West Sussex County Council convened an extraordinary meeting where they endorsed Option A, a single unitary council covering all of West Sussex, as their preferred proposal for local government reorganisation, to be submitted to the government. Councillors also discussed devolution proposals and celebrated the 'good' rating awarded to the council's adult services by the Care Quality Commission.

Local Government Reorganisation

The council endorsed a recommendation to the Cabinet supporting Option A, a single unitary council for the entirety of West Sussex, as its preferred proposal for submission to the government. This decision followed a report by the Leader, detailed in the document, Report on Local Government Reorganisation in West Sussex. The Shaping West Sussex Business Case, which formed Appendix A to the Cabinet report, was also considered.

The government had invited all two-tier councils in West Sussex to develop a proposal for local government reorganisation (LGR), setting a deadline of 26 September 2025. The council assessed the options based on six criteria set out by the government, including achieving a single tier of local government, ensuring the right size for efficiency and financial stability, prioritising high-quality public services, demonstrating collaboration, supporting devolution arrangements, and enabling stronger community engagement.

Cllr Paul Marshall, Leader of West Sussex County Council), explained that the jointly owned business case indicated two viable options for local government reorganisation.

It is for individual councils to consider the full range of evidence and analysis presented in this business case and determine their own stated preference for submission to the Secretary of State.

Appendix B - Draft WSCC supporting statement notes that a single unitary council provides the strongest foundation to enable local government in West Sussex to deliver for its diverse places and residents. It argues that Option A offers the best financial resilience and capacity, delivering over double the efficiency savings of Option B (£48m against £18.8m) and paying back the cost of transformation in less than half the time (2.3 years against 6.3 years). This would mean £30 million per year available to be spent on services that residents value rather than on council administration.

The recommendation was supported by 38 councillors, with 17 voting against and 4 abstaining.

Devolution Proposals

Councillors received an address from Cllr Paul Marshall regarding devolution proposals. Members then asked questions of the Leader on the address.

Adult Services Inspection

The Chairman reported that the County Council's Adults' Services had been rated 'good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The regulator's assessment earlier in the year found strong leadership within adult social care teams and effective support enabling people to live healthier lives. Members congratulated all involved in achieving this result.