Meeting

Purpose

To ask Cabinet to approve the outline of our devolution consultation submission, and also to update Cabinet on the latest position on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). LGR will have significant implications on the Council and approval is sought for the outline joint submission to be made to the Government by 21st March 2025, having regard to the comments made at Full Council on 18th March.

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet

1.    Agree the Council's outline response to the national devolution consultation attached as Appendix 1.

2.    Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to finalise the consultation response prior to submission, reflecting any feedback we may receive from neighbouring local authorities (LAs).

3.    Delegate authority to the Chief Executive to agree any draft Parliamentary Order that the Government wishes to lay before Parliament to create a new Mayoral County Combined Authority (noting that the Council may only have 24 hours to agree the content of such an order).

4.    Note that the Council is required to submit an interim outline proposal on LGR to the Government by the 21st March.

5.    Note the comments made at Full Council on 18th March when this report was considered.

6.    Agree that the proposed interim plan attached as Appendix 2, is submitted to the Government.

7.    Agree that delegated authority be given to the Leader of the Council and the Chief  Executive to make minor changes, such as improving the grammar or dealing with spelling mistakes, before the submission is finally made with more fundamental changes requiring consultation with the Group Leaders.

8.    Note that as described in paragraph 4.17 below, the Leader of the Council will write a letter to the Minister strongly defending the Portsmouth position by stating that Portsmouth should not be part of this process, that the Council will need to engage with our neighbouring authorities on potential boundary changes and that the financial sustainability challenge must be addressed as part of the process.