How devolution is shaping local government: The Mid Hampshire unitary authority story

What kept them up at night

The Government’s 2024 Devolution White Paper invited local authorities to propose new governance that would strengthen local decision-making and support devolution through streamlined structures.

In response, twelve Hampshire councils came together to explore how reorganisation into four mainland unitary authorities could deliver more effective and accountable local government, in line with six nationally defined criteria.

Within this framework, Test Valley, Winchester, and New Forest identified a strong case for a Mid Hampshire configuration, encompassing the areas of Test Valley, Winchester, New Forest, and East Hampshire. Their shared ambition was to design a model that reflected coherent geography, community identity, and service integration, while contributing to a balanced and effective Mayoral Combined Authority for Hampshire and the Solent.

How we helped

Transform was to support the development of the Mid Hampshire business case, working closely with Chief Executives and senior leadership teams to create a clear, evidence-led submission aligned to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) criteria.

Our work combined data, insight, and strategic narrative through:

Development of a robust business case aligned to all six MHCLG criteria
Stakeholder engagement workshops to test ideas and build consensus
Evidence-gathering across demographics, economy, housing, social care, tourism, and infrastructure
Comparative analysis of similar devolution and reorganisation models
Data visualisation and narrative design to bring clarity and coherence to complex evidence
Delivery within compressed timeframes while maintaining alignment and quality

The difference it made

The final appendix was fully signed off by Test Valley, New Forest, and Winchester, with formal CEO endorsement
The Mid Hampshire model has been recognised as the most coherent and deliverable option to advance local devolution ambitions
The work has provided a replicable framework for other councils navigating Local Government Reorganisation, including pathways for:

- Organisational and service redesign
- IT and systems consolidation
- Cultural alignment and leadership collaboration

This project proved evidence-led thinking, local identity, and strategic collaboration can shape a future model of local government that is both practical and visionary, strengthening local accountability and positioning Mid Hampshire as a key contributor to the wider Hampshire and Solent devolution agenda.

Colleagues from Transform UK helped us recently on our LGR submission to Government. Their input was crucial to our eventual submission. Julia and the Transform UK team's use of data, to interpret our local situation, became a powerful element of our business case. Their ability to work effectively with a range of partners, including other consultants and local authorities, was also incredibly helpful. All in all, Transform UK team made an excellent contribution and were a pleasure to work with.