Test Valley Borough councillors meet to discuss their own demise
As part of local government reorganisation Test valley Borough council would no longer exist
Test Valley Borough Council will meet on Wednesday to discuss a proposal that would see the council amalgamated with three other local authorities as part of local government reorganisation (LGR) plans.
Councillors are set to consider the joint LGR proposal to government drafted by 12 of the 15 councils in Hampshire titled ‘Close enough to be local, big enough to stay strong’, at cabinet and full council meetings both taking place on 24 September.
The government wants to replace the current system of councils - including Hampshire County Council, the 11 district and borough councils and the existing unitary councils - with new unitary councils that would be responsible for all services in their areas, each covering a population of approximately 500,000.
In response, the joint proposal from the authorities sets out how best to reorganise councils in Hampshire, with the finding that the creation of four new mainland unitary authorities and keeping Isle of Wight as an independent unitary council, would help to save at least £63.9 million a year. And critically, would ensure that the new authorities remained local enough to be able to understand and respond to their communities’ needs.
As part of this, the recommended option being put to councillors would see Test Valley join with Winchester, New Forest and East Hampshire to create one of those new authorities. This was also the option most popular with Test Valley residents who responded to a public survey back in July, with almost half of respondents supporting or strongly supporting the proposal.
Option two, which would still join Test valley with Winchester and East Hampshire but would see New Forest join Southampton, received significantly less backing, with under a third of respondents supporting or strongly supporting the option.
The least popular option with Test Valley residents was option three, with just 11% indicating their support. This option is largely based on option one, but would see Nursling and Rownhams, Chilworth and Valley Park split from the rest of Test Valley to join Southampton and Eastleigh.
Following the meeting, Test Valley will submit their joint proposal and preferred option to government on 26 September.
Transform
Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, Councillor Phil North, said: “We know that many of our residents and partners are not particularly enthused by local government reorganisation and we very much share those views. However, the government has set us a task that they have made clear is not up for debate and so, with a resolute focus on getting the very best outcome for our residents and collaborating cross-party with colleagues, we have worked with 11 other councils across Hampshire to develop this plan. For me, the main prize is securing four mainland councils that are large enough to succeed but small enough to care, whilst keeping Test Valley together. These are councils that, unlike other proposals, make sense, as they are grouped around similar communities and economies and have the greatest potential to create the right conditions to transform local government, rather than just reorganise it. The alternative being put by the county council is that we all end up being run from Southampton and I really don’t want that to happen.”
Criteria
The government requires that each existing council proposes how they would shape the new unitary councils for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, setting out the criteria each new council must meet.
The proposal is the result of joint work by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Eastleigh Borough Council, Fareham Borough Council, Hart District Council, Havant Borough Council, Isle of Wight Council, New Forest District Council, Portsmouth City Council, Rushmoor Borough Council, Southampton City Council, Test Valley Borough Council and Winchester City Council.
It proposes different options for the four new unitary councils for mainland Hampshire, at an average population size of 500,000, grouped around the major centres of Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester and Basingstoke. The Isle of Wight would stay its own island unitary authority, as it currently is.
Hampshire County Council and East Hampshire District Council are expected to submit a separate proposal to Whitehall, which would see the creation of three larger mainland unitaries, with one of those comprising Test Valley, Southampton, Eastleigh and New Forest.