What is happening to councils

The Government's long-term vision is to simplify how councils are organised and run and who provides your services.  

Devolution 

Devolution creates strategic authorities to provide strong leadership for their areas on issues including housing, highways and transport, economic growth, skills, environment and climate change, health and public safety.   

The proposed changes would create one large strategic authority for the whole of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, led by an elected mayor. 

This would mean a transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. There would be greater control over important areas for our region.  

Local government organisation 

Happening alongside devolution but a different process, local government reorganisation will replace the current two-tier council system by creating unitary authorities that operate most day-to-day services currently delivered by the county and district or borough councils. 

These councils will be with replaced with large unitary councils of population sizes of around 500,000.

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.