The Leader of East Hampshire District Council has written to the Government for the second time in a week, demanding clear answers over the future of local government in Hampshire.
The latest letter follows a response from the Minister on 4 November which, Cllr Richard Millard says, failed to answer either of the two questions he had put to the Government about the timetable and possible outcomes of local government reorganisation.
He is seeking a firm commitment that the Government will make its final decision on Hampshire before the end of March 2027. He says the Government's commitment to an "outcome" by early 2027 still leaves councils unclear whether this means a final decision or simply a provisional position.
He is also asking the Government to explain what happens if it decides not to proceed with any of the proposals currently before it, including whether retaining the existing structure of local government in Hampshire remains an option.
Cllr Richard Millard, EHDC's Leader, said: "This is the second time in a week that I have written to the Minister asking two straightforward questions about Hampshire's future. We have had a response, but we have still not been provided with the answers.
"Saying Hampshire will have an 'outcome' by early 2027 simply isn't clear enough. We need to know whether that means a final decision and, importantly, whether we will have that decision before the end of March – prior to our local elections.
"We also need a clear answer about what happens if the Government decides that none of the proposals currently before it are right for Hampshire. Does the existing structure remain an option, and if not, what happens next?
"Councils, staff and communities across the whole of Hampshire have already lived with uncertainty for long enough. These are not complicated questions and I don't think it is unreasonable to expect straightforward answers.
"We are ready to engage constructively with Government, but we need clarity to do that. I am asking the Minister again to give Hampshire the answers it deserves."
The latest letter says that the Minister's response "largely repeats information already given in the Government's unclear statement" and explicitly asks for a direct response to each question rather than further generic information.