‘Do not ignore local voices’ on council reorganisation, Ministers told
EAST Sussex County Council has demanded that Ministers urgently heed the opinions of local people in its plans for council reorganisation.
Responding to a Government consultation, the county council said it strongly disagreed with proposals to move 23,900 residents of Peacehaven. Telscombe, East Saltdean and Falmer into an expanded Brighton & Hove City Council from 2028.
The county council pointed to the ‘very strong local feelings’ against the plan.
Council leader Cllr Andy Woolley said: “These proposals stand in the face of clear, repeated local opposition. Residents have consistently raised serious concerns - it’s a pattern of sustained and meaningful objection.
“If we are serious about local democracy, then local voices must count. Especially when they’re expressed so clearly and so consistently.”
The county council’s response was agreed at its Strategic Management meeting, chaired by Cllr Woolley, on Thursday, June 11.
The response says that as well as ignoring local opinion, the suggested changes would involve confusing, complex boundary changes and a complex separation of public services, including social care, which would increase the cost and risks to people using them.
Feedback from the council says that the costs associated with separating public services and income streams would be significant and “based on the limited information available” could add around £3.25million to the implementation costs – money “much better used for service delivery”.
The Secretary of State’s proposal is a modified version of the One East Sussex proposal from local councils, which suggests a single unitary authority for the whole county.
When announcing his proposed expansion of Brighton & Hove, the Secretary of State claimed that without it he would be limiting the city’s future potential as a “key economic engine” and would do nothing to help combat housing affordability in the city.
But East Sussex County Council’s response says the new proposals offer no clarity over how the change of boundaries would address these issues.
“There is no evidence available that justifies the potential modification – no analysis has been provided to demonstrate that the communities in question identify with BHCC or that there would be any service and financial sustainability benefits,” it says.
The Government’s consultation on the modified proposals runs until Monday, June 15. Anyone wishing to take part can do so by visiting Modified proposals for local government reorganisation in East Sussex and Brighton and Hove - GOV.UK
Ends.
Karen Bowles
Friday, 12 June 2026