Devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR)

Sussex will be one of the first areas in England to elect a new mayor and secure greater decision-making powers as part of the government’s devolution priority programme agreed for a number of different areas of the country.

In December 2024, the government published the English Devolution White Paper. This sets out plans to move power out of Westminster and back to local communities, allowing for tailored solutions that address specific regional needs, such as on transport, housing, education and economic development.

The government launched a consultation on devolution with residents and businesses earlier this year to seek views on the creation of a new mayoral combined county authority for Sussex. If approved, the new authority will be created in March 2026 and mayoral elections will be held in May 2026.

You can read our response to the consultation here:

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 2025. 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:

Shaping West Sussex

Residents, businesses and community groups across the county are being invited to share their views about the future of their councils as part of an important survey launching on 17th July 2025 at:

All West Sussex residents and organisations are invited to complete a survey asking about where they live or work, the council services they use, as well as what matters to them about how their council could be structured in the future. The survey will close at 11:59pm on Wednesday 13th August 2025.

All councils in the area - Adur District Council, Arun District Council, Chichester District Council, Crawley Borough Council, Horsham District Council, Mid Sussex District Council, West Sussex County Council and Worthing Borough Council - are working together to gather views that will help shape proposals for the future of local government in the county

Thriving Together

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 and local government reorganisation 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.

How you can get involved - for details see:

To find out more, see:

Press releases:

Back to top

Page last updated: 17 July 2025

Back to top