Wikipedia

Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority

The Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority (HSCCA) is a strategic authority and combined county authority for the ceremonial counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the south of England that was established on 4 June 2026. Its creation is linked to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, first outlined in a white paper in 2024 by the Starmer ministry.[1][2] HSCCA will have a directly elected mayor, with the first mayoral election scheduled for May 2028.

Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority
Coat of arms or logo
Logo
Logo
Area covered by the Hampshire and the Solent Combined Authority
Type
Type
History
Founded4 June 2026
Leadership
Mayor of Hampshire and the Solent
TBD (first election 2028)
Website
https://hantsandsolent-ca.gov.uk/

Establishment

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The Isle of Wight was historically part of Hampshire. It became an administrative county in 1890, and a ceremonial county in 1974 when it gained its own Lord Lieutenant.

Previous plans in Hampshire have included a Solent Combined Authority in South Hampshire (potentially alongside the Isle of Wight) and a "Heart of Hampshire" deal including the remainder of the county. However, these plans were rejected in the south due to objections from Isle of Wight Council, and in the north of the county due to disagreements and the likelihood of the constituent authorities being reorganised.[3][4][5][6] A Dorset combined authority was proposed by the county's former nine constituent councils, and was being considered by the two unitary councils (Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) which replaced them in April 2019.[7][8] In 2021 a new plan including Hampshire, Isle of Wight, and Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole was being pursued, though lacking appetite for a mayor.[9]

In February 2025, the government announced that six areas had been selected to join the Devolution Priority Programme, which would include the establishment of mayoral combined authorities and combined county authorities in each area and local government reorganisation, if necessary, to remove two-tier local government.[10] In these areas, the councils involved were asked to submit final proposals for reorganisation at the end of September 2025.

Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth and Southampton city councils, and the cabinet of the Isle of Wight Council voted in favour of bringing forward the proposal. [11][12][13][14][15] Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council considered joining Hampshire and the Solent, but ultimately voted in favour of joining Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire in the Heart of Wessex proposal.[16][17][3]

The formation of a mayoral combined authority for Hampshire and the Solent was agreed by the UK government in February 2025.[18][19][20] The inaugural election was initially due to be held in May 2026 but in December 2025 the election, alongside those for three other new mayoral combined authorities, was delayed until 2028.[21][22]

The combined county authority was established by a statutory instrument[23] which came into force on 4 June 2026.[24][25]

Mayor of Hampshire and the Solent

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The first Mayor of Hampshire and the Solent was initially due to be elected in 2026; in December 2025, it was announced that the election would take place in 2028.[26] The mayor will be a member of the Mayoral Council for England and the Council of the Nations and Regions.

Membership

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Constituent local authorities

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Board members

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The combined county authority board consists of the following representatives. The five constituent board members nominate a chair from amongst themselves until the first mayor is elected in May 2028.[23]

Name Membership Nominating authority
Vacant until May 2028 Mayor of Hampshire and the Solent, constituent Direct election
TBD Constituent Hampshire County Council
TBD Constituent Hampshire County Council
TBD Constituent Isle of Wight Council
TBD Constituent Portsmouth City Council
TBD Constituent Southampton City Council

References

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  1. ↑ "English Devolution White Paper". GOV.UK. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  2. ↑ "The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026". www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Devolution and local government reorganisation". www.basingstoke.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  4. ↑ "Unity call as devolution 'dead in the water'". Alton Herald. Archived from the original on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  5. ↑ "New Solent authority deal 'scrapped'". BBC News. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  6. ↑ "New Solent authority deal 'almost dead'". BBC News. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  7. ↑ "Speed up Dorset combined council plan, MP urges". BBC News. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  8. ↑ "New Dorset unitary councils consider combined authority". BBC News. 18 January 2019.
  9. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: Devo map finds new deals in sight as negotiations begin". Local Government Chronicle (LGC). 7 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "Devolution revolution: six areas to elect Mayors for first time". GOV.UK. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
  11. ↑ "Devolution: What is going to happen where I live?". BBC News. 12 January 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  12. ↑ "Hampshire and The Solent Councils submit joint devolution request to Government". www.southampton.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  13. ↑ Stephen (10 January 2025). "Hampshire and The Solent Councils submit joint devolution request to government". Portsmouth City Council. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  14. ↑ "Hampshire County Council agrees to progress bid for devolution fast-track". www.hants.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  15. ↑ Webb, Caitlin (2 January 2025). "Hampshire & Solent launches bid for devolution priority programme". Local Government Chronicle (LGC). Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  16. ↑ "BCP joining regional devolution bid 'makes complete sense'". Bournemouth Echo. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  17. ↑ "Devolution deal: BCP Council opts to join Heart of Wessex". BBC News. 16 January 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  18. ↑ "Cheshire and Cumbria get devolution nod". 5 February 2025.
  19. ↑ "'A momentous day': Major update on new powers and mayor for region". 5 February 2025.
  20. ↑ "Devolution revolution: six areas to elect Mayors for first time". Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  21. ↑ "New mayoral elections to be delayed in four areas of England". BBC News. 4 December 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  22. ↑ "Hampshire and Solent mayoral hopefuls slam election delay". BBC News. 4 December 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  23. 1 2 3 "The Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority Regulations 2026". legislation.gov.uk. 3 June 2026. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  24. ↑ "Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority formally established following parliamentary approval". www.hants.gov.uk. 5 June 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  25. ↑ "New combined county authority officially established in the region". Andover Advertiser. 5 June 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  26. ↑ "Mayor election delay is 'insult to democracy'". BBC News. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  27. ↑ "Hampshire Decision Letter" (PDF). Gov.UK. 25 March 2026. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
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