The Greater Brighton City Region is an area in the south of England centred on Brighton and Hove, incorporating seven local government districts in East Sussex and West Sussex. The Greater Brighton Economic Board was created in April 2014 to oversee a 6-year programme of development and investment within the area, which as of as of 2021 has about one million people.

Economic board membership

The city region was initially formed from five local authorities (Brighton and Hove, Mid Sussex, Worthing, Lewes and the Adur district), together with the South Downs National Park, the University of Sussex, the University of Brighton and the Greater Brighton Metropolitan College. The city region was subsequently extended to include Crawley and Gatwick Airport on 6 February 2018 and Arun in 2019. The chair of the board is elected from amongst the local authority representatives on an annual basis, the current chair of the board is Councillor Bella Sankey.

Colour key (for political parties): Conservative Green Labour Lib Dem Non-political

Constituent membership
NameNominating authorityPosition within nominating authorityYear Joined
Neil ParkinAdurLeader of the Council2014
Matt StanleyArunLeader of the Council2019
Bella SankeyBrighton and Hove City CouncilLeader of the Council2014
Steve DavisBrighton and Hove City CouncilLeader of the Opposition2020
Michael JonesCrawleyLeader of the Council2018
Zoe NicholsonLewesLeader of the Council2014
Robert EgglestonMid SussexLeader of the Council2014
Beccy CooperWorthingLeader of the Council2014
Education providers
Debbie KeelingUniversity of SussexDeputy pro-vice-chancellor for knowledge exchange2014
Debra HumphrisUniversity of BrightonVice-chancellor2014
Dan PowerChichester College GroupChief commercial officer2014
Business partnership and other bodies
Andrew SwayneAdur & Worthing Business PartnershipChairman2014
Dean OrgillBrighton & Hove Economic PartnershipChairman2014
Trevor BeattieSouth Downs National Park AuthorityChief executive2014

Economy

In 2019 the city region was seen to support over 500,000 jobs and had a net worth of £23 billion. Creative industries worth more than £1.5 billion in the city region, with Brighton and Hove and Crawley boroughs being particular key areas. In its first six years of running the Economic Board was reported to have attracted £160 million of investment to the city region.

Demographics

Population of local authority areas in the Greater Brighton City Region (census data)
NameNotable settlements1991200120112021
AdurShoreham-by-Sea, Lancing, Southwick58,50059,70061,20064,500
ArunArundel, Bognor Regis, Littlehampton130,500141,000149,500164,800
Brighton and HoveBrighton, Hove240,500249,900273,300277,200
CrawleyCrawley88,300100,400106,600118,500
LewesLewes, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Seaford, Telscombe88,20092,20097,50099,900
Mid SussexBurgess Hill, East Grinstead, Haywards Heath124,000127,400139,800152,600
WorthingWorthing97,20097,700104,600111,400
Total827,200868,300932,500988,900

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