The Government has received a formal request to bring forward the region’s first mayoral election from May 2028 to May 2027.
Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority (HSCCA) has written to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) requesting that ministers reconsider the election timetable.
Cllr Nick Adams-King, HSCCA chairman, said:
“Since the combined authority was established, the board has been working at pace to lay strong foundations for devolution and to begin delivering the benefits of greater local decision-making.
“With the government now proposing a significantly wider range of powers and financial freedoms for mayoral authorities, it is increasingly important that Hampshire and the Solent has a directly elected mayor with a clear democratic mandate.”
Cllr Adams-King said the authority, which has a £1.3 billion devolution deal over the next 30 years, was ready to work with government to make a May 2027 election possible.
He added:
“Holding the election in 2027 would give residents an earlier say in who leads our region and ensure Hampshire and the Solent has the strongest possible voice as new powers and funding arrangements are developed.
Article continues below this advertisement “This is a constructive and practical request.”
A HSCCA spokeswoman said the May 2028 mayoral election date was originally based on council mergers through local government reorganisation (LGR) taking place first.
However, the LGR timetable changed earlier this month when communities secretary Angela Rayner withdrew the government’s approval decision for Hampshire’s restructure after receiving fresh legal advice.
The government said council elections will go ahead in May 2027 on current boundaries.
The HSCCA spokeswoman told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:
“That changes the context. If LGR is no longer happening on the original timetable, HSCCA believes there is a clear case for holding the mayoral election in May 2027 instead.
“This would give the region elected leadership, full devolution powers and related funding sooner, while keeping momentum behind devolution and aligning with other local elections already due to take place in 2027.”
Mayoral candidates for the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats have previously backed bringing the election forward.
A senior Reform UK councillor has also supported the proposal in the absence of a declared candidate for the party following the suspension of Chris Parry due to posts on social media.
Holding a standalone mayoral election in 2028 is estimated to cost between £6 million and £7 million.
On the election request from HSCCA, an MHCLG spokesperson said:
“We are always willing to speak to areas in the devolution priority programme who wish to progress devolution sooner and we will keep this suggestion under consideration.”
Let’s just hope that none of you are stupid enough to vote for Donna Jones or Reform.
Although as 61.9% of you also voted for Brexit (and look how that’s turned out?) it implies a full 10% stupidity level above the national average, so the rest of us are not holding out much hope in improvement since then.
Idle talk, the goverment have paused(we are going to get sued if we continue) the whole strategic mayoral mess, 1.3 billion over 30 years , well you do the maths, its peanuts, would not even cover fixing the pot hole costs.Certain individuals are just pushing their own agenda at the expense of comon sense.
I did do the maths. It equates to an extra £11m per region of which we are one of four. It is for regional INVESTMENT, not daily living expenses. That means that sassy, pro-community leaders should be able to capitalise on the money and increase necessary infrastructure of transport, housing, adult skills, employment and economic development.
If you think it is there to fix pot-holes, please don’t vote.
That’s £11m per year. Not a one off.
You forgot to mention over what period this money is promised ,not guaranteed, so your commendable shopping list of investments will never occur, besides labour are the only party who have bought into this devolved mayoral idea,and they cannot even get the basics of the idea right, when they get thrown out at the next election or their is a multi party government which is more likely any ideas which policy gets dropped overnight.
Ok poppet….here goes.
£1.3 bn over 30 years equates to just shy of £44m a year. Divide that by the four areas and that £11 million per year.
As devolution with the added investment money has already been shown to work in other areas (mainly the Labour areas) they clearly did the basics rights. It is subject to performance checks so therefore a guarantee would be a stupid idea. Bit like the guaranteed money we paid upfront to the island roads PFI contract. No performance? Whoops too late…no refund, and keep paying please.
If, after looking at the impact it’s had elsewhere, seeing the impact here and understanding the benefits people throw it out cos, well, ‘Labour left’, innit? I’d say that people have learned nothing in the past decade since they voted like turkeys for Christmas and gave up the trade and funds from the EU.
But then, bah, experts, whadda we know? We didn’t factor in that people clearly love the pain and hardship.
The Island needs a Mayor who puts road safety first
20mph is plenty
20 is not plenty for anyone, especially those who travel by bus. It would mean that a 2 hour journey would turn into a 4 hour journey. That in turn would increase operating costs and fares would go up. Don’t be silly. Some people have to go to work, even if you don’t.
Sadly that is life, leave home earlier.
Obviously the island needs to put in better infrastructure
to cope.
Trams would be a great idea.
You really can’t think even one step ahead, can you? Is it dementia or just plain stupidity? Either way I feel for you. Still, bliss is an existence I guess. In some respects I’m quite jealous.
It is making roads safe what is my concern, maybe
you are the one suffering.
Bless