As you are aware, on Monday the Government announced that it has paused the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) programme while it reviews the process and the decisions made to date.

At this stage, we still have very limited information about what happens next. The scope of the Government's review has not yet been defined and there is currently no clear timetable for future decisions. We are hoping to have timescales clarified in the near future.

This week, Chief Executives and council leaders met with officials from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Following this, our understanding is that reorganisation is still the Government’s intention and that we should continue planning and preparatory work to ensure that we are ready for any future decisions, although it is highly likely that delivery will be delayed by at least a year.

For West Sussex, our LGR programme was still in the planning and preparation stage as we had not yet been given a decision. Continuing the preparatory work will help us maintain momentum and put us in a strong position to move forward with reorganisation once the review has been completed.

As a result of the announcement, we will be preparing for the district council elections scheduled for May 2027.

Our focus remains firmly on delivering high-quality services for our residents and communities, while continuing to progress the projects and priorities that are already underway. We will continue to keep you updated as and when information becomes available.

John Ward (Chief Operating Officer) and Cllr Adrian Moss (Leader) at Chichester District Council