The Borough of Havant is a local government district with borough status in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in Havant. Other towns and villages within the borough include Bedhampton, Cowplain, Emsworth, Hayling Island, Purbrook, Waterlooville and Widley. The borough covers much of the semi-urban area in the south east of Hampshire, between the city of Portsmouth and the West Sussex border.
Borough of Havant | |
|---|---|
 Pedestrianised section of West Street, Havant, on market day | |
 Havant shown within Hampshire | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | South East England |
| Non-metropolitan county | Hampshire |
| Status | Non-metropolitan district |
| Admin HQ | Havant |
| Incorporated | 1 April 1974 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan district council |
| • Body | Havant Borough Council |
| • Control | No overall control |
| • MPs | |
| Area | |
• Total | 21.4 sq mi (55.3 km2) |
| • Rank | 238th (of 296) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 126,985 |
| • Rank | 193rd (of 296) |
| • Density | 5,950/sq mi (2,300/km2) |
| Ethnicity (2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion (2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| ONS code |
|
| OS grid reference | SU717062 |
History
editHavant itself was an ancient parish.[2] Until 1852 it was governed by its vestry, in the same way as most rural areas. The parish was made a local board district in 1852, governed by an elected local board.[3] Such districts were reconstituted as urban districts in 1894.[4] The neighbouring parish of Warblington (which contained Emsworth) was made an urban district at the same time.[5]
The Havant Urban District was substantially enlarged in 1932, taking in the urban district of Warblington and the parishes of Bedhampton, North Hayling, South Hayling and Waterloo, with some adjustments to the boundaries with other neighbouring areas. It was renamed the Havant and Waterloo Urban District, and the whole area was made a single urban parish called Havant.[6]
The Havant and Waterloo Urban District was reconstituted as a non-metropolitan district named just "Havant" by the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974.[7][8] The district was granted borough status as part of the 1974 reforms, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. No successor parish was created for the former urban district.[9]
The Borough of Havant is twinned with Wesermarsch district in Germany and Yavoriv Raion in Western Ukraine.[10]
Under upcoming local government reform plans the district will be merged with nearby districts including Portsmouth to form a new South East Hampshire unitary authority in 2028.[11]
Governance
editHavant Borough Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Paul Tansom since 20 May 2026[12] | |
Steve Jorden since April 2023[14] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 36 councillors |
 | |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | 4 years |
| Elections | |
Last election | 7 May 2026 |
| Meeting place | |
| Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant, PO9 2AX | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Havant Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Hampshire County Council. There are no civil parishes in the borough.[15][16]
Political control
editThe council has been under no overall control since the 2024 election, being run by a Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green coalition, led by Labour councillor Gillian Harris.[17][18][13]
Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:[19][20]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| No overall control | 1974–1978 | |
| Conservative | 1978–1990 | |
| No overall control | 1990–2002 | |
| Conservative | 2002–2024 | |
| No overall control | 2024–present | |
Leadership
editThe role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Havant. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2001 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Gillett[21] | Conservative | 2001 | 2008 | |
| Tony Briggs[22] | Conservative | 2008 | May 2014 | |
| Mike Cheshire[23] | Conservative | 28 May 2014 | May 2018 | |
| Michael Wilson[24][25] | Conservative | 9 May 2018 | May 2021 | |
| Alex Rennie[26][27] | Conservative | 19 May 2021 | May 2024 | |
| Philip Munday[28] | Labour | 15 May 2024 | May 2026 | |
| Gillian Harris[13] | Labour | May 2026 | ||
Composition
editFollowing the 2026 election the composition of the council was:[29]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 7 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 5 | |
| Green | 6 | |
| Reform | 10 | |
| Conservative | 5 | |
| Independent | 3 | |
| Total | 36 | |
Havent Borough Council is planned to be abolished in 2028, to be replaced by a new South East Hampshire unitary authority.[29][11]
Elections
editSince the last boundary changes in 2024 the council has comprised 36 councillors representing 12 wards with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held in three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) being elected each time for a four-year term of office. Hampshire County Council elections are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no borough council elections.[30]
Premises
edit
The council is based at the Public Service Plaza on Civic Centre Road in Havant. The building was previously called Civic Offices and had been built in 1977, replacing the old Town Hall on East Street in the centre of Havant, which subsequently became The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre.[31] A large extension was added to the Civic Offices in 2011 to incorporate some Hampshire County Council offices and space for voluntary organisations as well, after which the building was renamed Public Service Plaza.[32]
Members of Parliament
editAs of 2024, the boundaries of Havant borough mostly coincide with the parliamentary constituency of Havant, represented by Alan Mak, former Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. The northwestern Cowplain and Hart Plain wards lie in the constituency of Fareham and Waterlooville, represented by former attorney general and home secretary Suella Braverman.
See also
editReferences
edit- 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Havant Local Authority (E07000090)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ↑ "Havant Ancient Parish / Civil Parish". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ↑ "No. 21310". The London Gazette. 16 April 1852. p. 1084.
- ↑ Local Government Act 1894
- ↑ Annual Report of the Local Government Board. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1895. p. 276. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ↑ "Relationships and changes Havant and Waterloo UD through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- ↑ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ↑ "Increased cultural links will be formed by new town twinning | Havant Borough Council".
- 1 2 "Local Government Reorganisation Statement made on 25 March 2026". UK Parliament. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ "New mayor for Havant borough delighted to take on key role after his appointment". The News. 21 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 Brown, Kelly (6 June 2026). "First female leader appointed at council as labour-led coalition continues". The News.
- ↑ Boakye, Kwame (30 January 2023). "Job moves: New chiefs at Havant and Brent". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
- ↑ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ↑ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
- ↑ Needs, Noni (15 May 2023). "Havant Borough Council run by a new coalition following shock local election results". The News (Portsmouth). Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ↑ "New Leader and Cabinet announced for Havant Borough Council". Havant Borough Council. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ↑ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 26 November 2024. (Put "Havant" in search box to see specific results.)
- ↑ "Havant". BBC News Online. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
- ↑ "Council report, 28 May 2014" (PDF). Havant Borough Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ Paine, Toby (17 November 2022). "Long-standing Havant councillor Tony Briggs is made an alderman". The News. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ "Council minutes, 28 May 2014". Havant Borough Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ "Council minutes, 9 May 2018". Havant Borough Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ Turner, Emily Jessica (14 May 2021). "Council leader Michael Wilson steps down from top role at Havant Borough Council". The News. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ "Council minutes, 19 May 2021". Havant Borough Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ Forero, Natalia (3 May 2024). "Local elections 2024: Huge shock as Conservatives lose Havant Borough Council - full list of results". The News. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ "Council minutes, 15 May 2024". Havant Borough Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- 1 2 "Havant". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ↑ "The Havant (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2023/200, retrieved 11 November 2023
- ↑ "Our History". The Spring. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ↑ Cousins, Ralph (2016). A Brief History of Havant (PDF). Havant: The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre. p. 13. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
External links
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