Many of you will have seen or heard about the government plans outlined in a white paper published on the 16th of December 2024 (English Devolution White Paper) relating to devolution and local government reorganisation in England. This is being driven very hard by central government and all local authorities were given until early January to opt in to the process; a failure to do so resulting in the government potentially imposing a solution. There is no public consultation in this process.
In Hampshire the four existing primary local authorities, namely Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Southampton City Council and the Isle of Wight council, have all agreed to jointly submit an application for a mayoral combined authority for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, which matches the government target of covering a population of circa 1.5 million.
Below the combined strategic authority there will be a number of unitary authorities covering approximately half a million people each. It is likely that both Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils will expand to take in surrounding areas such as Havant, but just how the rest of Hampshire, covering the likes of Winchester, Basingstoke and Petersfield will be represented, is not yet clear. It is also believed that the role of the National Parks, both South Downs and The New Forest in Hampshire, are likely to remain largely unchanged.
The combined authority will have statutory powers and responsibility for transport and local infrastructure, skills and employment, housing and strategic planning, delivering growth hubs, coordinating local energy planning, local nature recovery and a bespoke statutory health improvement duty. They will also have accountability for police and fire and rescue.
The government have undertaken to confirm acceptance of Hampshire’s plans before the end of January and if successful, councils will have to submit an outline of the local government reorganisation plan by the 31st of March 2025, pending a full application for devolved powers in the autumn. Applications to defer upcoming local elections in 2025 have been made and a decision is awaited.
PeCAN is already engaging with other climate action groups and nature recovery groups right across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and is supporting Hampshire Climate Action Network to create a common message to support and engage with the new combined authority planning process, in respect of net zero targeting and nature recovery planning.
This is an opportunity to both support local government at what will be a difficult time and ensure the key messages on climate and nature recovery are heard and included in the planning process. Encouragingly, local authorities have already reached out to obtain input and support from some of the groups and we are hopeful of a positive engagement!
It is very early days in the process with little detail yet available, but PeCAN will remain engaged and keep you updated of progress.
Image copyright Nigel Barker
