County council criticises community governance review carried out by district

The county council also criticised Mid Sussex's rationale and suggested there was "a lack of evidence" for community support of the proposals.

The district council launched a community governance review for Haywards Heath Town Council over the summer, which set out proposals to change the town council's boundaries.

West Sussex's Electoral Review Panel met in July 2025 to consider the proposals, before issuing a response in August criticising the district's approach.

The county council issued a response in August 2025, which said it did not support progressing either of the proposed changes, "as it considers they are premature in light of the local government reorganisation currently underway".

It also said: "The county council is particularly concerned to note the lack of background information and rationale for the proposed changes in the consultation document and is disappointed at the lack of evidence of local community support for the proposed changes, and the potential detrimental effect on the Parish of Ansty and Staplefield, which would stand to lose more than a third of its current residents."

News of West Sussex's position emerged this week after the response appeared in an agenda item for its Governance Committee.

The response was issued under an urgent action procedure by the Executive Director of Law, Assurance and Insight, Tony Kershaw, in consultation with the Chairman of the Governance Committee, in order to meet the consultation deadline.

The district council has since launched a second and final consultation on the changes, acknowledging West Sussex's concerns regarding the neighbouring parish council.

A document on the consultation, which is set to close on 14 November, said: "Having carefully considered all the representations made to the council, we recommended that the parish wards of Rocky Lane North and Rocky Lane South remain within the Ansty and Staplefield Parish Council area."

A spokesperson for Mid Sussex District Councill said: “Following a Boundary Commission review in 2021, the Community Governance Review was agreed in 2023. Mid Sussex District Council has followed due process to consider local town and parish council boundaries and make recommendations to support effective governance, with an awareness of the wider context of local government reorganisation. These informed recommendations will be further evaluated and scrutinised this autumn, ahead of final decisions in February 2026.”

Adam Carey