Release date: 4 October 2024
Following an invitation from Government earlier in the summer, West Sussex County Council has submitted to the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, an expression of interest on devolution.
The council says in the letter to the Deputy Prime Minister that it has enthusiasm and openness for the opportunities that devolution can offer, such as additional local decision making on budgets and funding for the area rather than them being made by central government.
The Expression of Interest recognises that there are different views within West Sussex and across Sussex on what is the right geography to devolve powers to – and therefore proposes a pragmatic starting point of West Sussex, which mirrors the Expression of Interest from neighbouring County Council East Sussex, while also being open to discuss with Government, district and borough partners, and neighbouring councils about a larger footprint once Government sets out further detail on the powers, responsibilities, and resources that it intends to devolve.
Cllr Paul Marshall, the leader of West Sussex County Council, said: “We are keen to explore the opportunities that devolution of powers and resources from Whitehall represents. While we have submitted an expression of interest to Government, we see this as the start of a conversation about geography, powers, resources, and governance. We recognise that the Government is ultimately likely to want to seek to devolve to an area larger than West Sussex and we are discussing this with our partners at a district and borough level as well as neighbours, including Brighton & Hove City Council and East Sussex County Council. However, we also know that the existing county footprint could provide an option for a quicker, targeted devolution of powers, as part of that longer journey.
“Settling on the most appropriate geography and governance for any devolution arrangements requires further detail on the powers, responsibilities, and resources that Government intends to devolve, which currently is not clear. What is essential, and will always be our primary consideration, is that the offer benefits our residents, communities, and businesses.
“Whilst we welcome the opportunity to discuss devolution, we want to be clear that it should not take focus away from the significant financial pressures local authorities face with rising demand, complexity, and the rising cost of vital services.
“Some of the best-known devolution success stories, Greater Manchester, for example, have included an elected mayor and budgets on health, transport, and infrastructure. It is not known at this stage, if this would be the case for any combined authority that may in time include West Sussex.”
It is anticipated that Government will respond to expressions of interest in due course.