Comment: Democracy denied again in West Sussex

By Jess Brown-Fuller MP

I began this week on the steps of County Hall, protesting cross-party alongside MPs, Councillors and residents against West Sussex County Council’s efforts to the cancel local elections due to take place in May 2026. We find ourselves in the same place we were in last year, with the administration once again looking to deny residents in West Sussex their chance to vote.

Cancelling local elections again will mean that Councillors will have held their seats for seven years, nearly double a standard term. This is a wholly unacceptable situation. The last time they faced the ballot box was in 2021 the political world was very different from the one we face now. Yet my constituents are still denied their voice.

I regularly hear from local people, either by email or on the doorstep, about frustrations with WSCC’s leadership and failing services, whether that be potholes, healthcare, or SEND. They'd like the opportunity to send a clear message to the County Council and are being denied the opportunity.

Jess at protest outside County Hall

Where is the accountability of councillors serving three years beyond their elected mandate, while making seismic decisions about local government reorganisation?

In late 2025 the Labour Government made consistent commitments they would not postpone elections again in 2026. My colleague James MacCleary, MP for Lewes, received assurances from the Government prior to Christmas that the Secretary of State was ‘keen for elections to go ahead’. Yet just one day before recess, the Government gifted an early Christmas present to West Sussex and announced it would be inviting councils with elections in 2026 to request postponement.

West Sussex naturally jumped at the chance; they’d already requested a delay as part of their submission to Government.

There are plenty of good County Councillors, that are responsive, proactive and a local champion for their divisions – they shouldn’t fear the ballot box and should be standing up for residents’ right to vote, regardless of their political persuasion.

This Government has repeatedly gone back on its promises and has made a mess of local government reorganisation because of it. It was not long ago that we were reading similar announcements about shifting the inaugural mayoral elections by a year. The result is the public losing faith in the Government promises regarding the timing of elections and motivations behind local government reorganisation.

We took a final stand this week, with campaigners, activists and residents who feel strongly that our democracy was hard fought for, and this is an unacceptable way to treat the electors. We wait for the final decision; but if last year was anything to go by, our protestations will have fallen on deaf ears.