Find out what local government reorganisation is, how you can take part in early engagement and our timescales.
LGR is a process in which the structure and responsibilities of local authorities are reconfigured. Brighton & Hove is part of the government’s devolution priority programme which is also asking councils to look at LGR.
The aim is to make it clear for residents, businesses and organisations who is responsible for all local government services in an area and allows a more joined up approach to providing services.
Plans for LGR are outlined in the Government’s White Paper, published 16 December 2024. This sets out the areas that are currently ‘two tier’. Two tier is where services are split between a county and district or borough councils, and will become unitary councils where all services are delivered together.
Brighton & Hove City Council is the only Unitary Authority (one tier) local government in Sussex. Our Sussex neighbouring councils operate under a two tier organisation. This means services are split between a county and district council. As part of the Devolution Priority Programme all two-tiered local government areas are asked to reorganise into unitary councils.
As they change there is a potential for Brighton & Hove to combine with other areas in Sussex.
Any change needs to:
Government guidance is to increase the size of new unitary authorities to between 350,000 to 500,000 residents. This would mean between 3 to 5 unitary authorities across the footprint of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex.
Parish and town councils will not be affected structurally by the changes. They will not be abolished.
At the 20 March 2025 Cabinet meeting, councillors agreed on an interim plan, outlining the proposed way forward for Brighton & Hove City Council in Sussex. The plan was submitted to the government on 21 March 2025.
Thank you for taking part in our early engagement survey which informed our interim plan.
View the results of the early engagement exercise.
Watch the 20 March Cabinet meeting.
Read the full report for the 20 March cabinet meeting (agenda item 172).
Brighton & Hove is keeping all options open and will be guided by more detailed data and evidence gathered over the summer, together with further engagement with residents, partners and stakeholders.
The following timescales are in place:
Devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government.
Local government reorganisation is about how the responsibilities and funding that sit with local government are organised between councils.
Find more information about Devolution in Sussex and Brighton.
Read more about how you can help shape the future of local government in Brighton & Hove.
Councillors agree interim plan for local government reorganisation.