Basingstoke Community Forum

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Devolution and local government reorganisation

On Wednesday 5 February, the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner announced that Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (referred to by the government as Hampshire and the Solent) has been accepted onto the Government's Devolution Priority Programme (DPP) as a fast-track to delivering devolution for the area.

Devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. It ensures that decisions are made closer to the local people, communities and businesses they affect.

Through devolution, the government’s aim is for ‘strategic authorities’ to be created in all regions across England. These authorities, led by an elected Mayor for a population of at least 1.5 million people, would be responsible for setting the key strategic vision for a region as well as having powers and responsibilities for areas such as transport policy, economic development and skills and employment support.

The Ministry of Housing and Local Government published its plans for devolution and local government reorganisation in England in December in its English Devolution White Paper.

As a result of Hampshire and Isle of Wight being accepted on the Devolution Priority Programme, the county council elections due to take place in May will be deferred. An election for a Hampshire Mayor will take place in May 2026.

Local government reorganisation
The government has also set out plans for local government reorganisation. This would involve replacing Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Southampton City Council and all the district and borough councils, including our council, with unitary councils of population sizes of circa 500,000 (although lower numbers will be considered). This makes it clear for residents and businesses who is responsible for all local government services in an area and allows a more holistic and joined up approach to service provision with the aim of ensuring better outcomes for local people.

On Wednesday 5 February, the Deputy Prime Minister announced that all 21 two tier authorities across England – where there are county and district authorities – will be invited to submit proposals for new unitary councils. An outline plan should be submitted in March and a full proposal submitted in late September.

This will see the responsibilities and structures of the councils in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight reconfigured.

What local government reorganisation means for Basingstoke and Deane?
Basingstoke and Deane is part of a two tier structure which the government wishes to move away from to simplify local government for residents.

Basingstoke and Deane is a district council and is responsible for determining planning applications, collecting rubbish and recycling, keeping your streets clean and tidy, allocating affordable housing and homelessness prevention, licensing and other services and activities.

As the upper tier authority, Hampshire County Council is responsible for services including schools, social services, public transport, highways, waste disposal, trading standards and more.

The creation of new unitary councils would mean all these responsibilities would be merged and delivered by new unitary councils for each area of Hampshire.

Forming new unitary authorities in Hampshire and Isle of Wight
The government has set out the criteria for new unitary authorities including they should be responsible for a population of around 500,000 people, although there may be exceptions to this if new structures make sense for a specific area.

Basingstoke and Deane has a population of over 185,000 and is working alongside neighbouring authorities to draw up proposals for new unitary authorities within the Hampshire and Isle of Wight area that will drive economic growth for the area and best deliver services and meet the government’s criteria for reorganisation.

Key dates for creating new unitary authorities within Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Outline proposals for what the new unitary authorities could look like need to be submitted to the government by 21 March and a final proposal submitted by 26 September.

We are working collaboratively with other councils to look at the options for the future of local government in Hampshire, considering what would work best within the parameters set by government.

We want to ensure the proposals put forward are in the best interests of the people in Basingstoke and Deane and do not compromise the ability of residents to shape their local priorities in the future.

Under the current timetable, final proposals put forward will be considered by the government in early 2026. New unitary councils will then take over from either April 2027 or April 2028.