Whole of Hampshire and Isle of Wight

Isle of Wight council to be swallowed by a Hampshire-wide Combined Authority?

The Leader of Hampshire County Council, Roy Perry, has written to the responsible Government Minister to inform him that The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Government Association (HIOWLGA) have ‘unanimously agreed’ to what would be a major change for the region.

The body, which represents all Hampshire councils, including the current Unitary council of the Isle of Wight, have agreed to support a proposal for a Hampshire-wide Combined Authority – later referred to as the Southern Powerhouse.

This major change to the area hasn’t been officially announced, but was discovered in the paperwork for Winchester council by Jessica Parker of BBC Radio Solent.

All areas, combined
This new authority would combine the Isle of Wight, all 11 Hampshire Districts and the other two Unitary authorities in the area, Portsmouth and Southampton, Minister Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government will learn in the letter.

The stated aim for this would be to prepare the area for Devolution.

The letter is below, so you can read more