New powers, budgets, governance and the appointment of a chairman are all on the agenda for the inaugural meeting of a regional authority backed by a £1.3billion investment fund.
Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority’s (HSCCA) 5-member board will hold its first public meeting at Southampton Civic Centre later today (Monday).
The authority has devolved powers and funding from government to focus on transport, housing and strategic planning, skills, economic development, public safety and the environment.
Councils will continue to run everyday services for residents.
The board is made up of councillors Nick Adams-King (Conservative) and George Madgwick (Reform UK) from Hampshire County Council, Sarah Bogle (Labour) from Southampton City Council, Steve Pitt (Liberal Democrat) from Portsmouth City Council and Isle of Wight Council leader Jonathan Bacon (Independent).
In the wake of a political row last week over the chairmanship, Cllr Adams-King has been recommended for the position, with Cllr Bacon put forward as vice-chairman.
A report to the meeting describes the appointments as a ‘critical early step’ in establishing the authority’s leadership arrangements prior to the mayoral election in 2028.
The board is also being asked to appoint Adam Swain as chief finance officer. Mr Swain currently holds a similar role at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.
Members will be asked to sign off key governance documents and policies.
HSCCA chief executive Ruth Adams told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:
“It is a really important moment because the board members are making the decisions that really bring the organisation to life.
“They are going to agree a very early budget. They are going to agree the legal framework of the authority.
“This meeting, if you imagine way back when, it’s everything that would have happened centuries ago setting a council up and that’s Monday.,
“Whilst it might seem quite an innocuous meeting, there’s this paper, there’s this paper, there’s this paper, it really is important.”
The board will aim to reach decisions by consensus at its meetings, but if a vote is needed decisions will be taken by a simple majority except for the budget, local transport plan and any changes to the constitution.
The chairman will have no casting vote, meaning if a vote is tied it is deemed not to have been carried.
HSCCA will have 2 regulatory committees in an audit and governance committee and an overview and scrutiny committee.
Both will have 10 representatives drawn from across the four councils, with four from Hampshire County Council and two from each of the three unitary authorities.
The political balance is set to be three Liberal Democrat, three Reform UK, two Conservative and two Labour members on each committee.
The authority’s first budget for 2026/27 sets out a balanced position with £14.6 million of expected revenue costs.
During its first year, HSCCA will focus on setting up delivery models, developing a pipeline of investment projects and preparing to integrate its key responsibilities across the region.
A reduced annual investment funding allocation of £17.8 million will be provided by the government in each of the two years before the mayor is elected. This will be split equally between capital and revenue.
The revenue allocation will be used to support project delivery and grant distribution (£6.1 million), on staffing and management costs (£976,000) and a contribution to an election reserve (£1.8 million).
Most of the capital allocation (£8.1 million) is earmarked for investment projects and programmes, with the remaining £800,000 set aside to support scheme development, appraisal, procurement and commissioning.
