Whiteley Town Council Devolution: Hampshire and the Solent

A new Strategic Authority is being created for the region covering Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, and Southampton.

It will be called Hampshire and the Solent and led by a directly elected Mayor (elections expected May 2026).  Update 4th December 2025, elections delayed until 2028.

What will the strategic authority do?

  • Transport and infrastructure
  • Housing and economic development
  • Skills, jobs, and education
  • Environment and climate change
  • Health, wellbeing, and public service reform
  • Public safety
  • Overall regional planning and leadership

Public consultation closed on 13 April 2025.

Local Government Reorganisation

The Government plans to replace the current two-tier council system (county + district/city/borough) with larger unitary authorities serving at least 500,000 people.

What will a unitary authority do?

It will combine the responsibilities of:

  • Hampshire County Council (HCC): Schools, social care, roads, waste management
  • City/district/borough councils (e.g., Winchester City Council WCC): Household bins, social housing, planning

Two proposals have been submitted to the Government

1. Hampshire County Council & East Hampshire District Council

2. Winchester City Council & 11 Other Councils

In both proposals Whiteley will stay with Winchester.

Whiteley Town Council’s view

  • Whiteley is uniquely located in central Hampshire with easy access to Winchester, Southampton, Eastleigh, and Portsmouth
  • Whiteley is a self-sufficient town with a thriving business park, shopping centre, junior schools, and a new secondary school opening in 2027
  • Whiteley is growing rapidly: 2,000 homes have been added to the 1,200 originally within the Town Council’s boundary, with a further 2,000 under construction/planned
  • The new community, recreation and sports facilities along with green spaces will be managed by the Town Council
  • Whiteley identifies more with central Hampshire: Winchester and its southern parishes than with urban Portsmouth

Whiteley Town Council wishes to be within a unitary authority that includes Winchester District, where its identity and governance are respected and understood.

Update November 2025

The Government has launched its consultation on the proposals please send in your views.