The Sussex And The City Podcast
– Episode #40
Why The Sussex Plan Doesn't Yet Add Up
Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Peter Lamb MP – Member of Parliament for Crawley
🔍 Episode summary
Local government in Sussex is on the brink of its biggest structural change in decades. Councils may be merged, boundaries redrawn, and a new mayoral authority introduced - but what does that actually mean in practice?
In this episode, Richard Freeman speaks with Peter Lamb, MP for Crawley and former leader of Crawley Borough Council, about the realities behind local government reorganisation and devolution.
Recorded just before the government delayed its decision on Sussex's future structure, this provocative conversation offers a candid, insider perspective on how these reforms are being shaped, and challenged, from within.
Peter brings a rare combination of experience: a former council leader who understands how local government works on the ground, now sitting in Parliament as part of the governing party. His view is direct and, at times, sharply critical of his own government.
Together they explore whether the case for reorganisation still holds, what's at stake for places like Crawley, and whether devolution can genuinely deliver better outcomes for Sussex - or simply add another layer of complexity.
This episode is brought to you in partnership with Crawley Innovation Centre.
Located at the heart of Manor Royal, one of the South East's most significant business districts, Crawley Innovation Centre provides flexible workspace, meeting facilities and on-site support for growing companies.
Designed for start-ups, scale-ups and established teams, it offers a professional base without unnecessary friction, alongside a strong focus on collaboration and community. With excellent transport links, including easy access to Gatwick, it connects Sussex businesses to national and international markets.
Find out more at crawley-ic.co.uk
🎯 In this episode
- Why the original financial case for local government reorganisation is being questioned
- How merging councils could affect accountability and local representation
- The political tensions behind decisions on council size and structure
- What reorganisation could mean for Crawley and similar urban economies
- Why Sussex's geography makes governance particularly complex
- The risks of creating large authorities that don't reflect local identities
- The promise of devolution, and why it still matters
- How a Sussex mayor could reshape investment, transport and growth
- Why transport infrastructure remains one of the region's biggest challenges
- How economic strategy can fail when it ignores real-world geography
🧠 Key themes
Local government reorganisation is being driven as much by politics as by economics. The original argument around cost savings appears weaker when applied to smaller, proposed unitary authorities.
There is a growing tension between efficiency and accountability. Larger councils may streamline services, but risk becoming too distant from the communities they serve.
Sussex is not a single, unified economy. It is a collection of distinct areas - coastal, rural and urban - each with different priorities, which makes a single governance model difficult to get right.
Devolution still offers potential benefits, particularly in transport, housing and economic coordination. But the current approach may not align with how people actually live and work across the region.
The balance between local identity and regional strategy remains unresolved, and will shape whether these reforms succeed or fail.
💬 What Peter says
"The case for reorganisation just doesn't stack up financially in the way it's being presented."
"You end up with local government that's too big to be accountable and too distant to understand communities."
"Crawley is a very different economy to much of Sussex, and that matters when you're designing governance."
"Devolution is the right idea. But the way we're doing it risks missing the point."
"You can't build a strategy if you don't understand how places actually function."
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🎧 Production credits
Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Peter Lamb MP Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey Production management: Letitia McConalogue
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