Hampshire County Council has underlined the clear evidence and facts behind its proposed idea for four strong new unitary councils across Hampshire and the Solent – an approach grounded in robust evidence, financial realism, and decades of experience delivering crucial local services – in people’s homes, schools and communities across the county.

County Council Leader, Councillor Nick Adams-King said: “I firmly believe there is no single ‘right’ answer to the complex question of local government reorganisation for Hampshire and the Solent. We welcome all contributions to the debate on local government reform and will soon be inviting views on our proposal – but it’s vital that any proposal is underpinned by rigorous analysis, grounded in objective data, and above all, protects the most vulnerable members of our communities who depend on the vital services provided by the County Council.

“Our proposal for four unitary councils is based on detailed analysis and decades of experience delivering complex, high-risk services like social care, education, and highways. It gives equal weight to place, quality, and financial resilience. I fully respect that others may place a stronger emphasis on local identity and sense of place – and that perspective is valid. But we must also be realistic about scale. Any new councils will be larger than the district and borough councils we have now, so we all need to think differently about how we keep people involved in local decisions. By working with partners, we’re committed to finding new and better ways to make sure communities stay connected and local voices are heard.

“Ultimately, this is about delivering what works best for residents, especially those who rely most on essential services. We must avoid creating structures that set councils up to fail, leaving residents to bear the cost.”

If proposals are approved by the full County Council on Thursday 17 July, and the Council’s Cabinet on Friday 18 July, a public engagement period will begin soon after, giving residents and stakeholders the chance to share their views. This feedback will help shape the final proposal, which will be submitted to Government in the autumn.

Read more about the proposals to be considered by Hampshire County Council and East Hampshire District Council for new councils across the Hampshire and Solent area.