Have your say on devolution
Have your say on the Sussex-wide consultation on devolution before the deadline this weekend.
The government-led consultation is asking for views on forming a Combined County Authority with an elected mayor for the local government areas of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex.
Submit your views on the Sussex and Brighton devolution consultation before midnight on Sunday 13 April on the gov.uk website, where there is further information, including the full consultation document.
What is English Devolution?
Watch the the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government video.
Other ways to take part
Paper copies of the consultation are available in public libraries or can be downloaded from our Devolution in Sussex web page.
Councillor John Hewitt, Brighton & Hove’s Cabinet adviser for Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation, said: “As a council we strongly agree that the establishment of a Mayoral Combined County Authority will deliver benefits for our area.
“The proposal will bring powers and funding down from central government to local areas so that decisions can be made locally rather than nationally. Sussex is a diverse county, so being able to make decisions closer to communities and our unique places has the potential to bring economic growth and address inequalities.
“Please take this opportunity to make your voice heard and help shape the future of Sussex.”
What does the Government want to find out?
The consultation is asking for views on establishing a Mayoral Combined authority in the area.
It includes questions on the proposed geography and how the Combined Authority will make decisions, together with questions on the effects of working across this geography through a Mayoral Combined Authority.
The consultation asks about:
- The proposed geography
- Governance arrangements
- Supporting the economy
- Improving social outcomes
- Local Government services
- Improving the local natural environment
- Supporting the needs of local communities and reflecting local identity
More about the Devolution Priority Programme
Brighton & Hove is part of the government’s Devolution Priority Programme (DPP) which means that elections for a Mayor for Sussex & Brighton are due to take place in May 2026.
Devolution involves transferring powers and funding from national to local government, ensuring decisions are made closer to the people, communities, and businesses they affect.
A Mayoral Combined County Authority is made of a group of councils who come together over larger areas that people recognise and work in. In Sussex and Brighton, it would allow councils to work together in a structured way and take decisions over a wider footprint, with powers and responsibilities being held by the Mayoral Combined County Authority. It does not replace councils but operates strategically across the whole region.
More information
Read Brighton & Hove City Council’s response to the Sussex and Brighton devolution consultation. Councillors agreed the response at the 20 March Cabinet meeting.
Find more information about Devolution in Sussex on our website.
