West Sussex reorganisation paused — now the costs need accounting for
The government has paused its plans to reorganise local government in West Sussex.
That is the most consequential Sussex accountability development this week. It changes the timetable—but it does not answer what councils and government have already spent preparing for reorganisation, or what work will now continue.
West Sussex reorganisation: paused, not cancelled
Verified fact: On 7 September, the government announced a review of the local-government reorganisation programme. West Sussex is among the areas where plans are being reviewed and paused.
The government has also confirmed that scheduled council elections in May 2027 will go ahead on existing boundaries. Read the official announcement.
Unresolved: The eventual structure of local government in West Sussex, the review timetable and the amount already spent locally and centrally remain unknown.
WATCH has information requests open with MHCLG and Sussex councils to establish the costs, staffing, consultancy work and other resources committed to the programme.
MHCLG initially rejected WATCH Sussex Network’s request over the requester name. After WATCH challenged that decision, the department accepted and registered the request. That is a procedural result—not a substantive disclosure. The requested records are still awaited.
Sussex MPs: the corrected comparison is now authoritative
WATCH completed its constituency-first value-for-money comparison covering all 17 Sussex MPs.
The model considers verified constituency delivery and local representation alongside parliamentary activity and published 2024/25 business costs. Earlier interim comparisons and ranking statements have been corrected or withdrawn. The current 17-MP assessment is the only version that should now be used.
See the current Sussex MP comparison.
Queen’s Park Election Watch
Five candidates are standing in the Queen’s Park by-election in Brighton: Rudi Dikty-Daudiyan, Steve Gladwin, John Shepherd, Stefan Sönke Speckesser and Mark Strong. Polling day is Thursday 24 September. See the official candidate information.
WATCH has set Monday 14 September as the deadline for its candidate questionnaire. Any substantive answers received will be published fairly and in context.
A publicly advertised hustings is due to take place on Thursday 17 September, from 7pm to 8.30pm, at St Luke’s Church Hall. Hustings details.
A missing questionnaire response will be recorded precisely. It will not be treated as evidence against a candidate.
What WATCH is waiting for
Records remain outstanding on:
The costs of local-government reorganisation.
Recurring gas-like odour reports around Southwick and Shoreham Harbour.
The £3.1 million Montague Gardens scheme.
Adur’s empty-homes refurbishment programme.
Sussex bus-reform work.
The Strategic Authority’s Integrated Transport Digital Twin chronology.
Five current accountability questions sent to Tom Rutland MP.
Follow-up questions sent to Martin Webb after his withdrawal from the Sussex mayoral race.
The odour investigation remains open-minded. WATCH has not established whether reports relate to the gas network, the power station, another industrial source or remain unexplained.
Credit where due
Tom Rutland submitted a substantive parliamentary question asking what the Department for Education is doing to help older people access financial support for higher education.
Parliament currently records the ministerial answer as overdue. The delay belongs to the department, not the MP. View the parliamentary record.
Next week
Our main investigation will follow the money already committed to local-government reorganisation.
We will also assess Queen’s Park candidate responses, follow the 17 September hustings and continue waiting for documentary evidence across the existing investigation queue.
Independent. Non-party. Evidence first.