The Government has published its decision on how local councils in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton will be reorganised.
The following new unitary councils will be established in April 2028 and include boundary changes. This was Option 1A of the bids submitted by Hampshire councils to the Government.
North Hampshire Council (current local government areas of Basingstoke and Deane, Hart and Rushmoor).
Mid Hampshire Council (current local government areas of East Hampshire, New Forest, Test Valley and Winchester, less 11 parishes from all 4 areas*).
South East Hampshire Council (current local government areas from East Hampshire, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, Portsmouth, 3 parishes from East Hampshire and 1 parish from Winchester).
South West Hampshire Council (current local government areas of Eastleigh, 4 parishes from New Forest, Southampton and 3 parishes from Test Valley).
Isle of Wight Council will remain as a separate unitary authority.
*The parishes of Clanfield, Horndean and Rowlands Castle (currently under East Hampshire District Council) will move to the South East unitary.
The government said that it chose five unitary councils because it most reflected the distinctive nature of the local communities and was the option that would best deliver the government’s priorities.
LGR is a national process that looks at how councils are structured in a local area.
In places with a county council and separate district/borough councils (a “two-tier” system), the government wants to instead create single-tier unitary councils that run most local services in one organisation.
The aim of LGR is to reorganise councils so that they have clearer accountability and long-term financial sustainability.
A unitary authority is a single council that is responsible for almost all local services in an area.
At the moment in most of Hampshire, some services (like education and social care) are run by Hampshire County Council and others (like waste and planning) are run by district or borough councils such as East Hampshire District Council. In a unitary system, one council would do both.
For now, nothing changes.
You still contact East Hampshire District Council in the usual ways. You use the same services and facilities. You continue to pay your bills in the same way.
In the coming months we will explain what is happening, when it will happen and what it means for you well in advance.
There will be no change to services currently provided by EHDC.
No. Services continue as normal. Any changes to how services are organised would be planned during the transition period and communicated in advance.
No decisions are made today about future sites. Operational and customer services need to keep running. Any future changes would be part of transition planning and would be communicated clearly.
Town and parish councils are not being reorganised in the same way as district and county councils. The Government has previously said it sees an important role for them in local governance. We will share any confirmed local arrangements as they emerge.
January 2025 - Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton councils submitted a joint expression of interest to join the Devolution Priority Programme (DPP).
February 2025 - The government announced that Hampshire and the Solent had been selected to join the DPP.
February 2025 - Government invites proposals for local government reorganisation and sets out six criteria.
July 2025 - East Hampshire District Council works with Hampshire County Council to develop a proposal.
September 2025 - Our proposal is submitted to government. Other proposals from Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton councils are also submitted.
November 2025 - A public consultation is opened by the Government, allowing local people to comment on all the proposals.
January 2026 - The Government’s consultation ends on 9 January.
March 2026 - The Government published its decision on how local councils in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton will be reorganised.