It has all gone a bit quiet on local government reorganisation – the biggest upheaval affecting local councils in East Sussex in over a half a century. It is hugely important – and not just about bins and potholes. A huge chunk of the county council’s multi-million pound budget goes on adult and youth social care.
Under the plan, East Sussex County Council and the five district councils, including Rother, will all be replaced by a new unitary authority. It is designed to make things simpler and save lots of money.
The reorganisation was first announced in December 2024. Since then local elections have been postponed and then reinstated, lengthy circular arguments about structure have been debated, and plans for a new mayor Sussex delayed until 2028.
The latest hold up is wrangling over whether villages between Lewes and Brighton should remain in East Sussex or become part of the city. If you’re fascinated by the future of Peacehaven, East Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs and Kingston you have until 15 June to have your say.
After that, Housing Secretary Steve Reed will make a decision. Whatever he decides, it could still unravel further.
Last week 19 council leaders wrote to Prime Minister Keir Starmer claiming the proposed boundary changes in their areas are “short-term political choices”, will cost money rather than save it, and “jeopardise the integrity of essential services, particularly adult and children’s social care.” They point to analysis commissioned by the County Councils Network suggesting there would be “no long-term efficiency savings” from the latest council sizes.
Andy Wooley, the new leader of East Sussex County Council, was one of the signatories.
Of the all four areas where plans have been approved (Hampshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk) have now issued pre-action letters to Reed as the first step in the Judicial Review process to legally challenge the decisions.
Image Credits: One Sussex .
Who actually wants the proposed changes to administrative boundaries to go ahead?
Hampshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk councils are already looking for a judicial revue to mount a challenge. Nineteen other more local council leaders, including the new leader of ESCC are against the idea. These are people in the know, if they are not in favour I go along with them. Bigger is not always better, in this instance it will make council administration more remote and less representative.
Brighton City Council is making moves to expand its area of administration. Why? Brighton is likely to be the centre of any new administration and is already attempting to expand its influence to an area that has not been in favour of the move. The proposed changes will only make Brighton more adventurous in expanding.
Should the current Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner, whose current office has expanded exponentially over the years, and who is an aspiring Mayoral candidate for Sussex, actually achieve that position, one can only expect similar increasing costs.
Looking at the above map of Sussex it is immediately apparent that there is an imbalance between East and West of the county. The City of Chichester on the western boundary will be able to exert far more influence on the centre of finance than ever the Town Council of Rye, on the eastern boundary, will be able to claim for their area.
Rye and Eastern Rother have always been the poor relation with the administrative centre based in Bexhill. Our local area will be even more remote when Brighton is the centre of finance and administration.
East Sussex is much more rural than West, even more so the further east you go. There is little comparison with the other half of the county in relation to growth. Housing provision in areas such as East Grinstead to the north, Horsham area, and Burgess Hill to the south, is being increased by thousands. In the current Rother area there is very little other than to the north of Bexhill. Although many are grateful for that, it does indicate a lack of growth in the area, which is the result of lack of employment, which in turn keeps the median income low.
I can see absolutely no benefit to be gained from these proposed changes. It smacks of empire building rather than any improvements for the residents of Eastern Rother.
One must agree with Rod Came, Rye and Eastern Rother have been abandoned over the years since Rother District took us over, Zero growth, unless it’s tourism, that has taken this once thriving market town.