On 6 February 2025, the Government announced that Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils and Isle of Wight Council had been successful in their joint bid for inclusion on the Government’s fast-track Devolution Priority Programme (DPP).
A regional Mayor will be elected to head up a new Strategic Authority across the wider region. The mayor will be responsible for driving local economic growth, strategic planning and infrastructure, strategic transport and other areas. Their powers and funding will be transferred from government departments.
This change will bring significant investment and additional powers to improve economic growth, skills, transport and regional collaboration in the area. The Mayoral Strategic Authority will work closely with local councils, focusing on responsibilities currently held by Central Government in Whitehall.
Elections for a Mayor are expected to be held in May 2026.
To enable our region to progress Devolution to the most ambitious timeframes, the Government has confirmed that local elections for Hampshire County Council will be postponed until May 2026. They were due to take place in May 2025.