East Sussex residents asked to help shape future of the region
Sussex and Brighton residents will soon be asked to share their views on a document intended to shape the future of the region.
On Wednesday (November 11), Sussex & Brighton Strategic Authority (SBSA) board published its draft prosperity strategy which is intended to guide policy by setting out what the organisation aims to achieve.
The document says the authority should aim to ensure residents can access affordable housing, good jobs and efficient transport.
The document is due to go to public consultation on Monday (November 16).
Cllr Bella Sankey, the board’s chairperson and Labour leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, said: “This strategy is the first of its kind for Brighton and Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex.
“It defines prosperity as people, place and economy and nature being resilient and thriving together and sets out four connected pathways and 12 proposed priorities on a foundation of strong, safe and healthy communities.”
She added: “I think it is important to reflect and remember that we generate over £51bn of economic output each year here in Sussex and Brighton. That is 15 per cent of the entire economy of the South East.
“Since 2004, economic growth and output in the Sussex region has outpaced not just the national average, but the South East average as well. That has all been done without devolution, so we come from an incredibly strong standing start I think.”
Similar comments were made by Cllr Sankey’s co vice-chairmen, East Sussex County Council leader Andy Woolley (Reform UK) and West Sussex County Council leader Jay Mercer (Liberal Democrat).
If fully adopted after the consultation, the strategy would commit the SBSA to making east-west journeys across Sussex faster and more reliable; securing water and energy infrastructure; and delivering more affordable homes, among other things.
Consultation on the prosperity strategy opens on Monday (November 16) and runs until January 18 2027. It will be available at: www.haveyoursay.sussexandbrighton-cca.gov.uk.
Board members also agreed to allocate £7.6m to its new Housing Investment Programme. The money is expected to fund work which speeds up the building of new homes, unlock stalled sites and remove development barriers.
The SBSA had invited local authorities to put forward schemes, which could fit this remit bill.
Seventeen schemes have been deemed as potentially eligible: two in Brighton; seven in East Sussex and eight in West Sussex. Further details and decisions are expected in the near future.
A total of 25 schemes were deemed ineligible but some may become eligible for funding at a later date.
Cllr Woolley said: “I am really impressed by 41 propositions coming forward in this first round. To me it demonstrates that this strategic authority has an important role to play and actually other organisations are seeing that too.”