Decision - Devolution White Paper Update

Brighton and Hove Cabinet Decided 9 Jan 2025 approved Key decision GET /api/coverage

Decision maker

Cabinet

Report author

Alex Voce

Published

9 Jan 2025

Reference

7331

As published

the council's own words, unedited

This report is an update following the publication of the Government's White Paper

1) Cabinet agrees to submit to Government their request to take part in the Devolution Priority Programme, by the 10 January 2025, alongside East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council, seeking a Mayoral Combined Authority on a Sussex footprint and local government reorganisation for Sussex in line with the criteria set out in the Government White Paper. 2) Cabinet notes that further reports will come to Cabinet and Scrutiny through the period of the Priority Programme to ensure full engagement and consideration of options and impacts on the form of the Mayoral Combined Authority and Local Government Reform.

Parsed from the document

gpt-5.6-luna-2026-07-09 · 4710/1554 tokens · 9585ms · parsed 9 Sep 2026 15:33

Everything below was read out of a PDF by a model It is useful and it is not authoritative. The document it came from is linked in the rail, and where the two disagree the document is right.

Brighton & Hove City Council was asked to join the Government’s Devolution Priority Programme with East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council. The proposal seeks a Mayoral Combined Authority covering Sussex and future local government reorganisation, with further consultation and reports to follow.

Outcome

approved

Recommendation

Submit a request to the Government by 10 January 2025 to take part in the Devolution Priority Programme alongside East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council, seeking a Mayoral Combined Authority on a Sussex footprint and local government reorganisation for Sussex. Further reports should be brought to Cabinet and Scrutiny during the Priority Programme.

Financial impact

No specific budget amount stated; capacity funding is expected from the Government to assist implementation.

Ward affected

city-wide

Decision maker

Cabinet

Date in document

9 Jan 2025

Stakeholders named

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Residents and communities across SussexBrighton & Hove City CouncilEast Sussex County CouncilWest Sussex County CouncilNHSPolice and Fire AuthoritiesBusinessesFurther and higher education providersOther local organisations and businesses

Next steps

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Submit the application to join the Devolution Priority Programme by 10 January 2025.
Begin resident engagement soon after submission.
Develop a Government-led consultation strategy in partnership with local authorities.
Bring further reports to Cabinet and Scrutiny on options and impacts.
Submit initial local government reorganisation proposals in March 2025 and full proposals by autumn 2025.

Precedents

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