The Council of Southampton City Council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, 24th September, 2025, to discuss several key issues, including emergency accommodation acquisitions and local government reorganisation. Additionally, the council will consider motions related to road safety, budget and taxation, and migrant hotels.

Here are the topics scheduled for discussion:

• Local Government Reorganisation Proposal The council is scheduled to discuss a report by Councillor Alex Winning, Leader of the Council, regarding the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) proposal. The report details the approach to developing the proposal for submission to the government, as required by the invitation from the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution on 5 February 2025. The report pack includes several appendices:

  • Appendix 1: Invitation letter.
  • Appendix 2: Interim submission.
  • Appendix 3: Interim plan feedback.
  • Appendix 4 - Proposal: Draft proposal.
  • Appendix 4b - Appendix 1: Appendices.

  The council is expected to consider the draft LGR proposal for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and to provide feedback to the cabinet. The cabinet will then be asked to confirm support for the 'main case for change' and Option 1A, which involves a modification to the existing boundaries. The report pack notes that the government's LGR process was initiated in December 2024, following the publication of its White Paper. The report pack also notes some concerns:

  That while the broad consequences and ramifications have been understood during the process, the lack of detailed financial information about the cost of implementing reorganisation is highly concerning. In addition, the possibilities for efficiencies in the longer and medium term through the creation of new authorities have not yet been adequately assessed; As such any assent to LGR is currently based on too many unknowns;

  The council will also consider a motion stating that any proposal submitted to central government should be accompanied by a letter from the Leader of the Council outlining these concerns, and requesting that central government covers the cost of implementing LGR.

• Emergency Accommodation Acquisitions The council is scheduled to discuss a report regarding emergency accommodation acquisitions, part of the Homelessness Prevention Transformation Project. Councillor A Frampton, Cabinet Member for Housing, is expected to present the report, which seeks approval to spend an already agreed Capital Budget. The report asks the council to approve additional borrowing of £3,000,000 through the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programme to purchase additional units of emergency accommodation that will sit in the HRA. The report pack notes that since 2019-2020, the number of homeless households approaching the council has surged by 64%, leading to a 61% increase in households requiring emergency accommodation. The report pack also includes Appendix 1 - ESIA, an Equality and Safety Impact Assessment.

• Motions The council is scheduled to discuss the following motions:

  • Road Safety, moved by Councillor Dave Shields. The motion expresses concern about the rising number of road deaths in Southampton and welcomes the government's plan to produce a national Road Safety Strategy. The council is asked to urge the city's three local MPs to press for changes such as additional powers for local authorities to enforce action on pavement parking and cycling on pavements.
  • Budget and Taxation, moved by Councillor Sarah Powell-Vaughan. The motion calls on HM Government to ensure that any future taxation changes support Southampton jobs, economic growth, and household stability. The council is asked to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, urging her to prioritise stability, promote growth and protect Southampton.
  • Migrant Hotels, moved by Councillor Sarah Powell-Vaughan. The motion notes that the Home Office is using hotels in Southampton for temporary asylum accommodation without prior consultation with the council, and believes that communities must be properly consulted before such decisions are made. The council is asked to request a report setting out the legal options available to the council in relation to the use of hotels for migrant accommodation, to write to the Home Office and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government expressing concerns and to call on the government to develop a sustainable, properly planned approach to housing migrants. The council is also asked to write to Southampton's three Members of Parliament inviting them to support legislative measures aimed at tackling illegal migration.

• Questions The council is scheduled to consider any questions of which notice has been given under Council Procedure Rule 11.2. The report pack includes Questions to the Executive.pdf, but it is not clear whether these are the questions that will be discussed at the meeting.

• Other items The agenda also includes:

  • Apologies for absence.
  • To authorise the signing of the minutes of the Council Meeting held on 16 July 2025. The Minutes.pdf are attached.
  • Announcements from the Lord Mayor and Leader.
  • To receive any requests for Deputations, Presentation of Petitions or Public Questions.
  • Report of the Leader of the Council, attached.
  • To deal with any appointments to Committees, Sub-Committees or other bodies as required.