In an article in last week’s County Times, ( Lib Dem March for West Sussex Right to vote in May’ WSCT 23 January 2025), the Lib Dems claimed that West Sussex County Council’s Conservative leadership has requested the postponement of May’s county council elections. They said they opposed the postponement, which, according to the MP for Chichester, Jess Brown-Fuller, was ‘under the guise’ of local government reorganisation. John Milne, the Lib Dem MP for Horsham, said, with reference to the proposed local government reorganisation, ‘the election postponement is supposed to be for authorities who just need a few more months to put a system in place.’ He claimed that the Conservatives at WSCC, ‘aren’t ready at all. ‘ It’s unclear how the Lib Dem MPs can know how prepared WSCC is for a new devolved system, particularly as that opinion does not appear to be shared by their colleagues in local government who, arguably, are much more closely impacted by the proposals for reorganisation.

In their latest Resident’s Newsletter, West Sussex County Council, with reference to the government’s plans for devolution and government reorganisation, reported their intention to, ‘ be at the forefront of plans for historic changes to local government across the country, in partnership with East Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove City Council. ’ The newsletter makes it clear that WSCC and their partners regard devolution as a positive move and have, therefore, submitted their expression of interest in taking part in the Devolution Priority Plan. This would make them amongst the first to move forward with the new structure.

A letter to the Secretary of State from Bella Sankey, the Labour Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, makes it clear that all partners believe that devolution is a means to deliver a model of local government that will be a ‘ better fit for local needs and priorities.’ We note that amongst those who have co- signed this letter, and we assume they are, therefore, equally keen to take forward an improved model of local government as soon as possible, are the Lib Dem leaders of both Horsham and Mid Sussex councils.

The Lib Dem MPs will know that the government intends to deliver the Devolution Priority Programme by April 2027. They will also know that it is the Secretary of State who decides whether or not the local authorities who wish to take part in the Priority Programme are ready to do so, and whether the local elections should be postponed. The postponement would not be an unexpected move in light of the expected timescale for taking forward the plans for significant changes to local structures. In view of that understanding, the MPs’s claims about the actions of the WSCC leadership are entirely misleading. As there is cross party agreement that the correct devolution model will deliver improved outcomes for residents, wouldn’t it be better if all our parliamentary and local government representatives worked together to achieve that aim in the best way possible, rather than promoting misleading information for their own political interests.