HAMPSHIRE County Council has launched an eight-week public consultation to gather residents’ views on how they would like to see local government operate in Hampshire.

But it appears to have triggered a battle for survival as county, district and borough councils fight for the right to take over the reins of devolved responsibility for public services and economic growth.

The Serving Hampshire consultation sets out the potential options for how Hampshire County Council and its 11 district and borough councils could change, or be reorganised, to meet the huge challenges they face from ongoing cuts to their funding from central Government - and from rising demand for services, such as social care for children and vulnerable adults, from a growing population.

“We want everyone to have their say on an issue which will affect generations to come,” said county council leader Roy Perry.

“The views of all residents in Hampshire are very important to me, and it’s crucial we keep them at the forefront of the wider devolution agenda from which our consultation on potential local government reorganisation stems.

“It is particularly relevant as the priorities for the new Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid include devolving decision-making powers to local areas and helping communities deliver excellent public services. I’ve written to Mr Javid to tell him of our consultation, and hope to meet him and discuss how to help people in Hampshire to take more control of their own future.”

But not everyone is on board with the consultation.

East Hampshire District Council leader Ferris Cowper has joined with four other local councils from the south of the county in “slamming” the consultation, claiming that it has been issued to residents “prematurely” and “without meaningful discussion with local councils it directly impacts”. These councils claim that the county-council information pack implies that Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport and Havant borough councils and East Hampshire District Council, with other local authorities in the county, are working together on the consultation which, they say, “is not the case”.

Instead, the five councils in question have been working with the three unitary authorities of The Isle of Wight Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council who, together with the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), are looking to press ahead with plans to create a Solent Combined Authority to secure new powers and funding from Government which, they hope, will deliver an extra £30million a year, for 30 years, to help develop roads and sites for employment and housing.

Havant Borough Council leader Michael Cheshire thought there was to be some consultation between the county council and its boroughs and districts before going public, but this had not happened: “This has nothing to do with the ‘devolution’ of power from central Government to Hampshire’s boroughs and districts - it’s all about the ‘centralising’ of power to Hampshire County Council by forming a Hampshire Unitary Council.”

Mr Cowper added: “I want to be very clear we are opposed to the county council’s plans to create a unitary authority. The county council is deliberately confusing the issue of reorganisation of public services with the Government’s initiative on devolving powers to local areas.

“The Solent Combined Authority plans would enable your local council to take on responsibility for services currently managed by central Government and offer residents a better financial deal than the county’s idea. It would give residents far more say on how things happen with more accountability.”

Keith House, leader of Eastleigh Borough Council, added: “Hampshire’s consultation, abolishing all borough and district councils, would create a super-powerful Hampshire council led by a cabinet of 10 councillors responsible for all services provided by the county and 11 borough and district councils. This is not devolution: it’s reverse devolution, sucking power up to the centre, rather than dispersing it.”

Mr Perry said: “Since the proposal for a Solent Combined Authority emerged - involving the councils for Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight with the potential to include some district councils in the future - we have faced the prospect of the county being split, and the damage this would do to high-quality, countywide services. Feedback from our consultation will help to inform decisions about how vital services could be protected in future, such as roads, rights of way, social care for vulnerable children and adults, and essential infrastructure to support new housing - without damaging delivery or compromising on performance. Before any changes are agreed for Hampshire, I am determined to listen first and decide later.”

• The consultation, to be carried out by independent Ipsos MORI, can be found at www.hants.gov.uk.