run for a year in shadow form alongside the District and County Councils. The two-tier Councils will be dissolved and replaced with the Unitaries by May 2028.

The Consultation ends on the 11^th January 2026 and the Government is expected to make a decision in the spring. Legislation will then be prepared.

It is expected that shadow elections for the new Unitaries will be held in May 2027. The new Unitaries will then run for a year in shadow form alongside the District and County Councils. The two-tier Councils will be dissolved and replaced with the Unitaries by May 2028.

There are no plans at this stage to make any changes to the status of Parish and Town Councils (including Ashurst Wood Village Council). However, their role could expand and change in the future with the possibility of being invited to take over responsibilities or assets from the District or County Councils. This has happened in other parts of the country when a new larger Unitary has been formed and local assets such as parks and playgrounds have been transferred to the parishes and towns. At the moment it is too soon to know what opportunities will be available.