Councils in West Sussex, East Sussex and Brighton and Hove will be likely to agree to forward plans to create one strategic authority to govern all.

By tomorrow it’s expected they will apply to the government to scrap county council elections due to take place this May and preparing to elect members of a new authority – and a mayor of Sussex.

This move would bring about changes to the way local services like education, social care and policing are run.

More detailed criteria for local government reorganisation is expected to be sent to all councils in the next few months, followed by a government-led consultation on reorganisation proposals.