In December 2024, the government published a white paper on local government devolution and reorganisation. It set out plans for the creation of new combined 'strategic authorities', as well as simplifying local government.

Both of these changes will impact residents, organisations and businesses in Crawley and Sussex. We will use these pages to keep you informed and make sure you get to have your say.

Read the submission document sent to Minister for Local Government and English Devolution.

In addition, Crawley Borough Council and Reigate & Banstead Borough Council have also made a separate submission. This highlights the scale of the local economy that crosses both our boundaries (and those of Sussex and Surrey), and the importance of this to meeting the government's growth and devolution agendas. 

Read the joint Crawley Borough Council and Reigate and Banstead submission document.

Devolution means that places will be given more responsibility and control over decisions and spending in their region. The plan is to create combined strategic authorities across England, usually with an elected mayor. They can work together with the councils under them to deliver improvements to things like transport, skills and employment support, housing and the environment.

Extra powers often come with extra money to make change happen. Councils can work together – through the combined authority – on the things that will really make a difference to all the people who live and work in their area.

In January, the upper tier authorities in Sussex (East Sussex and West Sussex County Councils and Brighton & Hove City Council) proposed the creation of a mayoral combined authority for the 1.7 million people across all parts of Sussex. This has been agreed, and government has started a public consultation on this programme of devolution.

A new mayor for the whole of Sussex would be elected in May 2026. 

The new combined authority would work with local councils in East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove, who will continue to operate most day-to-day services.

The consultation runs until 13 April. The government will review the responses before deciding whether to go ahead with a mayoral combined authority for Sussex.

Alongside devolution, the government has proposed moving away from the current two-tier system of district or borough and county councils.  The aim is to create simpler council structures, where it is clear who is responsible for services. The government believes this can drive economic growth while delivering better public services.

In West Sussex, this means moving away from the two-tier arrangement where services are delivered by West Sussex County Council and the seven borough or district councils (Crawley, Adur, Arun, Chichester, Horsham, Mid Sussex and Worthing). Instead, people will be served by a local 'unitary' council.

All councils are currently discussing how reorganisation might work for West Sussex. Initial proposals will be submitted to the government by 21 March.

Final proposals to create one or more unitary councils in West Sussex will be submitted to the government in September. If the plans are accepted, elections to the new council or councils could take place in 2027.