Shaping the future of local government in East Sussex

Right now, in East Sussex, there are different councils that run and look after where you live. They each take care of different things. East Sussex County Council covers the whole of East Sussex and looks after things like roads, education and social care for children and adults. Then there are five smaller councils, the District and Borough Councils (Eastbourne Borough Council, Hastings Borough Council, Lewes District Council, Rother District Council and Wealden District Council), that do things like collect bins, help people find homes, and give permission to build new things. In some towns and villages, there are also smaller town and parish councils that look after very local things like parks and graveyards.

This way of working has been around for 50 years. But now, the government thinks it's time for a change. They want to bring these services together, so that there are fewer councils or one new council that takes care of everything, instead of having lots of separate ones. Except for the much smaller town and parish Councils, that will stay the same. This process is called Local Government Reorganisation and is planned to happen by 2028.

The government has a few rules and expectations about what the new council(s) should be like and wants the change to make things simpler, cost less money and help councils to deliver services better. More information on the government's expectations for councils in East Sussex can be found here.

But in particular the government has said that any new council(s) should:

1. Population: Serve a population of around 500,000. East Sussex currently has a population of 550,000.
2. Better Outcomes: Aim to make things better for residents and communities. This includes making the best use of resources now and in the future.
3. Community led: Led by members in collaboration with public sector partners, businesses, and the voluntary sector.
4. Local decision making: Enhance local democracy and identity. Residents should feel more involved in, and decision making should be open, honest and transparent.
5. OneVoice: Provide a stronger and unified voice to attract investment, tackle priorities and focus on what matters most.
6. Funding: The government should fund the changes as existing councils do not have the money or resources to do this on their own.

The current councils in East Sussex sent an initial plan to the government in April to explain how this process might work in East Sussex. You can view this plan on our proposal page. This plan was to have one big council for the whole of East Sussex, but this could change depending on what people think and what the government decides. Other options are being considered on a locality basis.

The councils in East Sussex want to listen to and work with local people, residents, stakeholders, and partners whilst making these changes. What you think is important to make sure that any new council(s) meets the needs and aspirations of our communities. If lots of people respond with different ideas, then we will look at those too. Please tell us what you think by filling in this survey.