English Devolution White Paper

In December 2024, the Government published the English Devolution White Paper, setting out a major programme of reform to local government.

For Hampshire, the White Paper has two linked but separate strands:

1. Devolution: Strategic Authority via an MCCA

Hampshire and the Solent has been identified as a candidate for a Strategic Authority.
Currently, this will be delivered through a MCCA made by secondary legislation. Government intends to bring an English Devolution Bill to automatically confer the full Devolution Framework on the MCCA ; if not, ministers will confer those functions by secondary legislation. The MCCA will cover all of Hampshire and the Solent.
The MCCA will be led by a directly elected Mayor, first elected on 7th May 2026.
This new regional body will take on strategic responsibilities such as transport, housing, skills, and infrastructure.

The White Paper also requires all two-tier areas (county + districts) to transition to unitary councils.
In Hampshire, this means:
- Hampshire County Council will be abolished.
- Existing Unitaries will be abolished.
- All Hampshire district and borough councils will be abolished.
- They will be replaced by either 4 or 5 new unitary authorities, depending on the model chosen.
Shadow elections for the new unitaries are planned for May 2027, with the councils going live on 1 April 2028.

The Mayor and MCCA will begin operating from 7th May 2026, before reorganisation is complete.
Until 2028, Hampshire County Council represents the whole county (including districts) on the MCCA .
From April 2028, the new unitary councils will replace the existing members of the MCCA .