Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Isle of Wight will retain it’s own council as part of the Hampshire and Solent Mayoral authority under devolution.

The Devolution Priority Programme aims to see a new wave of mayors elected in May 2026, including for Hampshire and the Solent. This will see local authorities in the area join up with their neighbours to form a new Combined Authority over a sensible geography, and will include Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Southampton City Council and Isle of Wight Council as constituent members of the new proposed Combined Authority.

Separately, all councils across Hampshire and the Solent have received an invitation to work together to develop new unitary proposals that are in the best interests of the whole area. All levels of local government have a part to play in bringing improved structures to their area through any necessary reorganisation. Government is open to hearing from councils their views on reorganisation.