Winchester council hits out at Hampshire County Council's unitary authority consultation

Winchester City Council leader Councillor Stephen Godfrey said that Hampshire County Council’s plans for a unitary authority for the county don’t give residents enough information to make an informed decision.

The county council last week launched its consultation into plans to restructure Hampshire’s local government set-up.

Cllr Godfrey said: ‘In recent times the city council has in some cases been able to step in to pick up the pieces following county cuts.

‘But the ‘mega unitary’ authority proposed by the county council could see the financial resources that Winchester currently uses to do this taken away and used to solve problems elsewhere in the county.’

He added that a proposal for a county-wide unitary, which would see the borough and district councils in Hampshire abolished, would be ‘more efficient’ but would lead to higher council tax and fewer local representatives involved in decision-making.

The county council’s public consultation will run until September 20. To comment on it, go to hants.gov.uk/servinghampshire/