Arundel and South Downs MP criticises Government over council reorganisation pause
The Arundel and South Downs MP, Andrew Griffith, has criticised ministers over their handling of plans for local government reorganisation.
On Monday, September 7, housing and communities secretary Angela Rayner confirmed the Government will be pausing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in 14 areas.
Ms Rayner told Parliament the decision had been made ‘in the light of legal advice’, which will see the proposals reviewed by ministers.
Plans for West Sussex – which took 18 months to prepare – had already been paused and will be considered alongside the wider review.
No time-line has been given as to when the review is to be carried out or when it will be concluded.
The MP for Arundel and South Downs said: “I have consistently warned the Government that its local government reorganisation plans were being rushed out with little process or thinking behind them.
“In June, I called on ministers to release the technical reports and supporting data behind their proposals, but they were unable to do so. It now seems that I was proved right, with the Government having to pause the process and review where it went wrong.
“Rather than another review, Angela Rayner should shelve these plans altogether and stop wasting everyone’s time and money for something Sussex does not want.”
Ms Rayner said local elections scheduled for May 2027 would go ahead as planned, using existing district and borough council boundaries.