Source: City of Portsmouth
We’re urging Portsmouth residents to have their say on the Government’s proposals to establish a new Mayoral Strategic Authority for Portsmouth, Southampton, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight.
The Government consultation can be accessed here Hampshire and the Solent Devolution – GOV.UK until Sunday 13 April 2025.
On 5 February, the Government announced six areas on to its Devolution Priority Programme (DPP) Those six areas are: Hampshire and the Solent, Cumbria, Cheshire and Warrington, Norfolk and Suffolk, Greater Essex, and Sussex and Brighton.
The new authority for Hampshire and the Solent will focus on economic growth, investment in infrastructure, skills, strategic transport and planning and will bring significant additional funding and powers from central Government departments to Portsmouth and the region.
If approved, elections for the new regional Mayor for Hampshire and the Solent will be held in May 2026.
Additionally, there will be a local election in Portsmouth in 2026; no elections have been postponed in Portsmouth because of the Devolution Priority Programme.
Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Cllr Steve Pitt, said: “Devolution brings big change for the area and has the potential to provide new opportunities for Portsmouth, with significant decisions around economic growth, infrastructure and transport being made locally, instead of by central Government.
“It’s hugely important that our residents and businesses are involved in the Devolution process and have their say. We’d encourage residents and businesses to go to the Government’s website to find out more and take part in their consultation to help shape the proposed arrangements for Portsmouth and the region, to benefit our local community.”
The Government’s Devolution plan is a separate process to their Local Government Reorganisation proposal, which is for neighbouring councils to join to create councils with a population of 500,000 of more.
Accessing the consultation
The full consultation document can be found online at the GOV.UK page: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/hampshire-and-the-solent-devolution.
Responses will be collected through citizenspace using the following link: https://consult.communities.gov.uk/lggc/hampshire-and-the-solent-devolution-consultation.
Government has yet to notify us of any in-person consultation events in our area.