Hampshire devolution: council leader demands government keeps 'hands off Gosport' ahead of possible abolition
Gosport Borough Council’s leader has hit out at the government’s “flawed” devolution plans which could see it abolished.
Peter Chegwyn (Forton), the leader of the Liberal Democrat-run council, will propose a motion telling the Labour government to keep its “hands off Gosport”.
The motion could see the council agree to oppose the government’s devolution plans and local government reorganisation when it is discussed and voted on at next week’s full council meeting.
Seconded by Rob Hylands (Lib Dem, Brockhurst and Privett), the motion said: “Councillors believe that decisions on Gosport’s future are best made by elected Gosport councillors of whichever party who are accountable to local Gosport residents, not by councillors from other parts of Hampshire who are less likely to have Gosport’s best interests at heart.”
In the motion, Cllr Chegwyn said plans to merge council boroughs and districts, giving powers to Metro-style mayors and creating regional councils with populations of 500,000 or more is “flawed”.
It also said true devolution powers should stay with the people who are “closer to the people” and “serve” the residents. It said keeping the existing system of district, town and parish councils is “more democratic” and “accountable”.
“There is little evidence to suggest ‘bigger is better’ or likely to produce the financial savings which the Government claims,” it said. “Gosport Council rejects plans for a ‘Greater Portsmouth’ unitary authority merging the existing Portsmouth unitary authority with the existing Gosport, Fareham and Havant borough and district councils.”
Gosport residents are due to go to the ballot box in May to elect Hampshire County Council councillors – but these could be postponed due to the reorganisation.
The motion added: “County and borough councillors should be accountable to local residents through the ballot box and that any attempt by politicians to cancel or postpone elections for political reasons sets a very dangerous precedent.”
The government brought forward a white paper on its plans to reorganise local government at the end of last year. Devolution deals aim to transfer powers and resources from the national government to local authorities, allowing councils to collaborate on key areas such as transport, housing, skills, and economic development.
The motion will be debated at Gosport Borough Council’s full council meeting on February 5.