March 26th, 2026.



LDC Council leaders have condemned yesterday’s Government proposal for reorganising local government in East Sussex as ‘outrageous’, accusing ministers of ignoring the clearly expressed views of residents not once, but twice, and now announcing a third consultation.

Under the suggested model, East Saltdean, Peacehaven, Telscombe and Falmer would be removed from East Sussex and placed into Brighton & Hove despite overwhelming public opposition.

Across two consultations attracting 14,000 responses, residents were overwhelmingly clear; they want any future authority to keep to the existing East Sussex boundary.

Now the government has announced another consultation after the May elections, marking the third time the public will be asked their views on Local Government Reorganisation.

Councillor Zoe Nicholson, Leader of Lewes District Council, said: “It is outrageous that the views of local people, expressed loudly, clearly, and decisively not once but twice, have been completely ignored.

“The people of East Sussex have spoken. They have rejected carving up the county. They have said they want their communities to stay together. Instead of respecting that, the Government is pressing ahead with a proposal that tears communities apart.

“If ministers now want another 14,000 voices, then we will help deliver 14,000 voices. We will not stop until every single resident has been heard. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our communities, and we will be fighting every step of the way.

“What makes this even worse is that ministers are justifying these proposals by claiming Brighton and Hove cannot grow or build the homes it needs unless our communities are taken out of East Sussex. That shows a complete lack of understanding of the reality here. We are already massively oversubscribed for housing, pushing our communities into Brighton isn’t about solving a housing crisis, it’s exactly what I warned about last summer. A land grab.”

Councillor Christine Robinson, Deputy Leader, of Lewes District Council, added: “I am angry and frankly appalled that the government thinks it can simply brush aside what our residents have already told them, twice, as if their views don’t matter.

“People in East Sussex have been clear, consistent and united. They do not want their communities carved up. They do not want boundaries redrawn over their heads. And they do not want decisions imposed on them by ministers who seem determined to ignore the evidence.

“We will fight this every step of the way. We will stand with our residents to make sure their voices cannot be dismissed for a third time.”