Devolution and local government reorganisation

The English Devolution White Paper the UK Government published on 16 December is the Government’s statement of its plans for wide-ranging reform of local government. This includes proposals on devolution but also wider plans for local government reorganisation (LGR).

West Sussex County Council has signalled its intention to be a fast track, early adopter of the Government’s plans, working alongside East Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove unitary authority.

As well as likely changes to the boundaries of West Sussex and a new elected political leadership to cover all three areas, the Government wants the two-tier authorities involved (like West Sussex) to undergo a process to become unitary authorities, which would mean the end of borough and district local government as we know it. To usher in these changes, early adopters would cancel the 2025 local elections to make space for the work and reorganisation required.

Needless to say, the implications of all this for West Sussex branch members are huge.

On 6th January the WSCC Chief Executive met with Dan Sartin, Branch Secretary, to discuss these urgent, short notice developments. Whilst much remains uncertain, and much of this is outside the control of WSCC, Dan made the following points:

  • Concern that Devolution & LGR will be a huge distraction at a time that public services are in crisis due to long-term underfunding
  • That the real issue preventing the efficient delivery of public services is chronic lack of funding, and that Government should be addressing this first and treating it as an emergency
  • That the cancelling of elections would be the wrong thing to do. There have been no elections in West Sussex County Council since 2021, and residents need their democratic say.
  • That we needed commitments to ‘No Compulsory Redundancies’
  • That we needed commitments that whatever new entity takes the place of WSCC as we know it, that there would be no return to outsourcing of services
  • That the branch would take these points up with UNISON nationally to flag the urgent need to seek assurances from national Government that concerns about redundancies and outsourcing would be addressed in legislation.

The branch has a number of regular meeting opportunities with both the Chief Executive and Director of HR and Organisational Development, and the branch is using these to stay abreast of developments. The branch will naturally engage with the Council as soon as more detail is known, and certainly ahead of any employment processes that might be necessary and would impact on staff e.g. TUPE, consultation.

The council is committed to transparent dialogue with UNISON. The branch leadership met with the Chief Executive again on 20th January where Devolution and LGR was discussed, amongst other matters.

The branch is committed to ensuring that members’ interests and those of public services are front and centre of these developments, and is working hard to do so.

If members have any concerns or questions at this stage, they can contact the branch office in the usual ways.