As a Hampshire resident and Winchester city councillor, I am deeply concerned about the current proposed format and the absence of improved electoral democratic processes for the devolution and local government reorganisation proposals. While change can bring opportunities, the current trajectory creates serious democratic deficits unless accompanied by significant democratic reforms.
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Hampshire County Council HQ Cancelling the Hampshire County Council elections for May 2025 already raises issues about legitimacy as it would leave an administration with a questionable electoral mandate to oversee a major restructuring of local government. This approach risks undermining public trust in the political process and eroding the legitimacy of local governance. Therefore, a County Council with a strong voice in the devolution and local government reorganisation discussions to represent residents’ interests must be in doubt.
Scale and Representation. Reducing the number of districts in favour of large unitaries might have practical advantages and some cost savings, but the proposed population of 500,000 per unitary weakens the vital link between Councillors and constituents. Comparatively, London and Manchester, with unitaries serving around 300,000 people have more robust democratic connections. Persisting with the outdated First Past the Post electoral system is also inappropriate for the proposed reorganisation. A proportional voting system is essential to reflect the diverse communities of Hampshire and to ensure the widest representation.
A recent analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research highlights growing political disillusionment among certain social groups, leading to increasingly unequal elections. Furthermore, voter turnout for mayoral elections typically hovers around 30%, underscoring a worrying decline in democratic engagement.
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Hampshire’s population, comparable to Northern Ireland and exceeding that of some devolved regions, demands regional governance structures reflective of its scale. A Mayoral Combined Authority without proportional representation would narrow the diversity of political voices and lessen Hampshire’s breadth of perspectives. Instead, a Hampshire Assembly, incorporating proportional representation and all local voices, would provide a balanced, responsive governance structure that represents all Hampshire residents effectively.
I urge all County Councillors, and the Government if it is listening, to consider these concerns. Electoral reform that addresses these risks (certainties) must be a part of Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation. Only through such measures can we secure a truly democratic future for Hampshire and other parts of England in the same local government reorganising process. Without them, there is a very real danger of introducing ‘regressive’ not ‘transformational’ local governance and democracy with an enduring democratic deficit.
Councillor Danny Lee,
Winchester City Council,
Colebrook Street,
Winchester
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