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Â鶹´«Ã½ Borough Council has yesterday (7 May) agreed to submit a joint proposal with Reigate & Banstead Borough Council to create a new unitary authority as part of the government’s Local Government Reform plans.

Together, Reigate & Banstead and Â鶹´«Ã½ form a £13 billion plus economy, the largest economy in the sub-region, and conjoined by the world’s busiest single runway airport in Gatwick. 

The proposal argues that the creation of a hard boundary between the two authorities, with the potential through Devolution of two Elected Mayors either side, would be detrimental to the Government’s growth agenda. Furthermore, it sets out the case that the proceeds of growth outweigh any savings that might be made through the formation of a larger unitary.

At the government’s direction, this proposal had to be submitted by 9 May in line with the accelerated programme of Local Government Reform in Surrey. This is on a different timeline to West Sussex, where the deadline for proposals is the 26 September. 

Â鶹´«Ã½ Borough Council will continue to work with all other local authorities across West Sussex to develop proposals ahead of that deadline. The council is not stating a preference for either of the proposals at this stage.

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