Purpose

The Government will seek the consent of the County Council and
the other upper tier councils in Sussex to the Statutory Instrument
by which the Authority will be established by
Parliament.  This will include the
functions to be discharged by the new authority and how it will
take decisions.
Since Cabinet’s previous decision in October 2025 (CAB06
(25/26)), the Government has confirmed that devolution will happen
in 2026, but delayed mayoral elections until 2028, and made other
substantive changes to policy.
At the Cabinet meeting on 3
February, Cabinet reconfirmed its consent to the laying of the
Statutory Instrument and published a proposed decision

CAB10
(25/26).  Following the meeting, the
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
(MHCLG ) outlined that Parliamentary
timescales for laying the Statutory Instrument needed to be met
prior to the Cabinet decision clearing call-in.  Not doing so would prejudice the County
Council’s interests.
Therefore due to the need for this matter to be determined
urgently,  the Executive Director of
Law, Assurance and Insight has secured agreement from the Leader
and the Chairman of the Performance and Finance Scrutiny Committee
for a decision to be taken which will come into effect immediately
as per the County Council’s Constitution – Part 4,
Section 1, Standing Order 3.57 (Regulation 11).  This will supersede the
CAB10
(25/26) decision taken on 3 February 2026.  The contents and recommendations of this decision
remain unchanged from the decision taken by Cabinet.

Decision

1)   
That Cabinet notes the changes announced by the Minister to the
proposal to devolve to the Sussex & Brighton Combined County
Authority in the letter of 4 December 2025;

2)   
That Cabinet reconfirm the approval of and consent to the
establishment of the Sussex and Brighton Combined County
Authority;

3)   
That Cabinet delegates authority to the County Council’s
Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to agree the
contents of, and consent to, the making of the Sussex and Brighton
Combined Authority Order 2026;

4)   
That Cabinet delegates authority to the Chief Executive to take
such action as necessary to give effect to the above
recommendations and to facilitate the establishment of the
MCCA.
At the Cabinet meeting on 3
February, Cabinet reconfirmed its consent to the laying of the
Statutory Instrument and published a proposed decision

CAB10
(25/26).
Following the meeting, the Ministry of Housing, Communities &
Local Government (MHCLG ) outlined that Parliamentary timescales
for laying the Statutory Instrument needed to be met prior to the
Cabinet decision clearing call-in.  Not
doing so would prejudice the County Council’s
interests.
Therefore due to the need for this matter to
be determined urgently,  the Executive
Director of Law, Assurance and Insight has secured agreement from
the Leader and the Chairman of the Performance and Finance Scrutiny
Committee for a decision to be taken which will come into effect
immediately as per the County Council’s Constitution –
Part 4, Section 1, Standing Order 3.57 (Regulation 11).  This will supersede the
CAB10
(25/26) decision taken on 3 February 2026.  The contents and recommendations of this decision
remain unchanged from the decision taken by Cabinet on 3 February
2026.