We will be sending this response to the government consultation on devolution for Hampshire and the Solent. If you would like to send in your own response, click here: Hampshire and the Solent Devolution Consultation – Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – Citizen Space – and feel free to copy and paste any of the comments below. Note that there is a 1000 character limit on each text answer.
Consultation questions
Question 1: To what extent do you agree or disagree that establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority over the proposed geography will deliver benefits to the area
- Neither agree nor disagree
We strongly support the key recommendations of the SE Climate Alliance sent to Angela Rayner 12/2/2025 “The climate and nature crises pose serious risks to economic growth and infrastructure resilience. Climate, nature, transport, spatial planning and health must be addressed together in integrated strategic planning. To ensure meaningful progress, we urge the Government to establish statutory duties for climate and nature at the Strategic Authority level.”
Without this devolution will fail in the long run because without care for our environment there can be no secure economic future.
It is not clear how to ensure this authority covering both rural communities and big cities will make decisions based on evidence rather than the loudest voices, e.g. whether to build new housing in rural areas (on green belt) or in cities (building up, even where infrastructure cannot cope). While we need to have transport solutions that cross LA boundaries, the detailed needs of rural and city areas differ.
Question 2: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposed governance arrangements for the Mayoral Combined County Authority?
- Disagree
The consultation paper is Hampshire centric and does not adequately reflect issues relevant to Southampton and Portsmouth where there is more deprivation. We are concerned that allocating 2 seats to Hampshire and one to all the other areas will maintain this Hampshire-centric emphasis, especially if the Mayor (likely to be from Hampshire) has a casting vote We would prefer to see representatives elected, as in the London assembly including representation from organisations that are committed to evidence-based climate and nature action. We also believe that the Mayor should be elected by proportional representation rather than first past the post.
Question 3: To what extent do you agree or disagree that working across the proposed geography through the Mayoral Combined County Authority will support the economy of the area?
- Neither agree nor disagree
We fear the emphasis on ‘growth’ will benefit large corporations rather than local people, especially the most deprived. On a finite planet endless growth is impossible; we cannot consume our way to a sustainable future. The economy should be in the service of society – these proposals do not achieve this.
The document supports ‘sustainable growth’ via CCS, hydrogen & SAF production – despite these being unlikely to give emission reductions in line with Net Zero commitments. Instead we should support proven technologies/infrastructure that can.
The maritime sector may be one of the Solent’s ‘strengths’ but much of it is bad for both climate change and air pollution. Sustainable growth cannot be achieved by investment in cruise ships nor aviation/aerospace, which has no realistic path to net zero in the timescale required.
Plans for the economic future of the area must include Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Decisions on future transport infrastructure must take into account climate impacts.
Question 4: To what extent do you agree or disagree that working across the proposed geography through the Mayoral Combined County Authority will improve social outcomes in the area?
- Disagree
It is not clear that the proposals will improve social outcomes in the Hampshire area which contains very disparate communities.
Lack of funding for the transition to a MCCA means provision of adult social care, special needs and children’s services will begin with a large deficit, making it difficult for the Mayor to make strategic decisions.
The plan needs much more focus on health and wellbeing initiatives. These underpin a successful economy and are interrelated with a sustainable environment. A Doughnut Economics approach to devolution can ensure that health and environmental improvements are achieved.
Social outcomes will only be achieved with quality community involvement – there has been very little of this so far. Public & civil society involvement is crucial to successfully addressing economic, social & environmental challenges. Eg climate and nature challenges won’t be met unless the public plays a key role in the journey to net zero, habitat restoration & pollution reduction.
Question 5: To what extent do you agree or disagree that working across the proposed geography through a Mayoral Combined County Authority will improve local government services in the area?
- Neither agree nor disagree
Given that local government will be reorganised almost as soon as the new Mayoral Authority is in place it is impossible to say whether devolution will improve local government or not. In theory the Mayoral Authority should be closer to understanding local needs than central government, but this extra layer of governance is removing power from local people. The plans need some hyper-local decision making, so that people feel able to have a strong say in their own areas, and can implement ideas to improve their own communities. This could have opportunities for piloting initiatives to reduce carbon emissions at street/neighbourhood level, and in doing so, create the sense of community and “can do” attitude that underpins meaningful change.
Local government is already starved of cash and merely changing the boundaries and levels of local government will not change that and in the short term will make it worse by absorbing resources that might otherwise be spent on delivery.
Question 6: To what extent do you agree or disagree that working across the proposed geography through a Mayoral Combined County Authority will improve the local natural environment and overall national environment?
- Strongly disagree
Delivery on Climate Change is inconsistent, hindered by lack of clarity on who should do what, limited resources and competing priorities. Without a statutory duty this fragmented, limited response will persist and the environment become secondary to the drive for ‘growth.’ We need action e.g. reducing emissions from transport and industry, retrofitting homes, and creating new homes to a high eco standard, to reach Net Zero targets.
The already depleted natural world is fundamental to our wellbeing & health. The challenges can only be addressed by seeing geographical areas as part of an ecosystem. Eg lack of focus on our water environment has led to unsustainable water use, habitat loss, continued pollution and limited use of sustainable urban drainage systems. We need a completely different approach that recognises how nature supports a prosperous economy.
Local control of bus services and on-street micro-mobility should be further devolved to the unitary authorities.
Question 7: To what extent do you agree or disagree that working across the proposed geography through the Mayoral Combined County Authority will support the interests and needs of local communities and reflect local identities?
- Disagree
The Hampshire MCCA does not have its own identity and adding this new layer of government will not create one. It includes both rural communities and big cities, and it is not clear how the changes will ensure that everyone’s needs are taken into account. This could be an opportunity to address this challenge or just a continuation of the present huge disparity in life experience between rural and city communities. The MCCA may overlook green spaces of local significance in cities in favour of more high profile ones e.g. the New Forest.
New governance arrangements should include the requirement to build structured and systematic partnerships with community-led climate and nature initiatives.
The present western MCCA boundary cuts across the River Avon catchment and watershed. For purposes of identity and administration of the nature recovery plans this boundary should be adjusted so the Avon catchment sits wholly within either Hampshire or the western neighbour.
Further information here: Making Devolution Work for Climate and Nature | South East Climate Alliance
Southampton Climate Action Network