Local Government Reorganisation

Understanding Local Government Reorganisation

In December 2024, the Government announced a major reform programme for local government across England. This includes two key initiatives:

1. Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
2. Devolution
   

What is Local Government Reorganisation?

Local Government Reorganisation means changing the way councils are set up. Right now, some areas have two types of councils:

1. County councils
2. District councils

Local Government Reorganisation is designed to simplify how local services are delivered by replacing the current system. The Government wants to replace this with one single council (called a unitary authority). These new councils would take on full responsibility for all local government functions in their area, helping to streamline services and improve efficiency. 

The Government’s preferred approach is for unitary councils to serve populations of more than 500,000. However, exceptions may be made, allowing smaller councils like the Isle of Wight, which is already a unitary authority — to continue operating in exceptional circumstances. These will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Read the formal invitation from the Minister to local authorities in our region, inviting proposals for local government reorganisation:

• Download a copy of the Invitation from the Minister to the local authorities in Hampshire and the Solent area (PDF, 289KB)

Public consultation on Local Government Reorganisation

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has launched its public consultation on Local Government Reorganisation. 

Residents have the opportunity to share their views on the options that the government are considering. 

The consultation is live and will run for seven weeks from Wednesday 19 November 2025 until 11 January 2026. Further information on the proposals and the process can be found by accessing:

Proposals for local government reorganisation in Hampshire,Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton - GOV.UK 

The Consultation

The consultation will be on four proposals brought forth from councils in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton.

These individual proposals are

• East Hampshire District and Hampshire County Council - East Hampshire District Council and Hampshire County Council submitted a proposal for four unitary councils
• Option1 - Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, New Forest District Council and Test Valley Borough Council submitted a proposal for five unitary councils
  
• Option 1a - Eastleigh Borough Council, Fareham Borough Council, Hart District Council, Havant Borough Council, Portsmouth City Council, Rushmoor Borough Council and Southampton City Council also submitted a proposal for five unitary councils
  
• Option 2 - Winchester City Council submitted a separate proposal for five unitary councils

The consultation includes questions about each proposal which will support the evaluation process. All four options propose the Isle of Wight remain unchanged as an existing unitary council.

To complete the consultation, the following link will take you directly to the consultation page, where you will find questions on each of the four proposals:

Consultation on Proposals for Local Government Reorganisation in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton - Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government - Citizen Space 

What happens next?

Following the consultation the government will be making a final decision in early 2026.

Want to learn more?

The Local Government Association (LGA) website provides

• videos explaining LGR 
• frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 
• more background information 

Visit the LGA website