The Government has announced that Wealden District Council will be abolished and replaced by a new county-wide authority with plans confirmed to reorganise local government across East Sussex.
Labour's Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, pronounced the Government’s preferred model for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in the county as East Sussex County Council and the district and boroughs being replaced by a single unitary authority. Although this is subject to approval by Parliamentary.
A new East Sussex Council will take responsibility for all local government services across most of the county from April 2028.
In the same announcement it was stated that East Saltdean, Peacehaven and Telscombe are to become part of Brighton & Hove City Council although Falmer will remain within the new East Sussex authority.
The Government says replacing the current two-tier system with unitary councils will make services simpler, reduce duplication and improve accountability.
Steve Reed said: “Two-tier structures are confusing for residents, divide responsibilities, slow down decisions, duplicate costs and blur accountability.”
Under the timetable, elections to a shadow authority are expected to take place in May 2027. The new council will then operate alongside the existing authorities for almost a year before taking over responsibility for all services in April 2028.
Those services will include education, social care, highways, libraries, planning, housing, waste collection, environmental health and leisure services.
Town and parish councils, including Hailsham and Crowborough Town Council, are not affected by the reforms and will continue to operate as they do now with elections due next May as well.
