Brighton and Hove could take in parts of Lewes District Council under plans to form new unitary councils to replace the rest of the county’s district and county councils.
Each new council is expected to serve a population of between 300,000 and 500,000, and with a population just short of 280,000, Brighton and Hove would need to draw in neighbouring council wards.
On July 25, Brighton and Hove City Council launched a consultation asking for views on bringing East Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs, and Peacehaven into its control – plus other areas including Kingston and Newhaven.
But two weeks before, on July 10, the leader of Lewes District Council launched a petition both announcing and opposing the plans, accusing Brighton of planning to make Peacehaven into a “dumping ground” with plans to build thousands of homes there to solve its housing crisis.
At last Thursday’s place overview and scrutiny committee, Rottingdean and West Saltdean councillor Bridget Fishleigh said: “People are being whipped up on social media by the MP for Lewes and the leader of Lewes District Council, using inflammatory and irresponsible language.
“I don’t think that Change.org petition indicates anything because it takes ten seconds to sign, but to register on [the council’s website] and go through the whole process requires a bit more effort.”
Council leader Bella Sankey said she has “quite deliberately” not responded publicly to the elected officials in Lewes.
She said: “I think it’s important our residents don’t think it’s something councils are fighting over.
“There’s a responsibility for all elected members to conduct themselves responsibly in this process.
“I have looked at the petition and the way it has been worded is in the realms of conspiracy theory. It’s not accurate, not factual. It really does count for nothing.”
Healthwatch chairman and former councillor Geoffrey Bowden noted Brighton’s consultation is taking place during the peak holiday season, and had received 433 responses in six days, compared with more than 4,300 signatures on Lewes’ petition.
Cllr Sankey confirmed both Lewes District and East Sussex County Council are running consultations on the Brighton and Hove proposals.
She said a Change.org petition does not have the same nuanced data collection as the multi-question survey on the Your Voice Section of the council’s website.
Council chief executive Jess Gibbons said the Your Voice platform prevents bots and trolls from skewing the responses.
Cllr Sankey has met with Newhaven Town Council, as two of the proposals in the current consultation include bringing the town into Brighton and Hove.
She said there were concerns, but also concerns that communities in the area had been left behind by the two-tier system.
Labour councillor Theresa Fowler said she has family who live in Peacehaven and Telscombe, who were initially worried about the changes.
Cllr Fowler said: “They had visions of tower blocks and more council tax. After I spoke with them, all they were really interested in was if their council tax will be the same as ours, not more, and if their bins will be emptied.
“They have a lack of leisure facilities like a swimming pool, and they’re lacking a large supermarket.”
Cllr Sankey said there are many links between the towns along the coast and Brighton and Hove, giving a shared sense of place and identity.
She argued that leaking the information rather than waiting for proper publication added to people’s fears.
On council tax, Cllr Sankey said people living in Lewes District pay among the highest council tax in the region, whereas in Brighton and Hove the rate is hundreds of pounds lower.
In Lewes District, the average band D property pays £2,627.39 a year in council tax, compared with £2,338.06 for the same band in Brighton and Hove.
The bulk of Lewes District council tax payment goes to East Sussex County Council, with precepts to Lewes, East Sussex Fire Authority, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, town and parish councils.
As a unitary authority Brighton and Hove receives the bulk of the council tax, with part of the bill heading to the fire authority and the police and crime commissioner.
The consultation is open until Monday, August 25, on the council’s website, with the results expected to be presented to the council’s cabinet on Thursday, September 25.
The council’s final proposal is due to be submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government by Friday, September 26.
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