Government devolution plans and Sussex proposals

Very soon we will be inviting staff, councillors, local organisations, and communities to come together to shape a shared vision for the future of our places and inform our devolution plans.

The challenge

The government has launched a consultation on devolution in Sussex, looking at how local decision-making could be shaped in the future:

• Sussex and Brighton devolution consultation - on the GOV.UK website

At Adur & Worthing Councils, we want to go further. This isn't just about councils getting more powers - it's about ensuring that our communities and partners have a real say in shaping the future of the places we live, work or study.

We believe that devolution should reflect what makes our places special - our people, our creativity, and the unique strengths of Adur and Worthing. That's why we're inviting residents, local organisations, businesses, and public sector partners to join the conversation and shape the proposals we put forward.

This is an opportunity to think beyond council structures and focus on what our places need - whether it's enabling communities to support each other, developing thriving local economies, or tackling the big challenges together.

Watch this space as we launch a programme of participation for you to get involved in and have your say!

To find out more, see:

• Devolution FAQs and timetable
• How you can get involved - Thriving together: shaping the future of the places we call home

Press releases:

• 21st March 2025: West Sussex councils submit interim plan for local government reorganisation, seek clarity on key issues
• 3rd October 2024: Adur & Worthing Councils back bid for new powers from the government

What are the next steps?

Local authorities in West Sussex, including us, have been working together to draft an interim plan for local government reorganisation that was submitted to the government in March. This is ahead of a more detailed final plan for how the creation of single-tier unitary authorities will help ensure our area is economically viable and provide better public services for residents, while demonstrating how community views have shaped the plan. You can read the interim plan here:

• West Sussex Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) Interim Submission (166KB)

For now, we encourage you to read more about devolution and its potential benefits via the GOV.UK announcement (below) and keep an eye out for upcoming engagement opportunities.

• Devolution revolution: six areas to elect Mayors for first time - on the GOV.UK website

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