LGR is a national process that looks at how councils are structured in a local area.

In places with a county council and separate district/borough councils (a “two-tier” system), the government wants to instead create single-tier unitary councils that run most local services in one organisation.

The aim of LGR is to reorganise councils so that they have clearer accountability, better joined-up services, and long-term financial sustainability.

In England, devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. Devolution is important because it ensures that decisions are made closer to the local people, communities and businesses they affect. 

Local government reorganisation is the process in which the structure and responsibilities of local authorities are reconfigured. In the context of the English Devolution White Paper, the Government have set out plans to move away from the current two-tier system of district and county councils. 

A unitary authority is a single council that runs all local services in an area. 

Across Hampshire, there is currently a two-tier system of government, where some services are delivered by Hampshire County Council and some are delivered by your district or borough council. A unitary authority delivers all these services in a single council.

The final decision about the make-up of new councils is made by the Government.

Following the release of its English Devolution White Paper, On 5 February 2025, the Government wrote to all councils in Hampshire to formally invite proposals for forming new, larger unitary councils within the Hampshire and Solent region instead of the current structure of a county council alongside districts and borough Councils. The Government asked for new councils to have populations of around 500,000 - and each new unitary council would offer all services that are currently provided across the district council and the county council.  

For now, nothing changes in the way you receive services. Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council will continue to provide everything they do today. Our priority is making sure residents, businesses and communities continue to get the support they need without interruption.   

You’ll still be able to use the same council offices, community spaces and online services. Everything will stay open and work just as it does now.   

From 1 April 2028 you will have one council providing all your services - education, waste collection, roads, housing, play areas, the countryside, leisure centres, planning, children’s services, adult social care, community funding and elections.   

From 1 April 2028, there will be 5 councils. A change from the current 15 councils.

No decision on names have yet been made.

Local Parish councils are not directly affected by LGR, however, we are currently doing a community governance review for the Winchester Town area which would result in a new parish council for the unparished parts of the town. You can find out more about this on our website.

The goal of reorganisation is to transition services to the new councils smoothly and with minimal disruption for residents .

Day to day, you shouldn’t notice any immediate changes – your bins will be collected as normal for example, and any social care services will continue as normal too.  

As the new councils are created, from April 2028, they’ll gradually start to join up how they work and the systems they use – these changes can take several months or years - it won't be overnight - and any change will be introduced carefully.

From 1 April 2028, the 14 borough, unitary, district and unitary councils, as well as the county council, will no longer exist. All their responsibilities will transfer to the new councils (only the Isle of Wight remains the same).

Shadow councils will be set up in 2027 and there will be elections for these in May 2027. A shadow council is a temporary body made up of newly elected councillors.  

The role of the shadow council is to prepare for the official launch of the new councils, agree budgets, policies and governance arrangements, and ensure everything is ready for the transfer of services from 1 April 2028.  

Until 1 April 2028, your current councils in Hampshire will continue to run all day to day services.  

This year's county council, Winchester district and parish councils elections will go ahead as planned on 7 May 2026. 

No decisions have yet been made on where new councils will be based.

No decision has been made on this - these decisions would be taken by the new councils in 2028.