East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) has progressed to the next phase of local government reorganisation by narrowing down the options for new unitary councils to four.
The reorganisation is part of a central government requirement for all ‘two-tier’ council areas across the country to transition to single-tier unitary authorities. Under these proposals, district and county councils would no longer exist, with unitary councils delivering all services in their areas instead.
In March, EHDC submitted its initial proposals to central government alongside the other 14 local authorities covering Hampshire, including Hampshire County Council, the city councils, and the other district and borough councils.
Since then, EHDC has worked in partnership with Hampshire County Council (HCC) to develop an evidence-based proposal for a preferred option. This process has involved rigorous analysis of detailed data and qualitative information to refine the potential scenarios to four. The four options are:
EHDC and HCC are currently undertaking a thorough assessment of the data using a robust methodology. This includes a comprehensive financial appraisal that considers implementation costs, payback periods, and the broader economic context of each area. Key data being analysed includes population size, levels of deprivation, employment statistics, and potential business rates revenue.
These four options are now being robustly assessed using a detailed options appraisal, with the aim of selecting a preferred option. This recommendation will be considered by councillors at both EHDC and Hampshire County Council on 17 and 18 July.
Once a preferred option has been selected, there will be a period of public engagement to allow residents to provide feedback – this will be launched later this month. This input will help shape the final proposal, which will be considered by councillors again in September, before submission to central government on 26 September.
EHDC and Hampshire County Council will be launching an engagement process later this month, and residents are encouraged to take part in this important consultation.
Meanwhile, other district and borough councils across Hampshire, along with Southampton, Portsmouth, and the Isle of Wight, have launched their own engagement around alternative proposals. Their suggestions differ from those being developed by EHDC and Hampshire County Council, as expected. They are currently exploring three options – each proposing the creation of five unitary councils to replace existing districts and boroughs.
Further information about their engagement can be found at: https://ourplaceourfuture.commonplace.is/
Cllr Richard Millard, EHDC Leader, said: “Our work to develop evidence-based options is progressing at pace. “We are now in a position to dig into the detail of four options and consider which best meets central Government criteria.
“Once this next stage of robust analysis has been completed, we will propose a preferred option from these four, which will be considered by our councillors.
“When the preferred option has been selected we will seek residents’ views to further develop our proposal.”
Cllr Nick Adams-King, HCC Leader, said: “The Government is requiring us to make these changes and it’s vital we get this right for everyone. By simplifying how councils work across the area we can make services better and easier to access, more joined-up, and deliver great value for money for taxpayers, all while protecting what matters most to local people.
“We’ve already been carefully examining all the facts and data, talking to people who use public services, and the people who run them - taking the time to understand what will work best for our residents, and we look forward to hearing what residents think of our ideas as we shape the best possible future for our area.”