Cabinet backs elected mayor for Sussex

Brighton and Hove City Council’s cabinet has voted unanimously to ask formally to take part in the government’s “devolution priority programme”.

The aim is for Sussex to be run by an elected mayor and a “combined authority”, taking strategic decisions for the entire county. Smaller district and borough councils face being scrapped in favour of new bigger unitary councils.

Labour council leader Bella Sankey told a special cabinet meeting at Hove Town Hall today (Thursday 9 January) that it was an exciting moment and an opportunity for Brighton and Hove.

The decision today, she said, was not about the future of the council. It was about whether to be part of a proposed new strategic authority making the sort of decisions currently often taken by officials in Whitehall.

Councillor Sankey said, in answer to questions, that the request to become part of a “mayoral combined authority” covering all of Sussex would not mean changing the boundary of Brighton and Hove.

East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council also held cabinet meetings today and agreed to make the same joint request to the government along with Brighton and Hove.

Councillor Sankey was asked several questions by opposition Green councillors about the proposal for an elected Sussex mayor and what it would mean for the council and its staff.

She was asked what it would mean for the number of councillors and the number of people each councillor would represent.

The same government “white paper” that covers devolution and elected mayors also proposes scrapping district councils, sometimes known as borough councils. These run local services such as housing, planning and rubbish and recycling collections.

They would be replaced by unitary councils covering a wider area and serving a bigger population – ideally about 500,000. Some believe that Brighton and Hove could be too small to survive although no decision is likely for months.

Councillor Sankey said that a new mayor would benefit the wider community by having more say over transport, housing and even the National Health Service.

The Labour leader said: “I see this as a really exciting moment and an opportunity for our city and our region.

“I’m optimistic and ambitious about devolution because of the direct benefits that it would bring to our residents, our businesses and our community.

“There is already an extensive economic and business case for Sussex devolution to build on the experience across all of our local authority boundaries.

“Overall, Sussex is an economically prosperous region but there are significant disparities within our region with pockets of deprivation and unmet potential.

“Devolution has the potential to turn these challenges into opportunities and to support collaboration to drive economic and social benefits.”

She addressed concerns that Brighton and Hove might lose its identity if it becomes part of a larger unitary authority, repeatedly saying that being part of local government reorganisation was not something sought by the council.

A member of the public, Ben Thomas, asked whether the council was seeking to be exempt from the government’s proposal to create more unitary authorities with a population of 500,000.

Or, given that the population of Brighton and Hove was about 280,000, would the boundaries have to be extended, he asked.

Councillor Sankey said that this was not a discussion that Brighton and Hove City Council was having with the government or “in earnest” with any neighbouring council.

She said: “It is worth saying what is clear in the white paper – there is a clear vote of confidence in unitary authorities, including Brighton and Hove.

“They (the government) believe unitary authorities like us are best placed to deliver high-quality public services.

“It’s clear they see more potential in unitary authorities. We can deliver better, have greater coverage and be in the driving seat of total place leadership.

“It’s an exciting moment to be in a unitary authority and to look at what the government has in store.”

Quoting an old local saying, Councillor Sankey added that, as a Sussex woman, she “wunt be druv”.

Green councillor Pete West said that decision taken today by the cabinet should also have to be ratified by the full council and subject to a public referendum.

He said that it was best not to place the future of millions in the hands of just one person when there was no precedent to concentrate so much power into the hands on one person.

Councillor West said: “Decisions are best taken at the lowest possible level – bottom-up government – where we can co-create with our communities the changes needed to tackle climate change and build a sustainable society.”

He called for “doing things with communities – not doing things to communities, as a concentration and remoteness of power in a Sussex mayor and three giant unitary councils will mean”.

Fellow Green councillor Raphael Hill said that voters in Scotland and Wales each had a referendum on devolution during the last Labour government – as did those in the north east of England. The latter rejected a devolution plan.

The Labour deputy leader of the council Jacob Taylor cited the book Failed State by Sam Freedman in which the former policy adviser said that our government departments and ministers were overmighty and overwhelmed.

Councillor Taylor said that councils in Britain spent a much lower proportion of taxpayer funds compared with other countries’ local authorities.

Labour councillor Trevor Muten, the council’s cabinet member for transport, sustainability and the public realm, said that Sussex devolution would have “substantial benefits” for integrated transport.

He said: “The public transport offer can be considerably better within a devolved region, compared with a smaller unitary authority.”

He cited Greater London, Greater Manchester and Liverpool, adding: “London’s integrated transport system – as Transport for London – offers interconnected tickets for buses, the underground, trams and trains.”

In Manchester and Liverpool, they had more local say on buses and budgets. He said: “When the national bus fare cap was increased last year, both Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region were better placed to keep the £2 fare.”

The government white paper on devolution set out policy areas where strategic authorities could be expected to shape public services. The list, which may expand, includes

• Transport and local infrastructure
• Skills and employment support
• Housing and strategic planning
• Economic development and regeneration
• Environment and climate change
• Health, wellbeing and public service reform
• Public safety

Live posts from the cabinet meeting are available to view on @bhdemocracynews.bsky.social Bluesky bsky.app/profile/did:plc:drhjjfrozftmeoldhxniydyu/post/3lfclfjb3xs2h, Skyview social and from @BHDemocracyNews on Twitter/X through Threadreader.