The Government has agreed that Portsmouth City Council can join the county council, plus those from the Isle of Wight, Southampton and district councils throughout Hampshire to be included in the Devolution Priority Programme, which is likely to lead to the election of a regional Mayor.
The massive reorganisation of local government - another unexpected policy from Labour - was announced just before Christmas, 2024.
Amid fears of voters being denied democracy, there’s little time for consultation with the Mayoral elections and changes due to start from May 2026.
Representatives of all of Hampshire’s councils are now working together to produce detailed proposals to submit to the Government by the end of September, although this deadline may be extended to the end of November.
Portsmouth could keep some of its current powers as a unitary authority but, as well as being responsible for the city, it may be forced to take in neighbouring districts, such as Havant, Fareham and Gosport, to boost the population to the Government’s target of 500,000 per administrative area.
More information will be available this autumn.
