The potential expansion is set out in a draft document prepared by Brighton and Hove City Council as the government considers a shake up of Sussex councils.
The draft document indicates a preference for the size and shape of Brighton and Hove to remain unchanged despite its population of just under 300,000.
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This is despite guidance from the government when it called for proposals for new unitary council areas with populations of, ideally, about 500,000 people.
The council’s cabinet is expected to say that Sussex should have five unitary councils including Brighton and Hove – all smaller than the size suggested by the government.
A report prepared for the next council cabinet meeting, on Thursday 20 March, does not set out the size and shape of the four proposed unitaries.
But East Sussex County Council – with a population of about 550,000 – wants to keep its current size and shape and take charge of all district council services.
And West Sussex County Council – with a population of about 880,000 – has yet to finalise its submission to the government.
The shake up of councils is due to happen as Sussex prepares to go to the polls in May next year to elect its first mayor under the Labour government’s devolution plans.
The mayor and a new Sussex-wide “mayoral combined county authority would receive devolved funding from central government”.
They would be responsible for, among other things, housing and regeneration, local economic growth, adult skills and local transport.
The council shake up would get under way at the same time although it is expected to take longer to finalise.
The existing two-tier councils that serve all of Sussex outside Brighton and Hove would be replaced by new unitary councils by April 2028.
Elections to the “shadow” unitary council would be expected take place in May 2027 when Brighton and Hove City Council is already due to hold its next elections.
The latest update and draft proposals are included in a report to Brighton and Hove City Council’s cabinet which is due to meet next week.
The report to Brighton and Hove’s cabinet backed keeping the current boundaries although it said that the council would accept growing if necessary.
It said: “At this early stage of the process, no lines are drawn on a map and the interim response sets out clearly that Brighton and Hove City Council remains open to options in relation to population size for the new unitaries.”
The council carried out a three-week consultation from Monday 24 February to Monday 10 March and received 597 responses, with mixed views on local government reorganisation.
Some people were worried that Brighton and Hove could “dilute its character” and job losses could follow if it merged with another area.
Supportive comments hoped for improved efficiency and better services and demanded greater transparency.
Some backed the idea of unifying Saltdean under one council. Currently, half of Saltdean is in Brighton and Hove and the other is run by Lewes District Council and East Sussex County Council.
There was also some support for Telscombe Cliffs, Peacehaven and Newhaven becoming part of a bigger Brighton and Hove.
On expanding to the west, some backed the inclusion of Shoreham as part of an expanded Brighton and Hove but there was less appetite for joining forces with Worthing.
There was opposition to the idea of expanding northwards, with respondents saying that the South Downs created a natural boundary.
The report to Brighton and Hove’s council cabinet said: “We are currently of the view that potentially creating five unitary authorities across Sussex, with Brighton and Hove on our existing footprint or growing to form one of these authorities, would ensure the different voices of Sussex are heard at the MCCA (mayoral combined county authority) table while ensuring the unitary authorities are financially viable, efficient and hold local identity inclusive of rural, coastal and urban identity.
“We have seen through our own services and from other smaller unitaries the benefits of big county services being delivered on smaller footprints, leading to positive outcomes for residents through the interconnection of universal services with specialist areas.
“A five-unitary model in Sussex could broadly lead to the creation of five council areas with populations in the region of c300,000 to c400,000 (with Brighton and Hove being 280,000 if we were to remain as we are).
“We remain open to options other than the five unitaries while we consider the evidence and test our assumptions.
“Our aim by the September deadline is to advance a single consensus proposal or a small number of alternative options for Sussex for government to consider.”
The initial response, outlined in the cabinet report, is due to be sent to ministers by Friday 21 March – the end of next week.
The report also said that its analysis of local consultation responses had been compiled using AI (artificial intelligence) which, the council warned, could mean that the summary contained some inaccuracies.
The cabinet meeting is due to start at 2pm on Thursday 20 March at Hove Town Hall. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
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