HAMPSHIRE County Council launched an eight-week public consultation on Wednesday to gather residents’ views on how they would like to see local government operate in the county in future.

But the initiative appears to have triggered a battle for survival as county, district and borough councils fight for the right to take over the reins of devolved responsibility for public services and economic growth.

The Serving Hampshire consultation sets out the options for how HCC and its 11 district/borough councils could change, or be reorganised, to meet the huge challenges they face from reductions in funding from central Government – and from rising demand for services, such as social care for children and vulnerable adults, from a growing population.

“We want everyone to have their say on an issue which will affect generations to come,” said HCC leader Roy Perry. “The views of all residents in Hampshire are very important to me, and it’s crucial that we keep them at the forefront of the wider devolution agenda from which our consultation on potential local government reorganisation stems.

“It is particularly relevant as the priorities for the new Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, include devolving decision-making powers to local areas and helping communities deliver excellent public services. I’ve written to Mr Javid to tell him of our consultation, and hope to meet with him and discuss how to help people take more control of their future.”

But not everyone is on board with the consultation. East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) leader Ferris Cowper has joined with four other local councils from the south of the county in “slamming” it. He claimed that it has been issued to residents “prematurely” and “without meaningful discussion with the local councils it directly impacts.”

He also pointed out that the HCC information pack implies that Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport and Havant borough councils and East Hampshire District Council, together with other local authorities in the county are working together on this consultation which, they say, “is not the case”.

Instead, the five councils in question have been working with the three unitary authorities of the Isle of Wight Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council which, together with the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), are looking to press ahead with plans to create a Solent Combined Authority (CA) to secure new powers and funding from government which, they hope, will deliver an extra £30m a year, for 30 years, to help develop roads and sites for employment and housing.

Havant Borough Council leader Michael Cheshire said there was to have been some consultation between HCC and its boroughs/districts before the plan went public. But this had not happened.

He added: “This has nothing to do with the ‘devolution’ of power from central Government to Hampshire’s boroughs and districts, it’s all about the ‘centralising’ of power to HCC by forming a Hampshire unitary council.”

EHDC leader Ferris Cowper said: “I want to be very clear that we are opposed to HCC’s plans to create a unitary authority. The county council is deliberately confusing the issue of reorganisation of public services with the Government’s initiative on devolving powers.

“The Solent CA plans would enable local councils to take on responsibility for services currently managed by central government and offer residents a better deal than the county’s idea. It would give residents more say... and there would be more accountability.”

Keith House, leader of Eastleigh Borough Council, said: “Hampshire’s consultation, abolishing all borough and district councils, would create a super-powerful Hampshire Council led by a cabinet of 10 councillors responsible for all services provided by the county and 11 borough and district councils.

“This is not devolution: it’s reverse devolution, sucking power up to the centre, rather than dispersing it.”

Mr Perry commented: “Since the proposal for a Solent CA emerged involving the councils for Portsmouth, Southampton and IoW, with the potential to include some district councils in the future, we face the prospect of the county being split, and the damage that this would do to high-quality, countywide services.

“Feedback from our consultation will help to inform decisions about how vital services could be protected in future, such as roads, rights of way, social care for vulnerable children and adults, and essential infrastructure to support new housing – without compromising on performance.

“Before any changes are agreed for Hampshire, I am determined to listen first and decide later.”

By contrast, the Solent bid authorities, he says, are “seeking views on something they have already agreed in principle”.

He continued: “We have worked to engage with Hampshire’s 11 district councils on our proposals and encourage them to join our consultation.

“Unfortunately, it hasn’t been possible to reach an agreement, but we hope that all the districts will engage with this exercise, in the interests of the communities they serve.”

The consultation, can be found by visiting www3.hants.gov.uk/ and then searching for Serving Hampshire Consultation.