Andrew Griffith, MP for Arundel and South Downs, has criticised ministers over their handling of what he describes as shambolic and reckless plans for local government reorganisation, saying that “now is the time for them to give up and leave West Sussex alone for good”.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday (7 September), Angela Rayner, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, announced that she had been forced to pause the reorganisation process following “updated and privileged legal advice”.
The future of local government in West Sussex is now once again left hanging in uncertainty while another review takes place.
Angela Rayner has said that local elections will still take place in May 2027 and will go ahead on existing council boundaries meaning elections to the District Councils of Chichester, Horsham and Arun.
In June, responding to the Government’s most recent consultation, Andrew Griffith argued that there was no clear consensus among local authorities and no convincing evidence of public support for such significant changes.
He called on ministers to shelve the plans entirely, arguing that doing so would save taxpayers’ money and avoid years of disruption to frontline services.
Andrew Griffith MP said:
“I have consistently warned the Government that its local government reorganisation plans were being rushed out with little process or thinking behind them.
“In June, I called on ministers to release the technical reports and supporting data behind their proposals, but they were unable to do so. It now seems that I was proved right, with the Government having to pause the process and review where it went wrong.
“Rather than another review, Angela Rayner should shelve these plans altogether and stop wasting everyone’s time and money for something Sussex does not want!”
