Local Government Reorganisation Announcement: Hampshire ALC Statement

The Government’s announcement that the process of local government re-organisation is to be paused, in consequence of legal advice and a request by the Prime Minister, has added confusion to a process which had already created a great deal of uncertainty across Hampshire. It is vital that Ministers conduct and conclude their review speedily, so as to provide clarity for communities as to what will happen, and when.

Local councils establish important relationships with principal authorities who deliver a wide range of statutory provision and other support as partners for their communities, and the implications of the Government’s decision leave a number of parish councils in Hampshire unclear as to who will be responsible for these services in the future, and so it is important that the ambiguity about the future structures of local government in Hampshire are resolved at the earliest opportunity.

The current situation leaves important issues unhelpfully unclear. Given the time and effort that communities have expended in preparing for local government re-organisation, there is a risk that an on-going lack of clarity will undermine the credibility of existing arrangements, and damage confidence in any future decisions which might be made.