Consultation opens on reorganisation of Hampshire councils

All options put forward for the major restructure of Hampshire’s councils remain in play as the government launches the next stage of the process.

Local authorities in the region submitted their final proposals for local government reorganisation (LGR) in September.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which will have the final say on the make-up of the new larger council areas, has decided to include all four options for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in its public consultation.

Residents and local organisations, including councils, health providers, police, businesses, voluntary and community sector and educational bodies, are being encouraged to have their say on the plans, which aim to deliver savings and transform public services.

Local government minister Alison McGovern said: “Too many places are being held back by complicated council structures that confuse local people and waste money.

“We’re fixing that by streamlining councils into single, easy-to-understand structures that can improve their public services, speed up decision making and help create jobs and opportunities in their communities.”

The LGR programme in Hampshire is part of the government’s national plans to replace the mix of unitary and two-tier local authority structures with larger unitary councils delivering all services.

The four options put forward by councils were:

East Hampshire District Council and Hampshire County Council submitted a proposal for four unitary councils.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, New Forest District Council and Test Valley Borough Council support a proposal for five unitary councils.

Winchester City Council support a separate proposal for five unitary councils.

Eastleigh Borough Council, Fareham Borough Council, Hart District Council, Havant Borough Council, Portsmouth City Council, Rushmoor Borough Council and Southampton City Council support a proposal for five unitary councils with boundary changes.

All four proposals leave the Isle of Wight unchanged as an existing unitary council.

Gosport Borough Council and Isle of Wight Council did not submit a proposal.

All of the councils backing a five-authority model put forward a joint business case for this overall approach.

Connection

Speaking for the group of eleven councils, Cllr Paul Harvey, leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, said: “Our message is clear that we want councils close enough to communities to maintain connection and big enough to deliver all services.

“Our proposal has the support of 11 local authorities in Hampshire and it is focused on our economic geographies that make most sense to the way residents live and work.”

The government’s LGR consultation will run for seven weeks until Sunday, January 11, 2026.

A decision from ministers on the make up of the new councils is expected to be made by March next year.

The consultation can be viewed online at consult.communities.gov.uk/local-government-reorganisation/hampshire-isle-of-wight-portsmouth-southampton/

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