Unitary councils
Day-to-day services
Adult and children’s social care, education, highways, waste, planning, housing, licensing, leisure and local taxation.
Planned start: 1 April 2028.
Two reforms, different jobs
One redraws councils. The other moves regional power.
Reorganisation changes who runs local services. Devolution creates a strategic authority across Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight.
Combined authority
Regional strategy
Transport strategy, skills, employment support, housing strategy, regeneration, investment and economic development.
Established: 5 June 2026. Mayor expected: May 2028.
Funding claim
A £1.3 billion investment fund
The official announcement describes a £1.3 billion investment fund for the combined authority.
The headline should not be confused with £1.3 billion arriving immediately or being freely available for existing council services. Funding is expected over a long period and under devolved arrangements. We will track the final settlement, release conditions, spending decisions and measurable outcomes.
Source: Hampshire County Council’s 17 March 2026 funding and powers announcement.
Accountability test
Every funding announcement should state the period covered, whether money is genuinely new, what conditions apply and which body controls it.