Working with Councils

2026–2028: Transitional Period

• When the Mayor is first elected on 7th May 2026, the MCCA will include:
  • Hampshire County Council (representing the existing districts)
  • Portsmouth City Council
  • Southampton City Council
  • Isle of Wight Council
• Constituent membership: HCC (2 seats), Isle of Wight (1), Portsmouth (1), Southampton (1).
• This means that during the transition period, the Mayor works with the councils that still exist before reorganisation.

From 2028: New Unitary Councils

• On 1 April 2028, Hampshire County Council, all the district/borough councils, and the existing unitaries will be abolished.
• They will be replaced by 4 or 5 new unitary councils, depending on which model the Government approves.
• At that point, the MCCA membership changes, and the Mayor will work directly with the new unitary councils (via an amending order to update the MCCA’s constituent councils).