Public Consultation Planned on Future of Local Government in Hampshire

The Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Roy Perry, has announced that a public consultation will go ahead shortly on options for local government in Hampshire in future.

The announcement made on 13 May at the County Council’s AGM, follows recent devolution negotiations which stalled earlier this year when central Government hardened its line on elected mayors being a requirement for devolution deals, even in rural areas. As a result, some Hampshire councils have been collaborating to form separate combined local authority areas in the south and north of the county – the Solent, and Heart of Hampshire plans. These proposals would essentially split the county in two, initially for highways and transport but with the potential for more and more services to be split between the two areas under their respective mayors.

In the face of these moves to split Hampshire, the County Council recently commissioned an independent study by Deloitte to provide an initial analysis of how services could be better provided across the whole county, at lower cost. One suggested option was the creation of a unitary authority for the county of Hampshire, like those councils which already exist for the Southampton and Portsmouth areas. This option would see the abolition of the county and district councils, to be replaced by a new unitary council, but would leave town and parish councils untouched. According to the independent report, the concept of a new unitary ‘Hampshire Council’ could provide residents with the greatest level of continuity in services, the highest savings and the lowest cost of implementation. Councillor Perry believes this option has the potential to give much more influence and power to local Town and Parish Councils, thereby strengthening local democracy. Other counties that have become unitaries, such as Wiltshire and Cornwall, have shown what can be done by creating extensive ‘Area Committee’ structures and devolving significant resources to town and parish councils.

However, before there are any changes in local government structure across Hampshire, whether it is for combined authorities, an elected Mayor or a unitary council, Councillor Perry has made it clear that there must be a full and genuine public consultation with residents.