The Isle of Wight will have to wait until May 2028 to elect its first regional mayor after the Government rejected calls to bring the election forward by a year, despite warnings that the delay is costing the region more than £500,000 a week in potential investment funding.
Leaders of the Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority (HSCCA), which covers the Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth, have confirmed that ministers will not allow the inaugural mayoral election to take place in May 2027.
The decision comes despite cross-party calls for the election to be brought forward, with concerns previously raised about the financial impact of the delay and the estimated £6million to £7million cost of holding a standalone vote.
The election had originally been expected in May 2026 but was postponed by 2 years as part of the Government’s plans to reorganise local councils across Hampshire.
However, with those reorganisation plans subsequently put on hold, regional leaders had argued that there was no longer a reason to delay the mayoral election until 2028.
Nick Adams-King, Chairman of the HSCCA and Conservative Leader of Hampshire County Council, has expressed disappointment at the Government’s decision.
He said:
“We made a clear and practical case: residents should have an earlier say in who leads our region, with an elected mayor able to champion our interests as new powers and funding arrangements take shape.
Article continues below this advertisement “I remain convinced that would have been the right decision.”
The decision also has financial implications for the region.
Under the devolution agreement, Hampshire and the Solent is set to receive investment funding worth £44.6million annually for 30 years.
However, until a mayor is elected, the Government is providing just 40% of that amount, equivalent to approximately £17.8million a year.
This leaves a difference of around £26.8million annually, or more than £500,000 a week, compared with the funding available once an elected mayor is in place.
As previously reported by Island Echo, Bembridge Liberal Democrat councillor Mark Rochell has criticised the delay, arguing that the Isle of Wight is being left behind at a crucial time for local government.
Cllr Rochell previously warned:
“This means that for every week that we are made to wait for elections we are missing out on over half a million pounds of funding that could be controlled and invested locally.
“This feels yet again like the Island is being left behind.”
The Liberal Democrats have been among those calling for an earlier election, alongside prospective mayoral candidates from Labour and the Conservatives.
Support for bringing the vote forward has also come from Reform UK, with Hampshire County Councillor George Madgwick previously questioning the cost of holding a separate election.
Members of the HSCCA board were told that a standalone mayoral election in 2028 is expected to cost between £6million and £7million, with a financial reserve established to meet the bill.
The elected mayor will eventually take responsibility for a range of devolved powers, including transport, adult skills, housing, strategic planning and economic growth.
These responsibilities will cover the Isle of Wight as well as the wider Hampshire and Solent region.
Despite the setback, Cllr Adams-King has welcomed wider devolution measures announced in the Budget and confirmation that the combined authority will have mayoral strategic authority status.
He said work would continue ahead of the 2028 election, including developing a Local Growth Plan, preparing to take responsibility for adult skills and working with partners to attract investment and create employment opportunities.
Cllr Adams-King added:
“Our ambition for Hampshire and the Solent remains undiminished, and there is important work we can and must get on with now.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service has contacted the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for comment.
