Tory-led WSCC has applied to cancel May’s County Council elections.

Under the guise of the Labour Government’s re-organisation of local government, the Tories see a way: 

• to hold on to power for up to 3 more years - without having to go through an election they know they would lose
• for them to be the architects of a new unitary authority for West Sussex - even though they oppose the concept in principle

So they have applied to cancel May’s elections for West Sussex County Council.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

• THE CONSEQUENCES OF LABOUR’S PLANS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT RE-ORGANISATION HAVE OFFERED THE TORIES IN OUR AREA THE OPPORTUNITY OF STAYING IN OFFICE AT COUNTY
  
   

1. At the tail end of last year, the Labour Government published its English Devolution White Paper, which outlines two intentions: to introduce Mayoralties across the Country and to abolish District and Borough Councils in favour of larger unitary authorities.
2. Lib Dems are broadly in favour of a considered, collaborative and publicly-consulted simplification – and said so in December to WSCC’s Tory leaders – who, despite the Lib Dem position, wrote to Angela Rayner to say there was NO support for such a move at WSCC.
3. A few weeks later, the Government announced that local authorities which embraced their intentions (by January 10) and which were selected to be among the first to transition – could cancel elections for existing councils that were due to take place in May 2025.
4. As of January 9, the Tories leading WSCC have taken this new information on board and had a change of heart.  NOW they have decided that they do want to see a new local government structure for West Sussex, and have volunteered for fast track transition – with the consequential cancellation of the scheduled County Elections on May 1, 2025 (which they argued were not a good use of money anyway…)

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT YOUR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS?

• THIS IS A BLATANT TORY ATTEMPT TO DISENFRANCHISE VOTERS AND REMOVE YOUR DEMOCRATIC RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHO YOU WANT TO REPRESENT YOU AT SUCH A CRITICAL TIME IN THE EVOLUTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.  LIB DEMS FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE.
  
   

1. Without adequate planning, consultation, and consideration, this exciting opportunity to shape and define a new and future-proofed local authority structure will have been squandered.
2. What is also clear is that the Tories are using re-organisation of our local authorities as a cover to hold onto power for up to 3 years more than their current mandate allows.
3. The Tories have had 28 years to demonstrate appropriate leadership of WSCC – and local people are telling us that Enough is Enough. But now your right to vote out these hapless WSCC Tories in May 2025 could be stopped by them.
4. The general election result in our area demonstrates the extent to which Tory rule is over here. The Tories at WSCC knew they were going to lose power in May 2025 – and they are dodging this. 

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT YOUR COUNCIL NOW?

• LOCAL RESOURCE AND FUNDS WILL BE DIVERTED AWAY FROM DELIVERY OF LOCAL ELECTION PLEDGES AND RESIDENT-DRIVEN PROJECTS 
  
   

1. Services - It’s clear that with NO preparatory new local government transition work even begun in outline at WSCC; a fast track status will be shambolic, with disastrous outcomes for the residents and voters who rely on Chichester or Arun District Council and/or West Sussex County Council’s services to our community.  For an appreciation of just how much work needs to be done for effective transition: consider how Planning, provision of temporary homeless accommodation, waste collection and disposal, Adult Social Services, roads maintenance and education services would need to be redesigned, structured and organised.
2. Finances - Chichester District Council is in a healthy financial position compared to many other District and Borough Councils. West Sussex County Council, in contrast, is in a poor financial position.  We saw how St. Richard’s Hospital’s Outstanding rating suffered when its resources were sucked into Sussex Hospitals Trust and diverted to attempts to address the debts of Brighton’s hospitals.
3. Pledges and projects – in response to resident requests and to deliver Lib Dem election pledges; Chichester District Council is focussed on protecting our area from inappropriate development and is also currently working on an ambitious regeneration project, alongside making public realm improvements to the playpark facilities and toilets. By trying to combine authorities on a fast-track pace, there is a real risk that officer resource is diverted to transition planning instead of delivery of these pledges and projects.  There is a risk that they will be lost forever.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• SUPPORT THE LIB DEMS’ AND CHICHESTER MP: JESS-BROWN-FULLER’S CALLS TO KEEP THE COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN MAY 2025.
• SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BY SIGNING OUR PETITION