Shock plans to split East Hampshire in half as part of a major shake-up of Local Government in the county have been strongly criticised by EHDC’s leader.

Cllr Richard Millard has criticised the Government’s plan for Hampshire and The Solent, saying it will not achieve “financial sustainability or growth”.

It was announced today that local government will move from a two-tier system of 15 councils to a structure of four new mainland unitary authorities, with the Isle of Wight remaining as a separate authority.

East Hampshire is arguably the most affected as the southern parishes of Horndean, Clanfield and Rowlands Castle will be absorbed into a South West Hampshire council that focuses on the greater Portsmouth area.

The remainder of East Hants and the likes of Petersfield, Bordon, Alton, Liphook, Four Marks and Grayshott will become part of Mid Hampshire authority that includes Winchester, Test Valley and The New Forest

Cllr Millard said that while EHDC is committed to working with its new partners to establish the new unitary, he said that the Government's decision had been born of ‘political expediency’.

He said: “Today’s announcement is not what we had been expecting to hear, but we will collaborate with partners to make sure the new council has every chance of success.

“I felt the model we put forward had proven merit. We submitted a well-crafted, evidenced and detailed proposal that has been categorically ignored by this Government in favour of short-term political expediency to appease local Labour MPs.

“Our evidence shows financial sustainability and growth will not be achieved through this imposed Government decision.

“This decision does not reflect the criteria set by former Minister Jim McMahon, it is another U-turn by the current Minister Steve Reed and the Government away from their previously published criteria.

“This proposal does not benefit the whole of Hampshire as it favours urban centres over economic growth in rural areas.

“Our careful multi-faceted financial analysis has been disregarded and instead we have the most complex, high risk, expensive and financially unsustainable model that has been proposed. This is the worst outcome for the residents of Hampshire.”

Local Government Reorganisation means the current two-tier system, where county and district councils like EHDC share responsibilities, will be replaced by a simpler unitary structure. In a unitary model one council is responsible for all services in an area.

The Government said that it chose the five unitary model because it most reflected the distinctive nature of the local communities and was the option that would best deliver the government’s priorities.”