March 26th, 2026.



James MacCleary, MP for the Lewes constituency, which represents Lewes, Seaford, Newhaven, Polegate, and surrounding villages, has welcomed the Government’s new proposals for boundary changes, which use East Sussex as the basis for the new unitary authority.

Having previously been highly critical of Brighton’s plans for expansion and the proposal for two unitary authorities in East Sussex, he said this marks a step in the right direction, as it broadly respects the county’s existing borders. However, he expressed concern over the continued inclusion of Falmer within Brighton and Hove, urging residents to make their voices heard in the next consultation.

MacCleary said: “I have met with the Minister to talk about the plans they've come up with for Sussex for local government reorganisation.

“As many residents know, I've been really unhappy with the process so far, with some recommendations that included crazy things like Newhaven and the Ouse Valley villages going in with Brighton.

“I'm pleased to say the Government's recommendation does not include that. However, I'm really unhappy to see that they are proposing that Falmer gets included into a unitary authority with Brighton.

“The new proposals will see pretty much the whole of East Sussex in one unitary authority, which is something I do welcome, but it is outrageous that Falmer is not included.

“The fight is not over yet.”