The Resources Committee of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council met on 11 September 2025, to discuss and endorse a proposal for local government reorganisation (LGR) in Hampshire, which would then be passed on to the Cabinet. The committee endorsed the proposal for submission to the Secretary of State, recommending that the boroughs and districts in Hampshire play a key role on the Combined County Authority with the Strategic Mayor until the vesting of the new unitary authorities on 1 April 2028, and that democratic engagement with town and parish councils and wider community groups is important during the public consultation and preparations for the vesting of the new unitary authority. The committee also agreed to add motions regarding empty shops and emergency preparedness to its work programme.

Here's a more detailed look at the key topics discussed:

Local Government Reorganisation

The main focus of the meeting was the proposal for local government reorganisation in Hampshire. Councillor John Izett, Chair of the Resources Committee, described the proposal as a historic moment that would significantly change how local government is organised. The proposal, supported by 11 other district and unitary councils in Hampshire, suggests a unitary council for North Hampshire, comprising Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council, Hart District Council and Rushmoor Borough Council. The Leader of the Council, Councillor Paul Harvey, highlighted the collaborative approach taken by the councils and thanked officers for their work.

The committee reviewed the proposal section by section:

• Section 1: The committee agreed that the current two-tier system created artificial barriers for residents.
• Section 2: Concerns were raised about the accountability of the new Strategic Regional Mayor, whose election in 2026 would precede the vesting of the new unitary authorities in 2028. The committee wanted the current councils to have their voices heard until that point.
• Section 3: The committee welcomed the recognition of Basingstoke as the key economic centre for North Hampshire.
• Section 4: The committee discussed council tax harmonisation, a process set out in legislation to occur over seven years, and the need to avoid service disruption during the reorganisation. The Deputy Chief Executive, Rebecca Emmett, advised that high level testing would take place on the viability of ways of running certain services.
• Section 6: The importance of democratic engagement and accessible, accountable services was emphasised. The committee was advised that the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) would decide the number of councillors and carry out a boundary review.
• Section 7: The committee discussed the financial aspects of the proposal, including savings on staff posts and the scrutiny of implementation. The Chief Executive, Russell O'Keefe, informed the Committee that there would be savings on duplicate staff posts once the Councils came together at vesting but the savings from staff tended to be 1-2%.
• Section 8: The committee was content with the implementation plan and timetable.

The committee discussed a letter from Mr Clive Sanders, and the inclusion of Andover in the proposed North Hampshire unitary authority, but it was highlighted that this option was not preferred amongst those discussed by the other councils in Hampshire.

The committee resolved to endorse the proposal and recommend to the Cabinet that:

1. The Boroughs and Districts in Hampshire should play a key role on the Combined County Authority with the Strategic Mayor until the vesting of the new unitary authorities on 1 April 2028.
2. Democratic engagement with town and parish councils and wider community groups is important during the public consultation and preparations for the vesting of the new unitary authority.

The report to Cabinet and Council stated that the proposal set out four mainland unitary authorities based on four economic centres of Basingstoke, Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester. The report also stated that the results of the residents' survey showed that those who responded were 10 to 1 in favour of a North Hampshire unitary authority.

The report also included a letter from the Secretary of State, Angela Rayner, inviting the council to submit proposals for local government reorganisation. The letter included six criteria the government would consider proposals against:

• A proposal should seek to achieve for the whole of the area concerned the establishment of a single tier of local government.
• Unitary local government must be the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks.
• Unitary structures must prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to citizens.
• Proposals should show how Councils in the area have sought to work together in coming to a view that meets local needs and is informed by local views.
• New unitary structures must support devolution arrangements.
• New unitary structures should enable stronger community engagement and deliver genuine opportunity for neighbourhood empowerment.

The report also included an interim plan approved by all 15 Councils in March 2025, and feedback on the interim plan from May 2025.

Motions Referred from Cabinet and Council

The committee agreed to add two motions to its work programme:

• Putting an End to Empty Shops - Empowering Our Local Economy: This motion calls for the council to adopt the HSRA scheme¹ to intervene on long-term vacant properties, prioritise action in key local centres, and develop a strategic approach to implementation. The motion excludes shopping centres or retail sites solely owned or managed by a single entity.
• Enhancing Local Resilience and Emergency Preparedness: This motion requests a report outlining the council's readiness for major civil emergencies, opportunities to improve staff training and public communications, and any gaps in funding or support from central government.

Review of Work Programme

The committee reviewed its work programme and agreed to take the 2025/26 Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 Key Performance Indicator Reviews together at the January 2026 meeting. The Chair encouraged the committee to submit topic suggestion forms for future agenda item topics.