2. East Sussex and Brighton and Hove - Summary and analysis of consultation responses

Noted · Received for information; no decision followed.

A statutory consultation on proposals for unitary local government in East Sussex, Brighton and Hove and West Sussex opened on 19 November and closed on 11 January 2025, receiving a total of 3,828 responses. p2

Across all respondents, 59% gave positive responses and 26% gave negative responses on the East Sussex two-unitary proposal, compared with 12% positive and 78% negative on the Brighton five-unitary option. p54

Among named consultees, 64% were positive and 21% were negative on the East Sussex two-unitary proposal, compared with 20% positive and 55% negative on the Brighton five-unitary option. p57

The document records that on 16 July 2026 the Government announced that the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government had decided to implement, subject to Parliamentary approval, the East Sussex two-unitary proposal with the boundary change requested by Brighton and Hove City Council. p20

It records that no decision had yet been taken on local government reorganisation in West Sussex, with the Secretary of State stating that further time was needed to consider the additional consultation responses. p23

Show the 5 passages this is based on

• p2Introduction 1. A statutory consultation on proposals for unitary local government in East Sussex, Brighton and Hove and West Sussex was opened on 19 November and closed on 11 January 2025. We received a total of 3828 responses.
• p209. East Sussex: The Government announced to Parliament on 16 July 2026 that the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government had decided to implement, subject to Parliamentary approval, the proposal for two unitary authorities submitted by East Sussex County Council, Eastbourne Borough Council, Hastings Borough Council, Lewes District Council and Rother District Council. In doing so, the Secretary of State will exercise the power to modify the proposal to achieve the boundary change Brighton and Hove City Council requested alongside the proposal. The new councils will comprise the areas of:
• p2310. West Sussex: The Secretary of State announced on 16 July 2026 that no decision has yet been taken on local government reorganisation in West Sussex, outlining that further time was required to consider the additional consultation responses received. Methodology
• p5425. The tables below take the average response across the 9 multiple choice questions to provide an overall view of whether proposals were viewed positively or negatively. Proposal No. of responses Positive Negative Neither Agree nor Disagree Don’t know East Sussex 2 unitary proposal 23413 59% 26% 11% 4% Brighton 5 unitary option 24451 12% 78% 8% 3%
• p57Don’t know East Sussex 2 unitary proposal 175 64% 21% 15% 0% Brighton 5 unitary option 188 20% 55% 24% 1%