New Forest District Council unanimously backs proposal for new mid Hampshire rural authority

A vote was held at the Special Council meeting, in which councillors recognised the overwhelming response from residents, businesses, local organisations and stakeholders who expressed a desire to prioritise a rural identity and keep the Forest whole avoiding boundary changes.

Reflecting on the Special Council meeting, Leader of the Council, Cllr Jill Cleary said:

“Whilst acknowledging that this council did not seek devolution or local government reorganisation it was recognised that we have worked collectively, across parties, to understand and take forward what we all feel is the very best for our forest residents.

Keeping the Forest whole has been our task, and I want to thank all the group leaders for their united support in this. To have unanimous support for this council’s position and to be able to say with one voice what we want to see for the Forest’s future in local government reorganisation is a strong statement.” 

Councillors unanimously voted to support the recommendation that ‘The Council endorses the Cabinet recommendations to submit Option 1 for local government reorganisation, which proposes the creation of a new rural unitary council for Mid Hampshire, encompassing the New Forest, Test Valley, Winchester and East Hampshire.’

Support for Option 1 has been shared by local communities throughout the process, including during public engagement earlier in the year which saw over 3,000 New Forest residents, businesses and community groups share their views.

Speaking in support of Option 1, Cllr Jill Cleary said:

“Option 1 is the only option that truly reflects how people live and identify with their place. It is the only option that protects our rural character, our local voice, and our ability to lead for our communities. 

It keeps the Forest whole. It avoids boundary changes that would split our communities. It delivers financial sustainability, with a payback period of just three years and annual savings of £63 million. It’s backed by robust financial modelling and a clear implementation plan. 

It’s also the option that best supports public service reform. It enables place-based working, neighbourhood empowerment, and local decision-making. It’s the option that allows us to design services around our communities, not force our communities to fit around services.” 

Option 1 would see the creation of four new unitary councils across mainland Hampshire, with the New Forest joining Test Valley, Winchester, and East Hampshire.

New Forest District Council, alongside other Hampshire councils, will now send a joint submission to government for Local Government Reorganisation titled ‘Close enough to be local, big enough to stay strong’. The business case has been developed collaboratively with 10 other councils across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, using a shared evidence base and detailed analysis against the government’s six tests for reorganisation. The submission will include New Forest District Council’s clear proposal of Option 1.

Council Leader, Cllr Jill Cleary will also write to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to express the Council’s strong support for keeping the New Forest whole and backing Option 1.

The government is expected to consult on the proposal later this year, with a final decision on Local Government Reorganisation in Hampshire and the Solent anticipated in spring 2026.