Plea issued for county to join up to authority

Councillor Mike Cheshire said it would be the perfect situation if the county joined up with Solent councils.

Hampshire backed out after opposing the appointment of an elected mayor to control the proposed Solent combined authority.

The county outlined several options in its recent public consultation, including the creation of a unitary council, other combined authority structures, and also keeping the status quo.

Independent analysis of residents’ feedback will go before county councillors in November.

Cllr Cheshire said: ‘What we are really hoping is that the county council will make an application to join the combined authority.

‘At the moment, the county council is concerned about Hampshire being broken up.’