The English Devolution White Paper
On Monday 16 December 2024, the UK Government published its English Devolution White Paper.
This paper outlines plans for two separate processes:
- Devolution – Establishing regional strategic authorities, each with an elected Mayor. These will cover populations of at least 1.5 million.
- Local Government Reorganisation – Replacing two-tier local government with unitary authorities. These will cover populations of at least 500,000.
What is devolution?
Devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. It means that decisions can be made closer to local people, communities, and businesses they affect.
Devolution offers greater freedom and flexibilities for councils to improve public services and outcomes for communities.
More than half of the population of England is already covered by devolution. More information about these areas and the powers they received is available in the Plain English guide to devolved powers on the gov.uk website.
What does devolution mean for Sussex?
In July, the government confirmed plans for a Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority (SBCCA) for the local government areas in East Sussex, West Sussex, and Brighton.
On 5 February 2025, the UK Government announced that East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council had been successful in their joint bid for inclusion on the Devolution Priority Programme. This means that elections are due to take place next May.
What is local government reorganisation?
The Government’s White Paper sets out its intention to reform and strengthen local government so that communities are served by one unitary council in their area, rather than separate county, borough and district councils. The new unitary councils should cover populations of at least 500,000 (East Sussex has a population of 560,000).
This would create 3 tiers of local government for the area of Rother – a strategic (mayoral) council, unitary council, and town or parish councils.
What does local government reorganisation mean for Rother?
At the moment, nothing is changing for Rother. We’ll continue to provide all the services you receive from us. After local government reorganisation, you’ll receive all the services you do now, but from a new unitary council.
LATEST UPDATE 26 SEPTEMBER 2025
At their meeting on 24 September 2025, Rother’s Cabinet agreed to submit a business case for One East Sussex – a single unitary authority covering the existing East Sussex county boundary, with Brighton and Hove remaining as a separate unitary authority. The business case was submitted to the government on 26 September 2025 and is available to view on the following links:
How will decisions be made?
The UK government’s consultation on devolution ran from 17 February to 13 April 2025. More information is available on the Gov.uk website. Following the consultation, a Ministerial decision set out plans for a Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority (SBCCA).
Rother District Council is committed to working with and listening to our residents, partners, businesses, local organisations and elected representatives to help shape the future of our services. We will monitor and share key information as and when this comes through. Our public survey, set up with the other councils in East Sussex, closed on 23 June and the responses were used to inform our final business case for One East Sussex.
What happens now?
On devolution, elections for the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority will take place in May 2026.
On reorganisation, Ministers will now consider proposals for new unitary authorities and a government consultation will be launched in the later part of this year.
Indicative timescales
| Devolution | Local government reorganisation |
|---|---|
| 13 April 2025: Government-led consultation closed. | 21 March 2025: Interim Plan submitted to government. |
| July 2025: Results of the devolution consultation, plus government’s confirmation of the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority (SBCCA). | 26 September 2025: Final business case for One East Sussex submitted to government. |
| May 2026: Elections for mayor. | Autumn 2025: Ministers will consider proposals for new unitary authorities. |
| 1 April 2027: Vesting day of the SBCCA. | Late 2025: Government consultation on options for reorganisation in East Sussex. |
| 1 April 2028: Vesting day of the new unitary authority. |
Last updated: 1 October 2025
