Devolution

A new Mayoral County Combined Authority will guarantee long term funding in the region to:

• Improve local transport
• Support businesses
• Encourage growth
• Enhance skills, housing and living standards

It will also mean more of the decisions that impact our region which are currently taken by national government will be taken locally instead.

Funding from government is a part of the Mayoral County Combined Authority.

Southampton, Portsmouth, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have been working together to develop proposals for a regional Mayoral Combined Authority for some time. We have been accepted onto the Government’s Devolution Priority Programme. This fast-tracks the process. This means that elections for a new regional Mayor will be held in May 2026 alongside the local elections.

The new regional Mayor will be given powers and funding from government. This is to coordinate and drive improvements in our region with a particular focus on: 

• Economic growth
• Improving transport connectivity
• Investment in infrastructure
• Setting the strategic planning framework for the area

The Mayor will collaborate with stakeholders and local people to align initiatives with community priorities. They will also represent and champion the region to external partners such as government, businesses and investors nationally and internationally.

Elections for the new regional Mayor will be held in May 2026. The count will take place in Portsmouth. Residents across Southampton, Portsmouth, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are eligible to vote. The Mayor will be elected for a four-year term. Candidates will be formally nominated in the New Year.

Ultimately the Mayor is responsible to voters and will be elected every four years. The council leaders of Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton are also a part of the Mayoral County Combined Authority. They have a say in the decisions taken at the regional level.

No, local councils will continue to be responsible for the services they run now. The Mayoral County Combined Authority will primarily be responsible for functions currently held by national Government. Examples include strategic transport improvement and economic growth and investment.

Yes, the new Mayoral Combined Authority will mean significant amounts of government funding devolved to a regional level. This will mean more investment in the infrastructure of our region focused on local, rather than national, priorities.

No, the new Mayoral County Combined Authority is a regional level of government. The MCCA will primarily take on roles currently held by national government departments. While local councils will work closer together, they will continue to exist and deliver the services they currently provide. The Government is separately making some changes to the setup of local councils but this is not related to setting up a MCCA. For more information see Local Government Reorganisation.

Government held a public consultation on proposals for a Mayoral County Combined Authority. This was in Hampshire and the Solent over February to April 2025. View the outcomes of the consultation.

While this was a Government consultation, Southampton City Council promoted it on our communication channels and with community groups. This was to ensure everyone had the opportunity to have their say.

These decision-making powers already exist in national government. By creating a new Mayoral County Combined Authority it would bring these powers to Hampshire and the Solent. This will make them more democratically accountable.