Thread by @BHDemocracyNews

#Saltdean Residents' Association meeting on local government reorganisation is starting with BHCC leader Bella Sankey & ESCC leader Keith Glazier explaining their positions. I will be live posting #LDreporter
The government consultation closes this weekend consult.communities.gov.uk/local-governme…

There is a Facebook live stream which will be available for repeat viewing.

fb.watch/EujewIZS9z/

#Brighton & #Hove City Council leader Bella Sankey says devolution is bringing more powers to #Sussex as well as more money. She says this is not a new conversation for many people in #Saltdean & other consultations before the proposals went to the government.
#LDreporter

This is a political judgement on boundaries led by the government & it is right the public challenges the elected representatives. This is not a local decision. Cllr Sankey says she will explain BHCC's position. She is encouraging people to respond to the consultation #LDreporter

Councils are being asked to put forward their proposals as the government is changing local government nationally. Boundaries will change. It is not a choice of whether change happens but how it happens. The government's goal is to deliver better services #LDreporter #Brighton

#Brighton & #Hove looked at how people's lives funcation daily. Travel, work, shopping, education crosses the boundaries. People care about travel. Children in #Saltdean & #Peacehaven travel outside the area for school #LDreporter

#Brighton & #Hove looks to create up to five councils which range in size from 300 to 400 thousand residents. It's the best way to ensure local people have a real voice in making sure their elected representatives are held to account #LDreporter

People often feel their choices don't result in change. This is not about extending boundaries for its own sake. The government need to establish if the boundary lines serve the communities well #LDreporter

What can be discussed is why the different proposals are put foward. The two leaders can't say what will be decided, but what they would like to see happen. Specifics can't be discussed on services and council tax #LDreporter

If #Brighton & #Hove's proposal is supported by the government Cllr Sankey vows to get to know the communities better and work closely with the town councils in those areas. She knows the biggest fear is often the journey & concern about process #LDreporter

All future decisions will be scrutinised and won't happen overnight. Ministers will need to consider the impact on local identiy, prepresentation, the impact on services, finances and governance #LDreporter

You don't have to agree with #Brighton & #Hove's approach, disagreement is as valuable as support. Cllr Sankey says to have your say do respond to the public consultation #LDreporter consult.communities.gov.uk/local-governme…

East #Sussex County Council leader Keith Glazier says the borough and district councils are working with the county on the proposals. He knows East Sussex and the relationships built between the two tiers of councils with meaningful working relationships #LDreporter

In 2024 Cllr Glazier was excited by the prospect of devolution when the white paper was published East Sussex's six councils have worked together on the One East Sussex project. It is an opportunity to bring localism back into politics under a new council & new regime #LDreporter

People in East #Sussex supported what the county is trying to do. Guidance was new unitary authorities of a minimum 500K then changed that smaller could be considered. Cllr Glazier believes ES at 560K is the right size with boroughs & districts as the building blocks #LDreporter

Splitting East #Sussex in two brings no benefit the costs are out of kilter says Cllr Glazier. LGR won't cover the costs of funding adult social care & housing. None of the county council's councillors voted against One East Sussex #LDreporter

Delivering services in a rural county is different to an urban city says Cllr Glazier. 89% of the people who responded to East #Sussex County Council's consultation did not want to join with #Brighton & #Hove. This is about providing high quality services #LDreporter

The cost of breaking up a county that is working, take into account how you're represented says Cllr Glazier. The Minister will make the decision. Across the board getting localism right and representation of areas like #Saltdean is important #LDreporter

Mike from #Rottingdean says the Centre of Cities published a recommendation for 3 councils, East, West #Sussex and #Brighton going up to #Crawley with fewer issues in restructuring. When can the public receive the costings on restructuring #LDreporter

There is also a question on the advantages of breaking up districts when the government wants to keep boroughs and districts and why isn't #Brighton & #Hove looking at expanding westward? #LDreporter

Cllr Sankey there is something arbitary on local government boundaries. #Brighton & #Hove looked hard at the reality of where people live, work & are educated. There are strong links with #Saltdean, #Peacehaven & #Telscombe. #LDreporter

Merging northward would not work for a coastal city. There are 14 councils representing the 1.7 million people in #Sussex. The government wants to rationalise that. 500K was the guide and the government moved its position as only 5 council's in the country are 500k. Manchester

We would lose local connection if the councils were more than 500K. Planning and housing powers would go up to a super sized unitary authority with decisions made by councillors with little connection to your place says Cllr Sankey #LDreporter

The #Brighton and #Hove proposals would reduce the number of councils from 14 to 5 giving accountability and value for money says Cllr Sankey.

Cllr Glazier says the Minister wanted a solution for East #Sussex & B&H. The city has a different need to the county #LDreporter

There was no broader suggestion for the whole of #Sussex (West Sussex had a different letter) says Cllr Glazier. There is a cost to the process, but ultimately there will be savings down the line. #Brighton & #Hove has costings for its 5 unitary solutions #LDreporter

John from West #Saltdean has some maps dating back to before the WW2. #Brighton & #Hove has always expanded west. Why is the city not moving west when it has done so since the 1920s #LDreporter

A man who has lived in #Peacehaven since 1974 says the character of #Brighton is utterly different to #Lewes. He disagrees with the city council's suggestion of taking the towns out of East #Sussex #LDreporter

NHS waiting lists are too long in #Brighton. In #Lewes District the bins get emptied. There's been no consultation with #Peacehaven on Brighton taken over. He understands people in East #Saltdean may want to be reunited #LDreporter

A #Peacehaven town councillor says the council wanted to support what the people wanted. There was a public meeting attended by more than 200 people. All but 2 people wished to stay in East #Sussex she asks the government to take previous consultation into account #LDreporter

If the government overrides what the #Peacehaven people want, what are we do to? #LDreporter

Cllr Glazier says this is a government consultation, whether they acknowledge your letter to see if the government will take into account. We have a defined consultation, do you agree with this with costings in there. Only the people can influence it consult.communities.gov.uk/local-governme…

Cllr Sankey says #Brighton & #Hove reflected back the earlier consutlations to give the government the overview and will ask civil servants to look over that primary material.
#LDreporter

On the character of the city, she understands the point made. Every proposal means major change. Lewes will not exist. East #Sussex will not exist. #Brighton is not a monolith. It has multiple identities. #Saltdean is split and charities face logistical barriers #LDreporter

The approach respects local identities. #Brighton & #Hove has one parish council. Citizen engagement is through residents' assocations & other groups. Our full council meetings are full of deputations & representations, leaning into our community identities #LDreporter

Since taking over the administration in 2023, Cllr Sankey has been clear about the issues with #Brighton & #Hove bins but the council is on a progressive improvement journey and there have been improvements, even with bumps in the road #LDreporter

Is there an option for #Saltdean unification either through parish or town council? Would the leaders commit to that discussion.
Cllr Glazier says it is resolvable but not through this process as it would need a boundary review #LDreporter

Cllr Sankey says if #Brighton & #Hove proposal moves forward there will be a discussion about parish and town councils. It is for the people to decide how to organise themselves. She understands the frustration around consultation The government decides the boundaries #LDreporter

Jane Bramwell West #Saltdean says it's a complex issue. The councils are privvy to huge amounts of information the public can't get their heads around Why is it now 6 days before the consultation there are 2 positions. Tell us what's wrong with each other's proposals? #LDReporter

The councillors are not supposed to criticise each other's proposals says Cllr Glazier. He would have liked to see a more local consultation. East #Sussex did the work across the county with multiple organisations to form the bid #LDreporter

Cllr Sankey says the process has not happened with agreement on how the process is played out but people have been trying. It would have been better to come together. The government wanted #Brighton & #Hove and East #Sussex to come together but it was not possible #LDreporter

There are pros and cons to each. Cllr Sankey believes #Brighton & #Hove proposals while complex will have long term positive results. The key part to the future mayoral authority will bring together the councils for the region to deal with entrenched issues #LDreporter

Toby Canes the secretary of the residents and community assocation asks if there is recognition of a risk that the government will reject the proposals with East #Sussex is too large, #Brighton & #Hove is too small. It puts the East #Sussex proposals at risk #LDreporter

A charity worker says there is little comment on the impact on the third sector and community voice. Are our structures ready for this? #LDreporter

Derek who was born in #Brighton lives in #Saltdean says communities are not governed by boundaries. Volunteers that run the Lido there are 60 people. The CIC has volunteers from #Peacehaven to #Ovingdean. We don't deal with councils it's departments #LDreporter

Cllr Glazier says anything is possible on rejection from the government but East #Sussex has ticked every box on numbers, collaboration and sustainability. He would be disappointed if it was not successful and Cllr Sankey will feel the same #LDreporter

East #Sussex has worked hard with the third sector with a network across the county.
Cllr Glazier has to find a budget gap of £54M and needs to find the money to fix the roads but there has been government funding for the A259 & will seek money to free up the flow of traffic

Cllr Sankey says it is possible the government will reject the proposals. The government has not green lit all the proposals. From what she has heard from ministers is that the government is committed to local government reorganisation and will take forward proposals #LDreporter

There is a vibrant third sector in #Brighton & #Hove and across the #Sussex footprint She hopes aspects of the Mayoral authority will start in May. There are conversations to be had.
Cllr Sankey recognises being born & raised in the city some things have gone downhill #LDreporter

Having the city under no overall control for more than 20 years and lack of agreement this is why some things have deteriorated. Central government austerity under the last Conservative government resulted in real terms cuts. We are still living with that & it impacts on services

There are improvements underway across #Brighton & #Hove. Cllr Sankey understands it took a long time to get #Saltdean Lido underway. The council did help with that. The council invested in beach chalets, multi-use games area. There are improvements in this area #LDreporter

We have filled in consultation documents, do we need to fill in this one as well?

Yes

consult.communities.gov.uk/local-governme…

Richie from #Saltdean says one side does not talk to the other in #Brighton & #Hove. What's happening with the local elections in May? Will we have to wait? #LDreporter

An East #Saltdean resident uses #Brighton & #Hove facilities. They are the nearest. We have no franchise to say services are not up to scratch. How will East #Sussex give those who live in the county franchise? #LDreporter

Cllr Glazier says boundaries are not a brick wall. The bottom line is inspecting premises the responsibility will sit with the council that has responsibility. Transport for the South East works without boundaries #LDreporter

Cllr Sankey says the voluntary sector is vibrant in #Brighton & #Hove. When the council looked at the evidence the focus was on the reality of how people live and work and the services they use. People in the merge areas use the services BHCC provides #LDreporter

Jake Crane says councillors are elected to hold to account. Councillors step into frontline work. This includes cleaning public toilets, running a food bank. This shouldn't be necessary. What measure will be taken to stop volunteers doing what the government should be doing?

Cllr Glazier says councillors always volunteer, he gets the point The district & county will amalgamate The government needs to wake up to the fact services need to be paid for Councils spend 76% of their money on supporting the vulnerable rather than fixing the roads #LDreporter

The country doesn't have the money apart from what is taken from residents in tax. Cllr Glazier says it is not right the money spent on adult social care and home to school transport and people are still disappointed #LDreporter

As a Labour member Cllr Sankey says she believes in supporting the vulnerable and public spaces. At the end of the last Labour government rough sleeping was in single figures. Food banks have exploded over the last 15 years. Conservatives chose to give less money to councils

Services have gone backwards. Living standards have fallen under the previous government says Cllr Sankey. Now we're getting more money and this is a break from the past which will fix a lot of the issues raised this evening. Change is happening & it will have an impact

More people are presenting with issues because they haven't had early intervention. Cllr Glazier and Cllr Sankey both want more money. Volunteering should not step into the space of service delivery. It should not have people being fed. There's nothing wrong with a litter pick.

A woman on #Saltdean Town Council brings her real joy. Councillors volunteer all the time. We need volunteers to support the residents' association. With a town council you can go to them and do all the local things. #LDreporter

The issue is about how funding is controlled and distributed. Residents of this area need the knowledge and information on how money is used and services funded. How are we going to know and trust anything said. We have not been able to do this with past or current governments

Cllr Glazier says the consultation is not a referendum. On town and parish council he has one town and 5 parishes. It is the heart and soul of the community. There are stalwarts who turn up and the work done at that level is tremendous. #LDreporter

Cllr Sankey says the SEND system is underfunded. She is proud of how #Brighton & #Hove runs its provision. Children's services is rated "outstanding" with innovative approaches. Teachers are being trained to support children with SEND in all school settings #LDreporter

Community champions are the glue that hold communities together says Cllr Sankey. She says today's conversation has proved worthwhile #LDreporter

#Saltdean Residents' Association will hold another event when the government makes its decision #LDreporter

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