Council shake-up plan will fail, two leaders say

Leader of Hampshire County Council Nick Adams-King has proposed an alternative four-way split

Two Hampshire council leaders have warned that proposals to create five new unitary authorities across the county would fail from the outset.

County council leader Nick Adams-King said the plans - currently under consultation by 12 of the county's 15 district councils - would leave the new authorities bankrupt on day one.

The consultation outlines three options, all involving the creation of five councils across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Adams-King and East Hampshire District Council leader Richard Millard have proposed an alternative four-way split: north, south, east and west.

"We've looked carefully at all the options. Some would save more money on paper, but they come with bigger risks – like breaking up services, creating confusion, or putting too much pressure on councils already facing financial challenges," Adams-King said.

"Others would cost significantly more and take longer to deliver any benefit.

"We will be carefully considering this four-council model which aims to strike the right balance."

In a joint statement, the 12 district councils said: "A single, county-wide approach can't reflect the needs of such a diverse area. Our proposed model allows services to be designed and delivered around real communities, not a one-size-fits-all system."

They warned the alternative plan "risks creating powerless talking shops".

A key point of contention is the future of the New Forest, which is treated differently in each proposal. One New Forest councillor, Jack Davies, likened the options to "being asked if you want to be hanged, or shot, or blown up with a bazooka".

The changes form part of national local government reorganisation plans due by 2028.