May 7 2026 will be an important day for our region as it will mark the election of the first ever Mayor for the Mayoral Combined County Authority covering Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Here are the candidates we know about so far and on March 25th 2026, Business South will be hosting a Mayoral Hustings at Sparsholt College.
As well as having powers and funding over such key areas as transport, skills, environment and health and well-being, the Mayor will take a seat at the Prime Minister’s Council of Nations and Regions as well as the Deputy Prime Minister’s Mayoral Council, which would give the area a stronger voice with the government. Hampshire and the Solent will be one of the first parts of the South-East of England to be represented.
Crucially, the Mayor will take a leading role in delivering new houses across the Mayoral Combined County Authority geography and will play a key role in attracting investment into Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and supporting business growth.
Powers and Funding will focus on:
- Transport: New transport powers could make it easier for people to commute and travel around Hampshire and the Solent. The Mayoral Combined County Authority could tackle existing transport issues, for example connectivity between the cities and major towns in Hampshire & the Solent, through strategic engagement with Great British Railways and a statutory role for the Mayor in governing, managing, planning and developing the rail network.
- Skills: The skills powers and funding available could allow the Mayoral Combined County Authority to tailor the training and support for adults in the area to the types of jobs available locally and to local priorities.
- Housing: The funding and powers available to deliver new housing across the Mayoral Combined County Authority geography could help address issues around housing affordability.
- Economic development: The Mayoral Combined County Authority would play a key role in attracting investment into Hampshire and the Solent and supporting business growth.
- Environment and climate change: A strong role for the Mayoral Combined County Authority, such as playing a leading role in local nature recovery strategies, could help maximise the benefits from Hampshire and the Solent’s natural environment.
- Health, wellbeing and public service reform: The Mayoral Combined County Authority could play a key role in improving health and wellbeing, underpinned by a new bespoke duty in relation to health improvement and health inequalities.
The Mayoral Combined County Authority will play a crucial role in attracting international investment for the area – supporting business to thrive and grow, and creating vibrant places where people want to live and work.
