A new report from the Institute for Government offers a blunt warning: economic success won’t automatically follow new devolution deals. In fact, the think tank argues that unless local economic plans are drastically improved - and better integrated with infrastructure, housing and skills - the promise of devolution could fizzle into another layer of bureaucracy.
🔗 Read the full report here
📉 What’s the problem?
Local economic plans in England are currently:
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Too fragmented across councils and agencies
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Short-term and project-led, not strategic
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Often written to chase funding pots, not to drive transformation
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Not grounded in strong data or evidence
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Lacking proper input from business and residents
The report pulls no punches - stating that many existing plans are “unrealistic”, “vague”, or “confused”, with “cut-and-paste” strategies that ignore what actually works for a place.
⚠️ For Sussex, which has different economic plans for each tier of local government, as well as additional blueprints for economic regions such as Greater Brighton and the Gatwick Economic Zone - this could be a warning. The risk is a Sussex mayor inherits a mess of legacy strategies and an urgent pressure to deliver without the joined-up tools to do so.
📌 What the report recommends
The IfG lays out a pragmatic, place-neutral roadmap:
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Combined authorities must lead on building single, long-term local economic strategies — no more fragmented LEP-era wishlists
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Plans must align spatial, infrastructure and skills policy — not exist in parallel
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A shared evidence base must be developed and refreshed, with support from central government where necessary
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The private sector must help shape the strategy, not be brought in late as signatories
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Public engagement must be meaningful and ongoing — not a one-time tick box
🧭 What this means for Sussex
If a Sussex mayor and combined authority are confirmed in the coming months, they’ll need to:
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Unite economic planning across East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove
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Sort through existing Local Plans, economic strategies, transport visions and spatial frameworks - and bin what no longer serves
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Build capacity to do long-term strategic planning well
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Fund a shared data and analysis function - something the IfG identifies as make-or-break
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Listen early and widely - especially to business, young people and communities across the whole region
🎯 And what’s at stake?
As the IfG puts it: “Devolution can only succeed if the powers being transferred are put to good use.” That means giving a Sussex mayor something coherent to deliver.
This isn’t about rewriting every document, but more about focus. The report ends with a simple question every place should ask itself:
“What does your local economy need — and how will power, investment and coordination help you get there?”
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