D1.1/pf/398
18 October 2016

Cou nc il lo r Ro y P e rr y
L e ad er of Ham ps h ir e Co u nt y C ou nc i l
C o u nc i l
T he C as t l e, W inc hes t er
H am ps h ir e SO 23 8UJ
T el e ph o ne 01 9 62 8 4 7 75 0
Fax 01 9 62 8 4 5 96 9
E- m a i l r o y. p er r y@ h a n ts . go v . uk
www. h a nts .g o v. uk

Dear Colleague
I have been asked to clarify the position of Hampshire County Council with regard to
devolution proposals in advance of your own vote this week. I am happy to do so on the
strict understanding that it is appreciated I do not wish to interfere with the rightful
sovereignty and decision-making of other authorities.
I hope the following summary points about Hampshire County Council's position will be of
some use.


HCC remains strongly of the view that the single best devolution prospect for the
wider area and for all of the individual authorities would be a return to the original
“Hampshire Isle of Wight" (HIOW) Combined Authority (CA) proposal. This
unquestionably offers the strongest scale and capacity to make a real difference to
the economic prosperity of the sub-region, including the Island. HCC will continue to
press for this outcome.



I cannot in good faith guarantee that the HIOW CA option is an immediate alternative
to the current Solent proposal because I cannot speak for the other partners. I am
sure however that the HIOW proposal should and would have progressed if it had not
been for the divisive introduction of the original Solent proposal. I also believe that if
the current Solent proposal were to fall then the HIOW one has a serious chance of
returning. That is certainly HCC's preference. I know that Government's original
preference was certainly for a larger scale CA. The sticking point became the issue
of a directly elected mayor. It was not just HCC that opposed the Mayoral model. I
have to say that I cannot see how the constrained mayor described in the most
recent governance proposal for the Solent deal will satisfy Government expectations
on that role. Even so, a mayor, once in office, changes the whole dynamic of local
government.



I respect the right of the three unitaries of Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of
Wight to establish a CA between themselves. I remain of the view that this CA will
not offer the best outcomes for those unitaries or the wider sub-region but I respect
that right.



But if the three unitaries were then to seek to widen their proposed CA to include
parts of Hampshire (the southern and other districts) HCC would certainly object
strongly and resist that step as it would be divisive and deeply damaging to the
County Council and the services we provide. I cannot make that point strongly
enough.

/continued……

 

I have been asked by IWC councillors if the proposal for the three unitaries to
establish a combined authority would represent a risk to the education and children's
service partnership between our two authorities. I certainly hope not, although the
existence of any elected mayor for one part of the wider area certainly heightens that
risk as the Government appears inclined to add to mayoral powers over time. HCC
is extremely proud of our role in this partnership and the progress it is making on
behalf of the Island's schools and children. We remain fully committed to the future of
the partnership for as long as we think we can sustain a useful contribution and for as
long as IWC wishes us to continue. It is, however, significant that Government
considered only Hampshire to have the capacity to offer that help rather than either
of the two city unitaries.



It should be clearly understood that our strong objections to the prospect of a wider
Solent CA including some districts of Hampshire are because that proposal
represents a direct and divisive threat to the County Council. That step would
certainly destabilise the County Council at an already difficult financial time. We
remain committed to our partnership but it must be recognised that because a
possible wider Solent deal with Hampshire districts would threaten the future of the
County Council it also therefore unavoidably has the potential to threaten our
children's services function.
I wish you well with your own deliberations.

Yours sincerely

Councillor Roy Perry
Leader
Hampshire County Council

Cc:

Andrew Turner MP
John Metcalfe, Chief Executive, Isle of Wight Council