Eastbourne's first elected local authority was a local board, established in 1859 when the ancient parish of Eastbourne was made a local government district. Prior to that the parish had been governed by its vestry, in the same way as most rural areas.^[4]

Eastbourne become a municipal borough in 1883, governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Eastbourne", but generally known as the corporation or town council.^[5] The borough covered a slightly larger area than the previous local government district, also taking in an area known as Norway from the neighbouring parish of Willingdon. In 1911 Eastbourne was elevated to be a county borough, making it independent from East Sussex County Council. The borough was enlarged at the same time to take in the Hampden Park area from Willingdon.^[6][7]

The Eastbourne Corporation Act 1926 allowed the council to purchase the Eastbourne Downland Estate on the west side of the borough, including Beachy Head.^[8]

Eastbourne became a non-metropolitan district on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, with East Sussex County Council once more providing county-level services to the town.^[9] Eastbourne kept its borough status, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor, continuing Eastbourne's series of mayors dating back to 1883.^[10]

Since 2016 the council has shared a chief executive and other staff with nearby Lewes District Council.^[3]

Eastbourne Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by East Sussex County Council.^[11] There are no civil parishes in the borough, which is an unparished area.^[12]

Parts of the borough lie within the South Downs National Park. In those areas, town planning is the responsibility of the South Downs National Park Authority.^[13]

Political control edit

The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since 2007.

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:^{[14] [15]}

Leadership edit

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Eastbourne. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2001 have been:^[16]

Composition edit

Following the 2023 election the composition of the council was:^[17]

The next election is due in 2027.

The council meets at the Town Hall on Grove Road. The building was designed by William Tadman Foulkes, and built between 1884 and 1886 under supervision of Henry Currey, the Duke of Devonshire's architect.^[18]

The council has its main offices nearby at 1 Grove Road, a large building which also includes a library and theatre.^[19] That building was completed in 1964 on a site which had been occupied by the previous library and fire station, which were both destroyed in 1943 during the Second World War.^[20]

Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 27 councillors representing 9 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held every four years.^[21]