'No decision made yet on council expansion plans'

The leader of Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) says no decision has been made yet on controversial plans for the authority to expand and absorb nearby towns.

On Thursday, the Green Party's Zoe Nicholson, leader of Lewes District Council (LDC), said BHCC intended to take over parts of her council's area, including east Saltdean, Peacehaven, Telscombe, Newhaven and possibly Kingston.

Nicholson said she was "furious" there had not yet been a consultation with LDC residents and concerned BHCC wanted to build homes in the district to help meet their target.

Labour's Bella Sankey, leader of BHCC, said she was "surprised" by Nicholson's comments and had "no idea where they come from at all".

James MacCleary, Lewes' Liberal Democrat MP and LDC councillor for Newhaven South, was also concerned the area could be "forgotten about and neglected" if absorbed by BHCC.

Speaking on BBC Radio Sussex, Sankey said: "The last thing we want is to try and pit communities against each other.

"We all want to do the best for all of the residents that we represent."

She said local government reorganisation was "exciting" for Sussex and Brighton, adding that councils had been asked to look at a more coherent way to give value for money for residents.

She said the aim was to be "a bit more strategic" and to make residents' lives easier.

Sankey said no announcement had been made, but a consultation on what the council's boundaries could look like in the future would be rolled out later in July.

She said anyone could respond to the consultation regardless of where they lived.

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