Councillors in Havant have approved the submission of an interim proposal as part of the Local Government Reorganisation programme.
At an Extraordinary Cabinet meeting last night (20 March), Cabinet members voted in favour of submitting the proposal, which has been jointly developed with the other 14 councils in the Hampshire and the Solent region.
In December 2024, the government announced a major programme of reform for local government comprising two elements.
The first is devolution, where powers are transferred from central government in Whitehall to local areas, creating a Hampshire wide strategic authority with an elected Mayor.
The second part is Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), which will replace the current two-tier system of county and district / borough councils with bigger, unitary authorities. These new unitary authorities will then sit within the larger, Mayoral strategic authority that will cover the whole of Hampshire
In February 2025, Hampshire and the Solent region was accepted onto the government’s Devolution Priority Programme (DPP). Elections to select a Mayor for Hampshire are due to be held in May 2026.
As part of the DPP, councils in Hampshire were asked to submit an interim proposal to government by 21 March, outlining how they might create a new structure of unitary authorities in Hampshire.
The interim proposal can be found here: Appendix 3 - Interim Letter Submission HIOW_v0.4_07032025.pdf
The proposal details the work carried out by councils so far to develop a new structure, but requests further information from government on several key issues before a proposed new structure is confirmed.
These issues include:
- Boundary changes
- The Isle of Wight remaining as a separate authority
- Financial support to deliver LGR
Due to the complexities around the region’s geography and economy, local councils have also asked to have an extra two months to develop a final proposal until 28 November, 2025.
Leader of Havant Borough Council, Councillor Phil Munday, said: “There is still a lot of work to do, but this was an important next step as we continue to develop the plans for Local Government Reorganisation and devolution in our area.
“The timelines are challenging, and we want to be thorough and to take an evidence-based approach, which is why we’ve asked for an extension until the end of November to develop the fairest proposal for the Hampshire and the Solent region.
“We’re still working to agree a structure of new unitary authorities, but we’ve agreed a set of guiding principles and priorities to underpin our work before we submit our final proposal later in the year. These include ensuring new authorities are financially stable and able to withstand financial shocks, equipped to effectively deliver key services and that local communities maintain their sense of identity.
“There is still time for residents to have their say on these important issues. I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in the government’s consultation on these proposals and make sure their voice is heard.”
The government’s consultation on devolution is open online until 13 April. To take part, go to: Hampshire and the Solent devolution - GOV.UK