Controversial shake-up of councils in Hampshire on hold in light of a new government review

Controversial plans to create new larger councils in Hampshire have been put on hold by the government following legal advice.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said a review will take place is to ensure the process is robust and aligns with the new Government’s aim to “rewire the state”, and follows “updated and privileged legal advice”.

It means that decisions over local government reorganisation in Hampshire have been withdrawn. This includes that to abolish all existing councils and combine the existing Portsmouth, Havant, Gosport and Fareham authorities into one new council with the Newlands area of Waterlooville and the villages south of Butser Hill.

It comes after least eight councils across the country launched legal challenges to or were considering to do so over the plans - including Portsmouth City Council and Hampshire County Council.

The government said that the changes would create more efficient local councils, getting rid of the confusing two-tier structure which exists in some areas of the county. However Portsmouth City Council has argued it is not needed as it is already a unitary authority, while neighbouring councils fear losing their local identity.

Cllr Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council, said: "The Government's announcement completely vindicates our decision to challenge their plans. It shows there was no proper consideration of the process and Portsmouth's size, status as a unitary council and financial sustainability had not been taken into account.

"We will wait and see what the Government's review brings but our stance is still that the best thing for Portsmouth is to be left as it is. Any future process should be fully fair and transparent and we'll continue to make our case to protect the city's interests."

Reform UK-led Kent County Council is set to consider a judicial review at a meeting on Tuesday after it did not receive a response from the Government to a letter setting out concerns over plans for its area. Plans for reorganisation in Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk have also been withdrawn in the light of new legal advice.

Decisions on 14 further areas will be reviewed and paused alongside the cases of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and West Sussex, which are yet to have a decision confirmed.

The Government will also confirm that local elections in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries, saying it remains committed to effective and sustainable local government and simplifying these structures.

Communities Secretary Angela Rayner is expected to tell Parliament later today (Monday): “As we are now more determined than ever to devolve power closer to the people we represent, it’s only right that as a new Secretary of State I make sure that everything we do is working towards that plan to change Britain, without delay.

“The Prime Minister told the House last week he was ‘prepared to look at local government reorganisation’ and he asked me as his Communities Secretary to ‘do that’.

“In that context, in light of legal advice, I want to satisfy myself firstly that the right process is in place, that it is robust, and of course complies with the law.

“And, secondly, I want to fully test whether our proposals for local government reorganisation meet the priorities of a new administration and a new Prime Minister, and any additional considerations.

“I do not take this lightly. I recognise the huge amount of work that has already gone into progressing reorganisation in each of these areas and I am very grateful for it.”

MHCLG said reorganisation in Surrey will not be affected by the review and the two new unitary authorities, East and West Surrey, will go live in April 2027.