Fareham's leader says the 2028 borough elections would not go ahead on the new merger timetable. His takeover date is six months later than the minister's.

Fareham Borough Council’s elections planned for 2028 will not take place if the Government sticks to its new reorganisation timetable, the council leader has said. Councillor Simon Martin told Monday’s Executive meeting that residents would instead vote for a new council that year.

Nobody yet knows what that new council would be. Hampshire is one of 15 areas still waiting for a decision, and the minister says every option remains open.

Fareham had been due to join Portsmouth, Havant and Gosport in a South East Hampshire council from April 2028. That decision was withdrawn on 7 September.

What the minister wrote

Local government minister Jim McMahon wrote to council leaders on 29 October. His letter says:

  • The programme continues. The Government “remains committed to delivering Local Government Reorganisation”.
  • No decision for Hampshire yet. “All options and proposals in your area will remain under consideration.”
  • When to expect one. Some areas will hear by Christmas, and “every area will have an outcome announced by early next year”.
  • The new dates. Elections to new councils in May 2028, followed by vesting day on 1 April 2029.

Vesting day is when the new councils take over and the old ones end.

The dates do not quite match

Councillor Martin’s statement gives a different vesting day from the minister’s letter. We have set them side by side.

Minister’s letter, 29 October Councillor Martin, 2 November
Decision for Hampshire “by early next year” “a final decision by March 2027”
Elections to new councils May 2028 May 2028
Vesting day 1 April 2029 1 October 2029

The council’s own reorganisation page says only that new councils would be established “in 2029”. The minutes are still in draft, to be confirmed at the next meeting.

What the leader said

Councillor Martin was critical of the delay. He said the process had taken up “a huge amount of work and public money”, which “could have been spent on local projects”.

“The continued uncertainty on LGR helps no-one,” he said. He added that the council was working on what the delay means for its plans and priorities. He gave no figure for what Fareham has spent.

Others on the council want that money back. A motion to the 22 October council meeting, from Councillor Jacquie Needham and seconded by Councillor Pal Hayre, asked the council to write to the Secretary of State seeking financial compensation. The minutes of that meeting have not been published, so we cannot yet say what happened to it.

The minister’s letter does offer some money. Areas with previously announced new councils get 50% of the £900,000 transition support per new council, paid “in the coming weeks”. It does not say how that is shared between councils.

What it means for you

  • Nothing changes for now. The council says there is “no change to Fareham Borough Council or the services we provide”.
  • Portchester Wicor still votes. The by-election goes ahead on 19 November.
  • Plans built on 2028 may move. That includes the council’s Freedom March farewell, which was described as a last chance before the borough ended.
  • Watch for the Hampshire decision. It is due by early 2027, and we will report it when it comes.

Sources