West Sussex left waiting again as Government delays council reorganisation decision
The Government has failed again to make a decision on how West Sussex should be divided under local government reorganisation.
And once a decision has been made, the starting date has been pushed back to 2029.
While plans for a two unitary authority covering Brighton and East Sussex were given the go-ahead today (October 29) by Angela Rayner, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government, West Sussex is now one of only two areas where no decision has been made.
The reorganisation forms part of plans to simplify local government by ending the two-tier system and establishing new single-tier unitary councils. But, for West Sussex at least, the journey towards achieving that aim has been uphill all the way.
In September 2025, the county, district and borough councils submitted their preferences for the change.
The county council proposed one unitary authority to cover the whole of the county, while the district and borough councils proposed two – with Adur, Arun, Chichester and Worthing in one, and Crawley, Horsham, and Mid Sussex in the other.
But the Government put forward a third option – not popular with any of the councils – placing Chichester, Crawley, Horsham and Mid Sussex in one authority, with Arun, Adur and Worthing in another.
Despite the ongoing delay, the district and borough councils have said their priority was to continue to work collaboratively with the Government and each other to secure the strongest possible outcomes for their residents and communities.
That work has cost money. But the Government has said West Sussex will receive £500,000 in the coming weeks.
Local elections will go ahead in May 2027 on existing council boundaries, while elections for the shadow councils of the unitary authorities will be held in May 2028, preparing for the new authorities to formally launch in April 2029.