For those interested in the progress of Local Government Reorganisation in the region, the leader of Southampton City Council has ruled out putting forward a local authority restructure proposal that includes joining with Portsmouth City Council.
Here on the Isle of Wight the government has not ruled out the Isle of Wight council remaining a unitary authority. This is different from the Solent Devolution plan.
Options
Councillor Lorna Fielker made the commitment after Hampshire County Council (HCC) announced one of the options it had on the table involved a ‘south’ local authority made up of the two city councils alongside Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport and Havant.
It was “disappointing” the county council had decided to step away from collaborating with the majority of other councils in the region on local government reorganisation (LGR), the Labour council leader said.
Councillor Fielker told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the city council would be publishing its proposals for public comment “soon”.
New unitary authorities
Under the government’s national plans, new unitary authorities covering larger areas will be created from 2028 to deliver all council services.
This will involve scrapping the current two-tier local authority system.
Councils across Hampshire and the Solent region must submit a final response with their preferred restructure model to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government by 26th September.
The majority of the region’s local authorities are considering three options, each with four new unitary authorities in addition to Isle of Wight council remaining a stand-alone entity.
Last month, HCC and East Hampshire District Council announced they were stepping away from the collective discussions with the other 13 councils to work on their own proposals as a two-authority partnership.
On Monday 16th June, the county council published the four options they were reviewing for LGR:
- Option one (three authorities): north (Basingstoke and Deane, East Hampshire, Hart, New Forest, Rushmoor, Test Valley and Winchester), south (Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, Portsmouth and Southampton), and Isle of Wight.
- Option two (four authorities): north (Basingstoke and Deane, East Hampshire, Hart, Rushmoor, Test Valley and Winchester), south west (Eastleigh, New Forest, Southampton), south east (Fareham, Gosport, Havant, Portsmouth) and Isle of Wight.
- Option three (four authorities): north (Basingstoke and Deane, Hart and Rushmoor), south west (Eastleigh, New Forest, Southampton and Test Valley), south east (Fareham, Gosport, Havant, Portsmouth) and Isle of Wight.
- Option four (five authorities): north east (Basingstoke and Deane, Hart and Rushmoor), central (Test Valley, Winchester and East Hampshire), south west (Eastleigh, New Forest and Southampton), south east (Fareham, Gosport, Havant and Portsmouth) and Isle of Wight.
Adams-King: It’s important to present our own findings
Councillor Nick Adams-King, Conservative leader of HCC, said,
“We’re still working with our partners, and specifically East Hampshire District Council, as well as sharing data to ensure that all the options presented are as helpful as possible, but it’s important to present our own findings, and make our own recommendation, because we manage the vast majority of council services and highest budgets in the area.”
Fielker: Publishing our proposals soon
In response to the unveiling of HCC’s options, Councillor Fielker said,
“It’s disappointing that Hampshire has chosen not to collaborate with the other councils in the region.
“The constructive, cross-party work underway is benefiting from the experience of the three established unitary authorities, and local knowledge of our communities.
“We’ll shortly publish our proposals for public comment – none include merging Southampton and Portsmouth.”
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
