West Sussex Councils issue update on reorganisation decision
- 25/03/2026
West Sussex local authorities were expecting a decision from the Government on Local Government Reorganisation in our area by the end of March. The Government has today issued an update. They have not made a decision on which unitary solution to apply in Sussex and instead have confirmed they will be running a second consultation on plans covering the whole of Sussex.
The new consultation will see two variations on the proposals already submitted by Sussex local authorities. The first proposed modification is moving Chichester District Council into a unitary with Crawley Borough Council, Horsham District Council and Mid Sussex District Council. Leaving a second unitary in West Sussex comprising Arun District Council, Adur District Council and Worthing Borough Council.
The second modification would see boundary changes moving wards in Falmer, Peacehaven and Saltdean from Lewes District Council in East Sussex to Brighton & Hove City Council.
The consultation will begin after the local elections in May, and a decision is expected in the summer after the consultation period closes and new representations are considered. The overall timescale for reorganisation remains the same with elections to the new shadow unitary authorities expected in 2027 preparing for the new authorities to formally launch in 2028.
Cllr Robert Eggleston, Leader of Mid Sussex District Council, said:
"This further delay from Government is disappointing and creates unnecessary uncertainty for our communities. Councils across West Sussex have been preparing in good faith for a clear decision by the end of March, and this late shift to an additional consultation compresses the timescales we need to plan properly for any reorganisation. The Government has not come forward with any evidence base to justify its proposals which makes their announcement very surprising.
“A smooth transition depends on clarity, stability, and sufficient time to prepare new structures that protect services and ensure residents are properly supported. The continued uncertainty makes that more challenging.
“Despite this, we remain fully committed to working closely with our partners across West Sussex. Our priority is, and always will be, delivering the best outcomes for the people we serve, and we will, of course, respond to the consultation in an objective and evidenced based way. I hope that the Government will assess it in the same way.”
We will be sharing the consultation information and further details as they become available.
The government statement is available at: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-03-25/hcws1455 and the latest correspondence is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69c3d6e4cdfd19de13d0f59e/SoS_-_Letter_to_Sussex_Leaders_25.03.26.pdf
For more information, https://www.shapingwestsussex.org/
ENDS