The Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP has today confirmed there will be five new unitary authorities serving Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from April 2028.
The Government’s decision agrees with Fareham Borough Council’s preferred option for five local authorities in total for the area: four across the mainland with the Isle of Wight remaining as an independent island unitary authority. This option includes a number of boundary changes to reflect where people live and the services they use.
The following new local authorities will provide all services from one council to all people in their respective areas:
North Hampshire Unitary Authority
Basingstoke and Deane, Hart and Rushmoor
Mid Hampshire
East Hampshire, New Forest, Test Valley and Winchester
South West Hampshire
Eastleigh and Southampton together with Totton and Eling, Marchwood, Hythe and Dibden, and Fawley (currently New Forest District Council); Chilworth, Nursling & Rownhams and Valley Park (currently Test Valley Borough Council)
South East Hampshire
Fareham, Gosport, Havant and Portsmouth together with Newlands (currently Winchester City Council); Clanfield, Horndean and Rowlands Castle (currently East Hampshire District Council)
Cllr Simon Martin, Leader of Fareham Borough Council, said: “I am grateful to Government for listening to all of the feedback gathered throughout this process. I understand this was the only viable option for Fareham, given the constraints imposed by the government, but I am still struggling to understand why Devolution and the election of a Regional Mayor has been put on hold, despite being a key part of the government’s election manifesto, to focus on local government reorganisation (LGR) at breakneck speed – something that was news to us all!
“On a personal level, I, and many of my fellow councillors, are deeply saddened that Fareham Borough Council will be dissolved on 1 April 2028. As a small borough council, we have been proud to serve our residents and always punched above our weight. With prudence, careful financial planning and forethought we have delivered some amazing projects over the last 50 years which will leave our legacy right across the Borough. Our achievements include two fantastic leisure centres, clear and deliverable plans for the regeneration of our town centre underpinned by Fareham Live, the incredible success story that is Daedalus, the largest number of council homes being built for a generation and of course working with our partners to deliver Welborne Garden Village and the M27 J10 improvements. The new authority will have a tough act to follow.”
Fareham will now form part of a new south-east unitary council along with Gosport, Havant and Portsmouth. Our new authority will also include our neighbours in Clanfield, Horndean and Rowlands Castle from East Hampshire and Newlands from Winchester.
Each unitary council will be big enough to run complex services well, reduce duplication, enable economic growth, invest for the long term and be financially resilient.
This is a major change for our area: the biggest shake up of local government in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for over 50 years. We know we now must work together to make the most of this opportunity to shape more responsive services, boost our local economy and give our residents a say in decisions that affect their daily lives.
Going forward we will work positively and constructively with all the councils in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to make the transition as smooth as possible for the people we all serve.
