Wealden is the largest district in East Sussex covering 322.4 square miles (83502 hectares) and is home to 160,600 people (2019 based projections). Two thirds of the District is designated an a Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are 41 conservation areas and it has the largest amount of ancient woodland of any district in the country.

The Ashdown Forest falls completely within the north of the District and part of the south of the District is in the South Downs National Park.

One half of our population is located in the five main towns of Crowborough, Hailsham, Heathfield, Polegate and Uckfield, with the remainder divided among 37 rural parishes.

Wealden had 8,510 businesses in 2018. Small and micro-businesses form a fundamental part of the Wealden economy with 91% approx. of businesses in Wealden employing less than 9 people.

There are two distinct structures of local government:

• Unitary: a single tier structure where an all-purpose principal authority is responsible for providing most of the services such as Brighton and Hove City Council. This may have some Town or Parish Councils providing a lower local tier.
• County/District: comprising at least two levels, often with a third tier of town/parish councils, and found in the remaining shire counties in England.