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Dear xxxx,
Dear WRA Member,

Fareham Borough Council has just sent out the following update on their plans regarding Local Government Reorganization. These plans will be submitted to the government on Friday 26 September 2025.

Regards,

Brian Smale, Secretary

Let’s Keep Fareham Together Engagement

As part of the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) proposals (see below for more information), we asked for your views on suggestions put forward by a partner authority that Locks Heath, Park Gate and Sarisbury wards could be split from the Borough of Fareham and join a new Unitary Authority with Southampton and Eastleigh.

The outcome

Respondents overwhelmingly supported keeping Locks Heath, Park Gate and Sarisbury wards as part of the Fareham Boundary. 
This resulted in the suggestion being dismissed from the final proposals. This shows the passion and support residents have for Fareham and their local communities, and we would like to thank you for sharing your views with us. You can view more detailed results from the survey here:

https://lets-talk.fareham.gov.uk/consultation/LetsKeepFarehamTogether

What is local Government Reorganisation? And why is it happening?

In December 2024, the government published the English Devolution White Paper…

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-devolution-white-paper-power-and-partnership-foundations-for-growth/english-devolution-white-paper ,

which sets out plans to reform how local government is structured in England. The programme includes two main initiatives: Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). Local government reorganisation means changing how councils are structured by replacing the two-tier system and instead having new, unitary local authorities, which will cover populations of at least 500,000 that would be responsible for all services in their areas. The Government has asked councils to develop options for reform using its own criteria.

You can find out more about LGR and devolution here:

https://www.fareham.gov.uk/devolution/intro.aspx#lgr

What we did…

In response, Fareham Borough Council have been working collaboratively with 12 other councils to shape proposals, to put forward a final case to Government. Extensive engagement was carried out to gather the views of residents and businesses on these proposals through online surveys and in- person engagement.

Our Place, Our Future Engagement

Twelve of the 15 councils in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, including Fareham Borough Council, worked together to develop proposals for the new councils that will provide all services to their residents in the future. An online survey was produced asking for your views on these proposals to help understand what matters most to people and shape how local councils work, so they reflect real places, local identity and culture, priorities, and people. Over 13,000 residents took part across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
The results of this engagement helped to shape our final proposals which will be submitted to Government on 26 September.

Final Proposal to Government

The proposal is the result of joint work by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Eastleigh Borough Council, Fareham Borough Council, Hart District Council, Havant Borough Council, Isle of Wight Council, New Forest District Council, Portsmouth City Council, Rushmoor Borough Council, Southampton City Council, Test Valley Borough Council and Winchester City Council. It proposes three different options for the four new unitary councils for mainland Hampshire, at an average population size of 500,000, grouped around the major population centres of Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester and Basingstoke. The Isle of Wight would stay its own island unitary authority, as it currently is. Each option includes Fareham combining with Gosport, Havant and Portsmouth into a new Unitary Authority.

The final business case to government entitled Close enough to be local, big enough to stay strong has been published and will be submitted to government on Friday 26 September 2025.

View the final business case on our Devolution and LGR webpage:

https://www.fareham.gov.uk/devolution/intro.aspx#lgr

At a special Fareham Council meeting on 25 September the Council will seek to formally approve the proposals.

The Decision Report to the Executive will be published here…

https://moderngov.fareham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=129&MId=4770&Ver=4

on 17 September 2025.

Next Steps

The final proposals will be submitted to Goverenment on Friday 26 September, the full timeline of the process depends on the Government’s decisions about the proposals they receive. If these are agreed the Government will conduct a public consultation in 2025/2026 on Local Government Reorganisation in Hampshire, as required by law.

Fareham Borough Council has a dedicated Devolution and LGR wepage where the latest updates will be published:

https://www.fareham.gov.uk/devolution/intro.aspx#lgr

Stay up to date – Let’s Talk Fareham Facebook Group

Join the Let’s Talk Fareham Facebook Group to stay up to date with the latest consultations and events. Have your say by taking part in discussions, fun quizzes, online polls and competitions! Join now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/867378331572329

Consultation Feedback

Get all the feedback and actions taken from past consultations by visiting the Council’s closed consultation webpage:

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