URL: https://westsussex.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=2453

Decision Maker: Leader (Cllr Jay Mercer)

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: During 2025 West Sussex County Council worked with West Sussex districts and boroughs to develop shared proposals for local government reorganisation in the county, submitting preferences to Government in September 2025.These are set out in decision CAB04 (25/26). On 25 March 2026, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP, wrote to the leaders of West Sussex councils to inform them that he has not yet made a decision about the proposals for West Sussex.  The Secretary of State set out the rationale for this in his letter, noting that he is considering modifications that may address his concerns, which the department would run a technical consultation on after the county elections in May 2026.  The modification for West Sussex was to the two unitary proposal – moving Chichester from the proposed council with Adur, Arun and Worthing to the proposed council with Crawley, Horsham and Mid Sussex. The Government has opened a consultation (Modified proposals for local government reorganisation in West Sussex - GOV.UK) - running to 15 June 2026 - seeking the views of West Sussex councils and other named consultees on the modified approach. The Government is seeking views on if the potential modification to the two unitary proposal is better than the original two unitary proposal contained in the West Sussex business case. Due to the need for this matter to be determined as soon as possible the Leader has secured agreement from the Chair of the County Council for this key decision to be taken without prior notice in the Forward Plan of key decisions (Part 4, Section 1, Standing Order 3.62) (Regulation 11) because delay would prejudice the County Council’s interests.

Content: During 2025 West Sussex County Council worked with West Sussex districts and boroughs to develop shared proposals for local government reorganisation in the county, submitting preferences to Government in September 2025.These are set out in decision CAB04 (25/26). On 25 March 2026, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP, wrote to the leaders of West Sussex councils to inform them that he has not yet made a decision about the proposals for West Sussex.  The Secretary of State set out the rationale for this in his letter, noting that he is considering modifications that may address his concerns, which the department would run a technical consultation on after the county elections in May 2026.  The modification for West Sussex was to the two unitary proposal – moving Chichester from the proposed council with Adur, Arun and Worthing to the proposed council with Crawley, Horsham and Mid Sussex. The Government has opened a consultation (Modified proposals for local government reorganisation in West Sussex - GOV.UK) - running to 15 June 2026 - seeking the views of West Sussex councils and other named consultees on the modified approach. The Government is seeking views on if the potential modification to the two unitary proposal is better than the original two unitary proposal contained in the West Sussex business case. Due to the need for this matter to be determined as soon as possible the Leader has secured agreement from the Chair of the County Council for this key decision to be taken without prior notice in the Forward Plan of key decisions (Part 4, Section 1, Standing Order 3.62) (Regulation 11) because delay would prejudice the County Council’s interests. Following consideration of the report the Leader: (1)         Confirms that the County Council’s preference given the narrow framing of the Government’s consultation is for the original two unitary proposal in the West Sussex business case as opposed to the proposed modification; (2)         Authorises the Chief Executive to respond to the consultation on Local Government Reorganisation on the Council’s behalf and (3)         Delegates authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to develop a response to the consultation that is consistent with the position expressed by Cabinet before the deadline for submission. None declared.

Date of Decision: June 15, 2026