Explainer: What Does Devolution Mean For Sussex?

In less than two years, Sussex will have a Mayor – but what does that mean and why does it matter?

Over the past year or so, you’re likely to have heard and read news reports about devolution and local government reorganisation.

The latter will see all the county, district, borough and city councils across the whole of Sussex dissolved and replaced with a number of unitary authorities.

On top of that is devolution – the passing down of certain powers and responsibilities from government to local regions – and that’s where the Mayor comes in.

Devolution saw a Sussex & Brighton Strategic Authority set up in April, with the first Mayor of the county due to be elected by the public in 2028.

Before he or she arrives, the way is being paved by a six-strong Strategic Authority Board made up of the leaders of West Sussex County Council, East Sussex County Council, and Brighton & Hove City Council, along with one other councillor each.

Once the Mayor is elected, they will become chair of the Board – but until then, the other six are taking turns, starting with Bella Sankey, leader of Brighton & Hove City Council.

Budget documents show the area stands to benefit from £117m secured

by the Authority over the next four years – part of £1.14bn pot provided by the Government to cover the next 30 years.

While the new unitary authorities formed by local government reorganisation will continue to provide the services that are the purview of the current councils, the Strategic Authority will look at the bigger decisions while working to attract investment and funding to the county.

It has nine areas of responsibility: transport and local infrastructure; skills and employment support; housing and strategic planning; economic development and regeneration; the environment and climate change; health, well-being and public service reform; public safety; culture; and rural affairs and coastal communities.

These are all elements which are better controlled regionally, by people with local knowledge, when it comes to making key strategic decisions.

So how influential can mayors be? Ask Andy Burnham who, even before his charge for Number 10, was known far and wide for his work as the Mayor of Greater Manchester, where he served as a champion for the region.

Such is the opportunity that comes with having a Mayor – someone pushing for the region at the highest levels of government and securing investment for badly needed infrastructure projects.

Take the West Midlands Combined Authority, for example. Founded in 2016, its work has included bringing five railways stations and new tramlines to the area, with its Mayor fighting for funding and investment.

Initiatives that can get over-looked when lumped in with a national strategy, can be better understood and championed by a regional Mayor, bringing in money that may otherwise have been unavailable.

While the new Mayor will no doubt bring their own views and priorities to the table, they won’t have overall control – the board will have to agree any decisions.

The Mayor will be the voice of the region, working with leaders and lobbying government for what is needed, but the board will remain integral to the Authority.

Some things are still rather up in the air. It’s not yet known how many staff the Strategic Authority will have – though its likely to be a few hundred, topped by a Chief Executive Officer earning around £190,000 per year.

It’s also not known where the Authority will be based. But things such as board meetings, scrutiny meetings and audit meetings will be moved around the three parts of the county to ensure as many people as possible have the chance to see what’s going on.

The next board meeting will be held on July 29, location to be confirmed.