What is the point of Sussex And The City?

Three months in to this project, we thought we'd quickly reflect on what we've learnt so far and address some the FAQs about what we're hoping to achieve over the coming months.

👫 Who is engaging?

Between the podcasts, bulletins, website, roundtables and live talks - around 3,000 Sussex business and civic leaders engage deeply with the project each month. And this is rapidly growing.
There are sign-ups to the bulletin list from every district in Sussex and most towns.
People bring different core interests to the conversation - from economic growth to transport infrastructure, community heritage to democracy and representation.
We now have a monthly column in the Sussex Business Times.

🗝️ Key takeaways so far

There is a lot of confusion between local government reorganisation and devolution. While very linked and happening concurrently, they are different. This project is focusing on devolution, and the idea of one Sussex directly electing a mayor in 2026.
There are passionate conversations happening about joining-up Sussex networks in tech, climate action, professional services, public health, culture, skills and much more.
There are a million ambitious and informed ideas about the future, and how a new mayor's more strategic and long-term plan for Sussex and Brighton could unlock tangible opportunity. Communicating, prioritising, and filtering the deliverable ones will take time.
Trust between many communities, businesses, organisations and institutions needs to be rebuilt. There are genuine concerns from all corners that this could be a missed opportunity if it doesn't bring the public along.
The public, business and charity sectors all have big roles to play. Working together to make the case for what already works, and could be multiplied, in areas such as planning and the built environment, business support, nature recovery, skills and employment, inward investment and telling a positive Sussex story.

🏆 What does Sussex And The City hope to achieve?

We have three overall goals:

To keep developing an informed, independent, accessible, non-party-political space with which Sussex professionals can engage with change as it happens.
To collate and curate ideas, case studies, proposals, best practice, learning and data - from across Sussex and the rest of the UK - that could help shape a future flourishing combined Sussex.
To present some quick wins and long-term impact ideas to the new mayor, whomever they are, that can help with their strategy and vision; crowdsourced, evidence-based and outcome-led.

👊 Who is behind the project?

This is a highly collaborative project, with many moving parts. But it is probably useful to put some names to it.

Richard Freeman is the project lead, and brings 25 years of deep Sussex knowledge and 10 years of running always possible - one of the region's leading economic and social innovation agencies.
Letitia McConalogue manages much of the logistics and content distribution. She was worked for always possible since 2020 with prior experience in the Sussex creative industries and voluntary sector.
Sarah Freeman has been designing the project events and engagement strategy, drawing on her 20 years' experience working in consultancy, education and local government.
Recent University of Brighton graduates in animation and illustration, Amelia Hodgetts and Haniyyah Nauzeer, are behind the graphics and brand identity.
Chris Thorpe-Tracey, from Lo Fi Arts, is behind the podcast editing and sound engineering.

But - it is the support of the Sussex And The City 100, as well as podcast guests, roundtable contributors, countless advisors and collaborators that mean this all happens.

🖐️ We need you

But things are going to ramp up after the summer.

As preparations for the mayoral election draws nearer.

As it becomes clearer what powers will be handed down from government.

As ideas about a future Sussex with fewer borders, and a bigger outlook, start to take shape.

We're going to be busy.

We're building a coalition of the curious. Businesses and organisations invested in positive change.

We want to ensure that the podcasts, bulletins, roundtable videos and website resources are independent and free-to-access.

But without any core funding, this project relies on partnership and sponsorship.

Backing from organisations with a big footprint an connection to Sussex; who are a big part of the county's future. And demonstrate the leadership and innovation a new mayor is going to need to draw on from day one.

Members of the Sussex And The City 100:

get profiled and championed throughout the project
get free access to every live Sussex And The City event for their team
have opportunities to produce co-branded research, media and think pieces
will receive detailed briefings about what Sussex devolution means for their sector
get featured at the start of podcast episodes
get discounted access to always possible strategy, analysis, facilitation and research support

This project is already backed by a cross-section of 20 Sussex heroes in leadership and productivity; of all shapes and sizes. From construction to culture, money to marketing, law to lifestyle:

Will your team be in the next 20 to sign up?

Partnership packages start from just £20+VAT per month.

Reply to this email with the message 'more info please' to learn more.

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