The leader of Hampshire County Council has welcomed the news that Hampshire has been given the green light to explore devolution.
On Wednesday, February 5, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner announced the six new potential devolution areas throughout England with “a view to mayoral elections in May 2026”.
Including Hampshire and Solent in the list, Ms Rayener also confirmed that the elections scheduled for May will be postponed until 2026.
SEE MORE: Hampshire given green light for devolution with May elections postponed until 2026
"Devolution represents the biggest change to local government in a generation and to be accepted onto Government's Devolution Priority Programme as a fast-track to delivering devolution for the area is a fantastic opportunity for Hampshire to self-determine and shape devolution proposals in the best interests of our residents and communities.
“We are one of a select few local authorities nationally to join this fast-track programme, highlighting the substantial devolution opportunities recognised by the Government for our area.
"This selection also includes our upper-tier partners, Isle of Wight Council, and Southampton and Portsmouth City Councils and with a combined population of over two million residents, 90,000 businesses, and an economy generating around £80 billion annually, Hampshire and the Solent region are pivotal to the UK's economic landscape.”
Devolution will transfer greater powers and flexibilities from Westminster to Hampshire and the Solent region, accompanied by additional funding and investment.
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Cllr Adams-King added: "This will enable us to deliver the best possible future for our citizens and businesses, enhancing people’s quality of life and leading the way in the UK’s economic recovery over the coming years.
“In collaboration with our upper-tier partners, we have already begun to outline the opportunities that devolution presents: sustainable economic growth, reduced inequalities, and maximised net zero ambitions.
"We are committed to working in partnership across Local Government, businesses, education and the wider landscape of public sector partners to explore devolution’s potential for our area.”
Under the current devolution timeline, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is expected to launch a six—to eight-week public consultation in February.
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