Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, and West Sussex councils have formed the Sussex & Brighton Strategic Authority to secure £117 million in initial government funding. This partnership will focus on boosting the local economy through a new Prosperity Strategy, with plans for a directly elected regional mayor in May 2028.
The Sussex & Brighton Strategic Authority used its first ever Annual General Meeting this month to unlock an initial £117 million of government funding for the area – money its leaders say would not have come to Sussex without the three councils joining forces.
The Authority – which covers Brighton & Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex – was formed earlier this year as part of a major transfer of power from central Government to regional government and to give the area a single, stronger voice. Its leaders say the £117 million is direct evidence of what the three areas can achieve by working together. And represents just a fraction of the £1.14 billion of funding secured over the next 30 years.
At the AGM, the Authority also published its Prosperity Strategy that starts to set out the overall aims and objectives for the organisation and the focus for this investment. Alongside delivering more affordable housing and greater connectivity across Sussex, is a commitment to grow the economy, attract investment and secure good jobs for local people.
To mark its support for growing businesses, the Authority’s Board visited Elekta in Crawley after the meeting – an innovative developer and manufacturer of radiotherapy and cancer-care equipment that exports around the world.
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