Test Valley Borough Council has voted to support a joint proposal for local government reorganisation (LGR) that would create four new mainland unitary councils across Hampshire, with Test Valley joining Winchester, New Forest and East Hampshire.
At special cabinet and council meetings, members considered the cross-authority plan “Close enough to be local, big enough to stay strong”, developed by 12 of Hampshire’s 15 councils. The proposal responds to government’s intention to replace the current two-tier system with unitary councils of around 500,000 residents.
All three options set out in the document meet government criteria and are forecast to deliver more than £63 million in recurring annual savings through streamlined services and reduced duplication. Test Valley has backed Option One – the configuration most supported by local residents in July – bringing together the four largely rural mid-Hampshire areas.
Speaking back on 24th September, Councillor Phil North, Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, said:
“Last night marked a historic moment, as we cemented our agreement to back the creation of four mainland authorities for Hampshire, and an option that would bring together Winchester, New Forest, East Hampshire and Test Valley to form one of those.
“Despite LGR not being our choice, we have worked collaboratively and constructively with councils of different political make-ups and different demographics across Hampshire… In our view, option one creates councils that make sense as they are grouped around similar communities and economies and give us a real opportunity to transform how we deliver services.
“Unfortunately, the County Council are still suggesting we should be run from Southampton. Our residents have been clear they don’t want to be joined with a large city… I am proud of the work we have done to make the very best of the hand we have been dealt, and I look forward to submitting our case to government tomorrow.”
Under the plan, mainland councils would be grouped around Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester and Basingstoke, with the Isle of Wight remaining a separate unitary authority. The council will now submit its preferred option to government.