What is Devolution?

You might have heard people talking about devolution and local government reorganisation. What do each of these things mean for you as a resident in Hastings? They are both part of the government’s plans that were set out in a White Paper in December 2024. 

Devolution 

On 5 February 2025, the government announced that East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove have been accepted onto the devolution priority programme following a request by the county councils and Brighton and Hove city council. 

This means that all of East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove would be covered by a Mayoral Strategic Authority. This is a new level of local government and must cover a region of at least 1.5 million people. There are already Mayoral Strategic Authorities in other areas of the country including Manchester, London and West Yorkshire. 

The Mayoral Strategic Authority would be headed by an elected mayor and would work with councils to bring funding and decisions from central government to a more local level. The new authority would have powers over strategic issues including transport, environment and climate change, housing, economic growth, health and public safety, as shown in the graphic below.

Most council services, like bin collections, benefit payments, environmental health, planning decisions, adult social care, education and managing parks, would still be delivered by a local council. 

Update April 2026

The government has agreed a proposal from East Sussex County Council and its neighbours for devolution across Sussex.

Devolution means drawing down more powers and funding to people in Sussex: allowing more decisions to be made locally rather than at a national level.

A new mayor for the whole of Sussex will be elected in May 2028.

The mayor and representatives each from East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council would form a mayoral combined county authority for Sussex.

The new combined authority will have powers for strategic issues including transport, housing, skills and employment, economy, environment and climate change, health and public safety.

In the meantime, council services continue to operate the same way as they do currently, and councillors continue to represent and support residents. 

The map below shows the proposed area of the Strategic Mayoral Authority

Contains OS data © Crown copyright 2025.

Previous updates:

Councillors discussed Devolution at Full Council on Wednesday 19 March 2025, and agreed that Hastings Borough Council would respond to the consultation. You can watch the council meeting and read the report detailing the council's proposed response.

Hastings Borough Council also responded to the government consultation in March 2025 with our position. Hastings Borough Council’s response to the consultation on the Sussex and Brighton MCCA.pdf