Rother District Council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday 24 September 2025, to consider a business case for local government reorganisation in East Sussex. The council will consider recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 22 September 2025, and make recommendations to the Cabinet for the council's submission, and for any additional correspondence to accompany the council's proposal.

Here are the key topics that the council is expected to discuss:

Local Government Reorganisation in East Sussex

The main item on the agenda is the consideration of the business case for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in East Sussex. The report pack includes a document titled Local Government Reorganisation - approval of business case for local government reorganisation in E, which asks the council to consider the business case, taking into account the views expressed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and full council, ahead of the Cabinet's decision.

The report pack refers to the Government White Paper on Devolution, published in December 2024, which set out proposals for LGR in England. Rother District Council, along with other areas in Sussex and Brighton, was approved to be part of the Devolution Priority Programme (DPP), designed to fast-track plans for the creation of new Mayoral combined authorities and LGR.

Following a Full Council debate on 19 March 2025, an Interim Plan was submitted to the government on 21 March 2025. The report pack states that councillors expressed strong support for the 'One Council for East Sussex' option, and that the attached business case builds on this.

The report pack includes a document titled East Sussex LGR Business Case, which sets out a rationale for creating a single unitary authority across East Sussex. It follows an appraisal of three options:

• Option 1: One East Sussex - A single unitary authority covering the current East Sussex boundaries
• Option 2: Two Unitary Authorities - Dividing East Sussex into two new councils (geography undefined)
• Option 3: Brighton & Hove Expansion - Brighton & Hove City Council expands into parts of Lewes District (with four proposed variants), while the remainder of East Sussex forms a separate unitary authority

The report pack states that the options appraisal demonstrates that the 'One East Sussex' model best aligns with the government's criteria for local government reform, reflecting existing service delivery footprints and building on the collaboration already in place across the six councils. It also claims that the 'One East Sussex' proposal delivers operational efficiencies by consolidating services under a single authority, while avoiding the costs and complexities associated with disaggregating County Council functions.

The business case aims to create a governance and delivery model that delivers high quality, integrated public services, ensures financial resilience and empowers local communities, aligning with the government's criteria for reform and the wider devolution agenda and the emerging Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA) for Sussex.

The report pack states that extensive engagement has taken place to ensure local residents and other stakeholders' views have been considered in the development of the proposals, including an online survey which ran from 12 May 2025 to 23 June 2025, and focus groups held in each of the five district/borough areas. The business case includes an analysis of the survey findings.

The report pack states that the majority of respondents in all the surveys and engagement activities showed a preference for a single unitary authority on the existing East Sussex footprint over all other proposals, although there were a significant number of views preferring no change to current arrangements, and concern about the potential for loss of local representation.

The report pack states that, subject to the agreement of each council, the business case will be submitted to central government by all East Sussex authorities by 26 September 2025. Following submission, the government will undertake its own statutory consultation process, expected to run from November 2025 to January 2026. Subject to approval, secondary legislation will enable the establishment of a shadow authority by May 2027 to oversee the transitional arrangements, with the new unitary council assuming full responsibilities from April 2028.

The business case acknowledges that establishing a single unitary authority for East Sussex presents an opportunity to adopt a more strategic and coordinated approach to tackling climate change and promoting nature recovery.

The report pack states that the East Sussex councils received capacity funding from central government for the development of this business case, and that through detailed financial modelling, the business case demonstrates that a single unitary authority offers the greatest value for money, forecasting a net benefit of £25 million by 2032/33 through service consolidation, transformation, and increased income, while avoiding the costs and duplication associated with disaggregating County Council services under alternative models.

The report pack refers to the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, which provides the legal framework for unitarization.

The report pack states that all colleagues have been kept informed about Local Government Reorganisation in East Sussex through regular briefings and newsletters, and that HR considerations will be addressed at future stages of the process.

The report pack states that a formal programme management structure was established to ensure that this work would be completed within the required tight timescales, with a clear risk management process which has been regularly monitored and assessed throughout.

The report pack includes a document titled East Sussex LGR Business Case Appendices, which contains supplementary information, including:

• Financial modelling for a single unitary and two unitaries across East Sussex
• Information relating to the Brighton & Hove City Council expansion proposals
• A detailed breakdown of the six statutory criteria for LGR
• Key statistics and sources, including a demographic insights pack
• The East Sussex Prosperity Strategy
• The East Sussex Housing Partnership Draft Strategy
• Summaries of resident and stakeholder surveys
• Ministerial correspondence
• Focus group insights
• Financial modelling assumptions

Other Items

The agenda also includes the standard items:

• To receive apologies for absence
• To receive any disclosures by councillors of disclosable pecuniary interests / other registerable interests / non-registerable interests in matters on the agenda and the nature of any interest and details of any dispensations obtained.