Lewes District Council ‘shocked and deeply disappointed’ by government’s decision to press ahead with Local Government Reorganisation proposals

The Government announced the next steps in its LGR review on Thursday, October 29.

An statement at www.gov.uk/government/news said: “The government is now minded-to go ahead with reorganisation in five areas. There will be a period of three weeks minimum for further representations before final decisions are taken.”

In July this year, the government confirmed that East Saltdean, Peacehaven and Telscombe would be removed from the Lewes district under the plans. These areas would then fall under the jurisdiction of Brighton and Hove City Council.

Then on September 7, housing and communities secretary Angela Rayner said the government would pause and review plans for LGR in 14 areas, including East Sussex and Brighton.

The government’s latest announcement confirmed that East Sussex and Brighton and Hove is one the five areas where the government is minded to proceed. It said this will be for ‘the two unitary proposal including boundary changes requested by Brighton and Hove City Council, except for the parish of Falmer’.

In response, Councillor Zoe Nicholson, Leader of LDC, said: “We are shocked and deeply disappointed by the government's decision to press ahead with proposals that our residents have resoundingly rejected.

“This announcement once again fails to provide any meaningful evidence to justify the annexation of parts of Lewes district. Throughout this process, we have consistently asked the government to set out the evidence for its proposals. The fact that it has been unable to do so speaks volumes.

“We have also argued that the people affected deserve a genuine say in decisions that will fundamentally change the places where they live, work and call home – the government has continued to ignore those calls. Residents, businesses, community organisations and elected representatives have spoken clearly about the importance of protecting the integrity of our district. Many will feel angry and frustrated by this decision, and so do I.

“The government may have announced its preferred course of action, but it has not won the argument. We will continue to stand alongside our residents and challenge decisions that we believe are not in the best interests of our communities.”

On October 2, LDC said it was starting protective legal action with the goal of preserving the council’s legal position while the government undertook its review.

On October 16, a spokesperson for East Sussex County Council told this newspaper that ESCC had lodged an application for judicial review to challenge the Secretary of State’s decision on LGR. It said this proposal ‘would see 26,000 people being transferred across the boundary to Brighton and Hove’.