Local Government Reorganisation and What It Means for Wealden Residents

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You may have heard discussions about Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation. But what do these terms mean for you as a resident in Wealden? Here’s a clear explanation of what’s happening and how it might affect you.


What is Devolution?

Devolution is when certain powers and funding are transferred from the central government to a more local authority. This is designed to give local areas greater control over decisions that directly impact their communities.

On 5 February, the government announced that East Sussex, West Sussex, and Brighton and Hove had been accepted into the Devolution Priority Programme. This programme enabled the areas in question to fast-track both their plans for the creation of new Mayoral combined authorities and for LGR.


What Does This Mean for Wealden?

If Devolution goes ahead, a new governing body called a Mayoral Strategic Authority will be created. The new authority would have powers over strategic issues including transport, environment and climate change, housing, economic growth, health and public safety, as shown in the graphic below.



Most everyday services that residents rely on such as bin collections, benefit payments, environmental health, planning decisions, council tax management, and tourism and wellbeing initiatives would still be managed by your local council.


What Happens Next?

For now, there will be no immediate changes to council services or operations.

Government held a public consultation on the devolution proposal in March/April 2025. East Sussex submitted an interim proposal in March 2025 and was accepted onto the Government's fast-track devolution scheme.


What is Local Government Reorganisation?

The government wants to reorganise and simplify the structures of councils in England by replacing county and district councils with unitary authorities. In Sussex that could mean councils are abolished to make way for one or more unitary councils.

Final proposals to create one or more unitary councils in East Sussex were submitted to the government in September 2025. If approved, elections for the new council or councils would take place in 2027.


What does that mean for Wealden residents?

In Sussex, the government chose to require East Sussex and Brighton to be treated as one area for the purposes of LGR. Given the strong and well-established joint working relationships within the East Sussex (not including Brighton and Hove) locality, council leaders of the relevant six councils in East Sussex agreed to develop a joint proposal for a unitary council based on the East Sussex footprint.

The One East Sussex proposal would see East Sussex, Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes, Rother and Wealden become one single unitary authority. That proposal was supported by all councils except Wealden.

In addition, Brighton & Hove City Council proposes a five unitary authority model for both East Sussex and West Sussex and Hastings Borough Council is proposing three business proposals - the one East Sussex unitary model, a coastal unitary model and a district and borough federated model.

They have all now been submitted to the government by the relevant councils. Wealden, however, is not submitting a proposal for Local Government Reorganisation as it is unable to support any of the options presented.

Instead, the council has asked the government to pause the process in Sussex. We will wait to see if the government responds positively to this process.

If the government sticks to the published timetable, a public consultation on all validly received proposals for our area will get underway.

If you would like to learn more about the Devolution and LGR plans or look at the results of public surveys on the proposals, please visit the East Sussex Councils website

You may have heard discussions about Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation. But what do these terms mean for you as a resident in Wealden? Here’s a clear explanation of what’s happening and how it might affect you.


What is Devolution?

Devolution is when certain powers and funding are transferred from the central government to a more local authority. This is designed to give local areas greater control over decisions that directly impact their communities.

On 5 February, the government announced that East Sussex, West Sussex, and Brighton and Hove had been accepted into the Devolution Priority Programme. This programme enabled the areas in question to fast-track both their plans for the creation of new Mayoral combined authorities and for LGR.


What Does This Mean for Wealden?

If Devolution goes ahead, a new governing body called a Mayoral Strategic Authority will be created. The new authority would have powers over strategic issues including transport, environment and climate change, housing, economic growth, health and public safety, as shown in the graphic below.



Most everyday services that residents rely on such as bin collections, benefit payments, environmental health, planning decisions, council tax management, and tourism and wellbeing initiatives would still be managed by your local council.


What Happens Next?

For now, there will be no immediate changes to council services or operations.

Government held a public consultation on the devolution proposal in March/April 2025. East Sussex submitted an interim proposal in March 2025 and was accepted onto the Government's fast-track devolution scheme.


What is Local Government Reorganisation?

The government wants to reorganise and simplify the structures of councils in England by replacing county and district councils with unitary authorities. In Sussex that could mean councils are abolished to make way for one or more unitary councils.

Final proposals to create one or more unitary councils in East Sussex were submitted to the government in September 2025. If approved, elections for the new council or councils would take place in 2027.


What does that mean for Wealden residents?

In Sussex, the government chose to require East Sussex and Brighton to be treated as one area for the purposes of LGR. Given the strong and well-established joint working relationships within the East Sussex (not including Brighton and Hove) locality, council leaders of the relevant six councils in East Sussex agreed to develop a joint proposal for a unitary council based on the East Sussex footprint.

The One East Sussex proposal would see East Sussex, Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes, Rother and Wealden become one single unitary authority. That proposal was supported by all councils except Wealden.

In addition, Brighton & Hove City Council proposes a five unitary authority model for both East Sussex and West Sussex and Hastings Borough Council is proposing three business proposals - the one East Sussex unitary model, a coastal unitary model and a district and borough federated model.

They have all now been submitted to the government by the relevant councils. Wealden, however, is not submitting a proposal for Local Government Reorganisation as it is unable to support any of the options presented.

Instead, the council has asked the government to pause the process in Sussex. We will wait to see if the government responds positively to this process.

If the government sticks to the published timetable, a public consultation on all validly received proposals for our area will get underway.

If you would like to learn more about the Devolution and LGR plans or look at the results of public surveys on the proposals, please visit the East Sussex Councils website

Page last updated: 26 Nov 2025, 09:50 AM