The prospect of an elected mayor for the whole of Sussex could move a step closer this week.
The government is expected to tell a number of councils that they will be part of a “priority programme” for devolution.
Brighton and Hove City Council submitted an expression of interest in the priority programme earlier this month jointly with East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council.
If successful, they could be given funding towards the costs of setting up a new Sussex-wide strategic authority led by an elected mayor.
And the proposed strategic authority for Sussex could take responsibility for some of the biggest political decisions as early as May next year – on an “accelerated time-frame”.
If the mayor and strategic authority are given the go ahead, it looks likely that the borough and district councils across Sussex will be scrapped in favour of bigger “unitary” councils.
Brighton and Hove City Council, which is already a unitary, has a smaller population than the ideal number – about 500,000 – indicated by the government in a policy document known as a “white paper”.
As a result, Brighton and Hove may have to merge with one or more of its neighbours or, despite having a population of fewer than 300,000, could be left as it is.
The latest news emerged at a meeting of Greater Brighton Economic Board today (Tuesday 28 January) when Brighton and Hove City Council leader Bella Sankey gave members an update.
Councillor Sankey said that she expected to hear the government’s decision by the end of the week.
She said that the English devolution white paper empowered local government, enhanced autonomy and allowed regions to tailor policies to their own needs.
She said: “This board was of course born from the city deal in 2014, which was a form of devolution.
“As this new devolution chapter evolves, this board will keep a close eye on developments in Sussex and work to support collaboration to drive economic growth which is part of our mandate.”
The board is made up of seven councils – Adur, Arun, Brighton and Hove, Crawley, Lewes, Mid Sussex and Worthing – as well as the South Downs National Park Authority.
Other members include Sussex University, Brighton University and the Chichester College Group, NHS Sussex, the Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership and the Adur and Worthing Business Partnership.
After a brief formal meeting of the Greater Brighton Economic Board at the Marine Workshops, in Newhaven, this morning, members met informally to discuss the potential effects of devolution on the board.
In a government “white paper” on devolution, a number of areas were identified where new strategic authorities could be expected to drive growth and shape public services.
The list, which may expand, includes
• Transport and local infrastructure
• Skills and employment support
• Housing and strategic planning
• Economic development and regeneration
• Environment and climate change
• Health, wellbeing and public service reform
• Public safety
Surely there is public involvement in this decision
An absolute load of nonsense.
If councils were well run and gave good value we could forgive them this pantomime, but right now it is nothing more than a distraction – that the public are not buying.