Devolution and establishment of Mayoral Combined County Authority

Committee report · Cabinet · Tue 27 Jan 2026 · East Sussex County Council

What it recommends

In the report's own words. A recommendation is a proposal: the meeting can agree, change or reject it.

“Note the changes announced by the Minister to the proposal to devolve to Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority, in the letter of 4 December 2025.”
“Reconfirm the approval of and consent to the establishment of the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority.”
“Delegate authority to the County Council’s Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to agree the contents of, and consent to, the making of the Sussex and Brighton Combined Authority Order 2026.”
“Delegate authority to the Chief Executive to take such action as necessary to give effect to the above recommendations and to facilitate the establishment of the Combined County Authority. 1.”

What the meeting decided

The minutes record: Noted. “RESOLVED to: 1) Note the changes announced by the Minister to the proposal to devolve to Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority, in the letter of 4 December 2025; 2) Reconfirm the approval of and consent to the establishment of the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority; 3) Delegate authority to the County Council’s Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to agree the contents of, and consent to, the making of the Sussex and Brighton Combined Authority Order 2026; and 4) Delegate authority…” minutes ↗

In plain English

Each sentence was checked against the passage it cites; how the checking works.

Recommended · This went to the meeting on Tue 27 Jan 2026. What was decided is in that meeting's minutes.

Cabinet is recommended to note changes announced by the minister to the proposal to devolve powers to a Sussex and Brighton Mayoral Combined County Authority, and to reconfirm its consent to establishing the authority. p4 p5 p6

The report says that refusing consent to devolution would delay the funding and powers it expects Sussex and Brighton to gain. p43

3 further sentences of this summary were held back by verification and are not shown. We only publish claims that survived checking against the cited passages.

Show the 4 passages this is based on

p4RECOMMENDATIONS: Cabinet is recommended to:
p51) Note the changes announced by the Minister to the proposal to devolve to Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority, in the letter of 4 December 2025;
p62) Reconfirm the approval of and consent to the establishment of the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority;
p432.11 The alternative to the recommendation to consent in principle to the laying of the amended Statutory Instrument outlined above is to refuse consent to move forward with devolution in Sussex and Brighton, which would have a number of negative impacts. This would include preventing or delaying the predicted benefits of devolution and the flow of new funding and powers from government to Sussex and Brighton, including the new investment provided by the 30-year Investment Fund.

Places and organisations it names

East Sussex County Council

Other papers for this meeting

Cabinet agenda · Committee agenda
Appendix 1, Cabinet · Committee report
Appendix 1, Cabinet · Committee report
Appendix 1, Cabinet · Committee report
Appendix 1, Cabinet · Committee report
Appendix 1 - Draft Council Plan 2026.27 Cabinet 27.01.26 · Committee report
Appendix 1a - Council Plan EqIA Cabinet 27.01.26 · Committee report
Appendix 2, Cabinet · Committee report
Appendix 2, Cabinet · Committee report
Appendix 2 - MTFP Update Cabinet 27.01.26 · Committee report
Appendix 3 - Budget Summary 2026-27 DRAFT Cabinet 27.01.26 · Committee report
Appendix 4a - Savings 2026-27 to 2028-29 Cabinet 27.01.26 · Committee report
Auditor's Annual (Value for Money) Report on East Sussex County Council 2024/25 · Committee report
Minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2025 · Committee report
Cabinet minutes · Committee minutes
Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR): Draft Council Plan 2026/27, Revenue Budget and Capital Programme · Committee report
The Conservators of Ashdown Forest 2025/26 forecast outturn position and updated medium term financial plan including the 2026/27 budget · Committee report
Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2026/27 · Committee report

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