Work continues on shake-up of councils despite legal challenge over government decision

A legal challenge by Hampshire County Council will not see the authority halt work on the proposed council mergers.

Conservative leader Nick Adams-King told cabinet colleagues the county council’s judicial review had been lodged against local government reorganisation (LGR). He said the authority must now wait for the initial outcome of the legal process.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, July 7, Cllr Adams-King said: “Clearly that will also be happening around the time of the new government.

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“There is a lot of uncertainty around what is happening but work still continues apace with local government reorganisation because we can’t assume things will change in any way.”

Hampshire County Council launched a judicial review against the government’s plans to replace the existing 14 authorities with four new larger unitary bodies delivering all services.

The challenge centres around a view the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government failed to adequately explain the secretary of state’s decision-making process or justify the financial case for the chosen approach.

The legal advice received before deciding to mount the challenge has not been released to the public.

Liberal Democrat-run Portsmouth City Council has launched its own judicial review, stating it is already a unitary authority with relatively stable finances.

It also argues there was inconsistency in the government’s approach as four other proposed authorities would serve less than 290,000 residents.

The current LGR timeline will see elections take place for shadow authorities in May next year before the new council’s go live in April 2028.

Under the arrangements Portsmouth will be merged with Havant, Gosport and Fareham - with the villages south of Butser Hill and the Newlands area of Waterlooville also added.