West Sussex County Council
Coat of arms or logo
Coat of arms
Logo
Council logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Chair of the Council
Pete Bradbury, Conservative
since May 2021
Leader of the Council
Paul Marshall[1], Conservative
since 18 October 2019[2]
Chief Executive
Becky Shaw (jointly with East Sussex County Council)
since 6 January 2020[3]
Structure
Seats70 councillors
Political groups
Administration (46)
  Conservative (46)
Other parties (24)
  Liberal Democrat (11)
  Labour (9)
  Green and Independent Alliance (4)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
First past the post
Last election
6 May 2021
Next election
May 2025
Meeting place
County Hall, West Street, Chichester, PO19 1RQ
Website
www.westsussex.gov.uk

West Sussex County Council (WSCC) is the authority that governs the non-metropolitan county of West Sussex. The county also contains seven district and borough councils, and 158 town, parish and neighbourhood councils. The county council has 70 elected councillors. The Chief Executive and their team of Directors are responsible for the day-to-day running of the council.

The county elects eight members of parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.[4]

Since 1997, West Sussex County Council has been controlled by the Conservative Party. In 2019, the council's Children Services department was described in a Children's Commissioner's report as "clearly failing across all domains in the strongest terms" leading to the resignation of then council leader Louise Goldsmith.

History

The Local Government Act 1888 created the administrative county of West Sussex, with its own county council, from the three western rapes of the ancient county of Sussex, that is the rapes of Chichester, Arundel and Bramber. Except for the three county boroughs of Brighton, Hastings and Eastbourne, the three eastern rapes of Lewes, Pevensey and Hastings came under the control of East Sussex County Council. Until 1898 it existed alongside the Urban and Rural Sanitary Districts when these were abolished in favour of a new network of urban and rural districts.

The Local Government Act 1972 abolished the previous structure of local government in England and Wales. At this time West Sussex became a non-metropolitan county, divided into districts. This act created the two-tier system of government that exists in West Sussex to this day.

Chairmen and chairwomen of West Sussex County Council

Since 2011 most chairs of the council serve a two-year term, previously the term was more usually four years though before 1962 the position could essentially last almost a lifetime. Peter Mursell was the only individual to serve two non-consecutive terms, the second being after his 1969 knighthood. Cliff Robinson (died 2009[5]) was the only chairman elected as a Liberal.

Chairs of West Sussex County Council in date order[6]
Years Chairperson
2021 – _____Peter John James Bradbury
2019 – 2021Janet Elizabeth Duncton
2017 – 2019Lionel Harvey Barnard
2015 – 2017Patricia Annette Cooper Arculus
2013 – 2015Amanda Jane Jupp
2011 – 2013Michael William George Coleman
2001 – 2008Margaret Delia Johnson
1997 – 2001Ian Richard Wellesley Elliott
1993 – 1997Clifford Robinson
1989 – 1993Martyn Howard Long
1985 – 1989Peter Geoffrey Shepherd
1981 – 1985Christopher Stewart Buckle
1977 – 1981Charles James Lucas
1974 – 1977Edward John Frederick Green
1969 – 1974Peter Mursell
1967 – 1969Brigadier L. L. Thwaytes
1962 – 1967Peter Mursell
1946 – 1962Lt Col Sir Herbert Shiner[7]
1917 – 1946Charles Henry, 3rd Baron Leconfield
1907 – 1917Charles Henry, 7th Duke of Richmond & Gordon
1903 – 1907Edward, 5th Earl of Winterton
1889 – 1903Charles Henry, 6th Duke of Richmond & Gordon

Political control

Paul Marshall (Conservative) has been leader of West Sussex County Council since 2019. He replaced Louise Goldsmith who had been leader since May 2010.[8][9]

West Sussex County Council since 1973
Years Political Control
1973 – 1993 Conservative
1993 – 1997 No Overall Control
1997 – present Conservative

Responsibilities

The council is responsible for public services such as education, transport, strategic planning, emergency services, social services, public safety, the fire service and waste disposal.[10]

District councils

Parish councils

See List of civil parishes in West Sussex

The Council

West Sussex County Council offices in Horsham

The whole County Council is the ultimate decision-making body and the principal forum for major political debate. Its 70 members meet six times a year. The County Council reserves to itself decisions on key policy plans, questions members of the Cabinet, debates major pieces of work by Select Committees and notices of motion.

It appoints the Leader who decides the composition and areas of competence of the Cabinet, to which responsibility is delegated for carrying out many of the County Council's existing policies. It also appoints the Scrutiny Committees which examine and review decisions and actions of the Cabinet and Cabinet Members, as well as some non-Executive committees and a Standards Committee. The current leader is Paul Marshall.

Cabinet

The West Sussex Cabinet has ten members selected from the Conservative majority. The Cabinet proposes the key policy decisions of the Council, which are subject to agreement by the full County Council of 70 members. Each member has a portfolio of work for which they take personal responsibility.

Elections

County council elections took place on 6 May 2021. For detailed results for each electoral division see 2021 West Sussex County Council election.

There have been 4 by-elections since the 2021 election. For all results see West Sussex County Council elections.

West Sussex County Council election, 2021
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 48 3 11 -8 68.5
  Liberal Democrats 10 4 3 +1 14.3
  Labour 9 5 1 +4 12.8
  Independent 1 1 0 +1 1.4
  Green 1 1 0 +1 1.4
  Local Alliance 1 1 0 +1 1.4


Elections took place on 4 May 2017. Results are below.[11]

West Sussex County Council election, 2017
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 56 11 1 +10 80.0
  Liberal Democrats 9 1 0 +1 12.9
  Labour 5 0 1 -1 7.1
  UKIP 0 0 0 -10 0.0
  Independent 0 0 1 -1 0.0
  Green 0 0 0 0 0.0
  Other parties 0 0 0 0 0.0

Since the divisions had been slightly reorganised and there was one less division than previously the gains and losses are not strictly meaningful.


County council elections took place on 2 May 2013. For detailed results for each electoral division see 2013 West Sussex County Council election.

West Sussex County Council election, 2013
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 46 13 16 -3 64.8
  UKIP 10 10 2 +8 14.1
  Liberal Democrats 8 1 11 -10 11.3
  Labour 6 4 1 +3 8.5
  Independent 1 1 0 +1 1.4
  Green 0 0 1 -1 0.0
  Socialist Labour 0 0 0 0 0.0
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0.0
  Patria 0 0 0 0 0.0
  Justice Party 0 0 0 0 0.0
  Peace 0 0 0 0 0.0

    References

    1. ↑ "West Sussex County Council names new leader as Paul Marshall". 14 October 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2020 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
    2. ↑ "New Leader of West Sussex County Council elected". West Sussex County Council. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
    3. ↑ "Appointment of a new Chief Executive at West Sussex County Council agreed by councillors". West Sussex County Council. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
    4. ↑ "MPs for West Sussex". West Sussex County Council. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
    5. ↑ Death of Robinson's wife Mima in local press report
    6. ↑ Names and dates as listed on the carved boards in County Hall, Chichester
    7. ↑ West Sussex Records Office
    8. ↑ "West Sussex County Council names new leader as Paul Marshall". BBC News. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
    9. ↑ "Ms Louise Goldsmith". West Sussex County Council. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
    10. ↑ "Understand how your council works". GOV.UK. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
    11. ↑ "Results Summary" (PDF). West Sussex County Council.
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