Elections off as Sussex put on fast track to devolution

Sussex has been chosen to join the fast track to a mayoral authority, the county council elections due to be held in May postponed along the way. The news was welcomed by the East Sussex County Council leader Keith Glazier, and deplored by the Hastings Borough Council leader Julia Hilton. Nick Terdre reports graphics by Russell Hall.

Sussex, comprising East Sussex and West Sussex county councils, and the unitary authority of Brighton and Hove, has been chosen as one of a select group of six areas to join the government’s Devolution Priority Programme. The others are Cumbria, Cheshire and Warrington, Norfolk and Suffolk, Greater Essex and Hampshire and Solent.

Another 15 authorities and combinations of authorities which applied to join the programme, including Kent County Council, have been turned down.

The six areas will be supported to “move towards devolution at pace, becoming mayor-led strategic authorities by May next year if they proceed,” according to the government.

The Sussex strategic authority will be made up of an elected mayor and two members of each of the likely three constituent authorities, with strategic powers for transport, public safety, health, environment and climate change, housing, economic growth, skills and jobs.

“We promised to achieve a devolution revolution by overseeing the greatest transfer of power from Westminster in a generation, and today’s announcement will help raise living standards, improve public services and build the homes we so desperately need,” said Angela Rayner, secretary of state for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

“By taking a common-sense approach to reorganisation, boosted by our reforms to give mayors a suite of vital new powers, we will make sure areas can truly deliver on our Plan for Change.”

Election controversy

Along the way, however, the county council elections scheduled for May will be postponed, or in effect cancelled as there will be no further elections to ESCC. In East Sussex, this move has drawn bitter criticism, especially among the ranks of opposition parties which were looking forward to seeing the long-standing Tory grip on power in ESCC removed.

“People are being denied their right to decide what happens in Hastings,” said HBC leader Julia Hilton of the Green Party.

“People must be allowed to vote at the local elections in May. The big parties in Westminster claim they want to devolve more power to local councils, but now, by cancelling due elections, both Labour and Conservatives are responsible for the biggest removal of power away from local people in recent history.”

“This gives the failing Conservative administration in East Sussex a free pass. Only an election in May can hold them accountable for the last four years of poor decision-making and disregard for Hastings. Our fragile democracy can't afford to ignore the people’s right to vote.”

Cllr Paul Barnett, leader of the Hastings Independents, called the move “an outrageous attack on local democracy in several ways.

“It removes our residents’ ability to elect county councillors this May, councillors who as well as providing services, chasing casework etc, will be in pole position to decide the shape of the future unitary council.

“It pretends to offer greater democracy through devolution but actually in classic Orwellian doublespeak does the opposite. A Mayor of Sussex, based perhaps in Brighton or Chichester, will not prioritise remote Hastings, just as ESCC never has.

“And it removes local democracy completely with the sweeping away of five local District councils,” a reference to the government’s intention to abolish lower tier councils including HBC and the other four district and borough councils in East Sussex, when the mayoral authority comes into operation.

However, Cllr Keith Glazier, the ESCC leader of a minority Tory administration, welcomed the government’s decision. “I believe this is excellent news for the people of Sussex because it’s an opportunity for more decisions to be made locally and for greater investment here. I’m pleased the government has recognised our potential to prosper and develop together.”

Similar sentiments were expressed by Cllr Bella Sankey, the Labour leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, and Cllr Paul Marshall, the Conservative WSCC leader. Devolution would “mean that more money is directly invested in our area and that better transport, affordable housing and skills and job creation can be accelerated,” Sankey said.

A period of public consultation is due to follow soon, though Barnett called “Government promises of local consultation […]another bad joke.”

He said the four HBC group leaders, also including Labour and Conservatives, were preparing an “alternative bottom-up version," which would go to a special meeting of the Full Council on 26 February, when members of the public would be invited to ask questions.

Preparations are also underway for the formation of a unitary authority in East Sussex as a step along the way to a mayoral strategic authority in the county, but it seems the government’s decision has dashed any hopes at lower-tier level for a unitary authority along alternative lines, such as a combination of coastal councils including Hastings.

At the Sussex Police and Crime Panel on 31 January, Conservative Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne announced her intention to stand as a candidate in the inaugural Sussex mayoral election in May next year to be the first ever Sussex mayor, saying, “I'll certainly be throwing my hat into the ring if there's an opportunity there.”

Also in: Politics

« Renters Reform Bill – winners and losers
Jewish, Zionist: what is the difference? »