The Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority Regulations 2026

These Regulations may be cited as the Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority Regulations 2026.

Save as provided in paragraph (3), these Regulations come into force on the day after the day on which they are made.

Part 5 (Mayoral functions) comes into force on 8th May 2028.

These Regulations extend to England and Wales.

There is established a combined county authority for the Area.

The combined county authority is to be a body corporate and is to be known as the Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority.

The functions of the Combined County Authority are those functions conferred or imposed upon it by or under these Regulations or any other enactment (whenever passed or made), or as may be delegated to it by or under these Regulations or any other enactment (whenever passed or made).

disapplied in respect of the financial year beginning on 1st April 2025;

modified in respect of the financial year beginning on 1st April 2026 to require the Authority to prepare a statement of accounts for that year in respect of the period beginning with the day after the day on which these Regulations are made, whether or not that day is earlier than 1st April 2026, and ending with 31st March 2027.

There is to be a mayor for the Area.

The first election for the return of the mayor is to take place on 4th May 2028.

Subsequent elections for the return of the mayor must take place in every fourth year thereafter on the same day as the ordinary day of election.

The term of office of the mayor returned at an election for the return of the mayor in 2028—

The term of office of the mayor returned in each subsequent fourth year—

In this regulation “the ordinary day of election” in relation to any year means the day which is the ordinary day of election in that year of councillors for counties and districts in England as determined in accordance with section 37 of the Representation of the People Act 1983^f1.

Where for the purposes of paragraph (5)(a) the fourth day would otherwise be a Saturday, Sunday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday, a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971^f2 in England and Wales or a day appointed as a day of public thanksgiving or mourning, the fourth day is instead deemed to be the first day thereafter which is not one of those specified days.

Where paragraph (7) applies, the reference in paragraphs (4)(b) and (5)(b) to the third day is deemed to be the day before the day deemed to have effect in accordance with paragraph (7).

The mayor may appoint one person as the mayor’s political adviser.

Any appointment under paragraph (1) is an appointment as an employee of the Combined County Authority.

No appointment under paragraph (1) may extend beyond—

A person appointed under paragraph (1) is to be regarded for the purposes of Part 1 of the 1989 Act (political restriction of officers and staff) as holding a politically restricted post under a local authority.

Section 9(1), (3), (4) to (4C), (8), (9) and (11) of the 1989 Act (assistants for political groups)^f1, applies in relation to an appointment under paragraph (1) as if—

Subsection (3) of section 9 of the 1989 Act applies in relation to an appointment under paragraph (1) as if the words from “and that the appointment terminates” to the end of that subsection were omitted.

Subject to paragraph (2), the functions of the constituent councils specified in section 63 of the Transport Act 1985 (functions of local councils with respect to passenger transport in areas other than integrated transport areas and passenger transport areas)^f1 are exercisable by the Combined County Authority in relation to the Area concurrently with the constituent councils.

Any exercise of the functions referred to in paragraph (1) requires the consent of each constituent council in whose area it is proposed that the functions are to be exercised.

During the period beginning with the day after the day on which these Regulations are made and ending with 8th May 2028, the functions of the constituent councils specified in the following sections of the 2000 Act are exercisable by the Combined County Authority in relation to the Area concurrently with the constituent councils—

After 8th May 2028, the functions specified in paragraph (1) are, subject to regulation 11, exercisable by the Combined County Authority in relation to the area instead of by the constituent councils.

The functions of a Minister of the Crown specified in section 31 of the 2003 Act (power to pay grant) that are exercisable in relation to the Area are functions of the Combined County Authority.

The functions are exercisable by the Combined County Authority concurrently with a Minister of the Crown.

Paragraph (4) applies where, further to the exercise of any function referred to in paragraph (1), the Combined County Authority determines an amount of grant to be paid towards expenditure incurred or to be incurred by a constituent council in relation to the exercise of that council’s highway functions.

In determining the amount referred to in paragraph (3), the Combined County Authority must have regard to the desirability of ensuring that the constituent council has sufficient funds to facilitate the effective discharge of the functions referred to in paragraph (3).

To comply with paragraph (4), the Combined County Authority must take into account any other sources of funding available to the constituent council for expenditure incurred or to be incurred in relation to the exercise of its highway functions.

For the purposes of the exercise by the Combined County Authority of the functions specified in paragraph (1), section 31 of the 2003 Act has effect as if—

In this regulation “highway functions” means functions exercisable by a constituent council (in whatever capacity) in relation to the highways for which it is the highway authority.

The functions of the Combined County Authority specified in paragraph (2) are general functions exercisable only by the mayor.

The functions referred to in paragraph (1) are the functions set out in—

For the purposes of the exercise of the general functions referred to in paragraph (2), the members and officers of the Combined County Authority may assist the mayor in the exercise of the functions.

For the purposes of the exercise of the general functions referred to in paragraph (2) the mayor may do anything that the Combined County Authority may do under section 49 of the 2023 Act (general power of CCA).

Subject to paragraph (3), the constituent councils must ensure that the costs of the Combined County Authority which are reasonably attributable to the exercise of its functions are met.

Subject to paragraph (4), the constituent councils must meet the costs of the expenditure reasonably incurred by the mayor in, or in connection with, the exercise of the functions referred to in regulation 11, to the extent that the mayor has not decided to meet these costs from other resources available to the Combined County Authority.

Any amount payable by each of the constituent councils to ensure that the costs of the Combined County Authority referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) are met is to be determined by apportioning such costs between the constituent councils in such proportions as they may agree or, in default of such agreement, in accordance with the proportion of the total resident population of the Combined County Authority which resides in the area of each constituent council at the relevant date as estimated by the Statistics Board^f1.

In relation to the expenditure mentioned in paragraph (2)—

For the purposes of paragraph (3), the “relevant date” in relation to a payment for a financial year is 30th June in the financial year which commenced two years prior to the financial year in which such payment is to be made.

The functions of the constituent councils described in section 17A of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (sharing of information)^f1 are exercisable by the Combined County Authority in relation to the Area.

The Combined County Authority is a relevant authority for the purposes of section 115 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (disclosure of information)^f2.

The functions referred to in paragraph (1) are exercisable concurrently with the constituent councils.

The following provisions of the Local Government Act 1972 have effect in relation to the Combined County Authority as if it were a local authority—

Section 13 of the 1989 Act (voting rights of members of certain committees)^f3 has effect in relation to the Combined County Authority as if—

In Part 2 of Schedule 3 (pension funds) to the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013^f4 in the table insert at the end—

“

An employee of the Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority established by the Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority Regulations 2026

Hampshire County Council

”;

The functions of the constituent councils under section 1 of the Localism Act 2011 (local authority’s general power of competence)^f5, to the extent that those functions are exercisable for the purpose of economic development and regeneration, are exercisable by the Combined County Authority in relation to the Area.

The functions referred to in paragraph (4) are exercisable concurrently with the constituent councils.

Any requirement in any enactment for a constituent council to exercise a function referred to in paragraph (4) may be fulfilled by the exercise of that function by the Combined County Authority.

Each constituent council must appoint one of its elected members to be a member of the Combined County Authority.

Hampshire County Council must appoint one further elected member to be a member of the Combined County Authority.

Each constituent council must appoint one named elected member (“substitute member”) for each member appointed by that council under sub-paragraphs (1) or (2), any of whom may act as a member of the Combined County Authority in the absence of a member appointed under sub-paragraphs (1) or (2).

In this Schedule, except in paragraph 2(1), “member” means a member appointed under sub-paragraphs (1) or (2), and a substitute member where that substitute member is acting in place of a member appointed under sub-paragraphs (1) or (2).

A person ceases to be a member or substitute member of the Combined County Authority if—

A person may resign as a member or substitute member of the Combined County Authority by written notice served on the proper officer of the constituent council that appointed them, and the resignation takes effect on receipt of that notice.

Where a member or substitute member of the Combined County Authority’s appointment ceases by virtue of sub-paragraph (5) or (6), the constituent council that made the appointment must, as soon as practicable, give written notice of that fact to the Combined County Authority and appoint another of its elected members in that person’s place.

The term “proper officer” in this paragraph, in relation to a body and any purpose or area, means an officer appointed by the body for that purpose or area.

Before the election for the return of the mayor, the Combined County Authority must appoint a chair and a vice-chair from amongst its members and these appointments are to be the first business transacted after the appointment of members of the Combined County Authority, at the first meeting of the Combined County Authority.

A person ceases to be chair or vice-chair of the Combined County Authority if they cease to be a member of the Combined County Authority.

If a vacancy arises in the office of chair or vice-chair, an appointment to fill the vacancy is to be made at the next ordinary meeting of the Combined County Authority, or, if that meeting is to be held within 14 days of the vacancy arising, at the meeting following that meeting.

The vice-chair must act in place of the chair if for any reason—

If for any reason—

no meeting of the Combined County Authority may take place.

The chair of the Combined County Authority ceases to hold office, and the office of vice chair is abolished, at the end of the day before the first mayor’s term of office begins^f1.

The Combined County Authority must have no more than five non-constituent members and associate members^f1.

Each nominating body^f2 of the Combined County Authority must nominate another person to act as the member of the Combined County Authority in the absence of the member appointed under section 11(3) of the 2023 Act (non-constituent members of a CCA).

An associate member appointed under section 12(1) of the 2023 Act (associate members of a CCA) must nominate another person to act as a member of the Combined County Authority in their absence.

Subject to article 8(4) of the Combined Authorities (Finance) Order 2017^f1, any decision of the Combined County Authority is to be decided by a simple majority of the members present and voting on that decision at a meeting of the Combined County Authority and, after the beginning of the first mayor’s term of office, such majority is to include the mayor, or the deputy mayor^f2 acting in place of the mayor.

Before the first mayor’s term of office begins—

After the mayor’s term of office begins, no business is to be transacted at a meeting of the Combined County Authority unless the mayor, or the deputy mayor acting in place of the mayor, and at least four members appointed by the constituent councils are present.

Where the deputy mayor is acting in the place of the mayor they cannot also act in their capacity as a member of the Combined County Authority.

Each member is to have one vote and no member is to have a casting vote.

If a vote is tied on any matter it is deemed not to have been carried.

The proceedings of the Combined County Authority are not invalidated by any vacancy among its members or substitute members or by any defect in the appointment or qualifications of any member or substitute member.

The Combined County Authority must make arrangements for the names of members present at any meeting to be recorded.

Minutes of the proceedings of a meeting of the Combined County Authority, or any committee or sub-committee of the Combined County Authority, are to be kept in such form as the Combined County Authority may determine.

Any such minutes are to be signed at the same or next suitable meeting of the Combined County Authority, committee or sub-committee as the case may be, by the person presiding at that meeting.

Any minute purporting to be signed as mentioned in sub-paragraph (3) is to be received in evidence without further proof.

Unless the contrary is proved, a meeting of the Combined County Authority, committee or sub-committee, a minute of whose proceedings has been signed in accordance with this paragraph, is deemed to have been duly convened and held, and all the members and substitute members present at the meeting are deemed to have been duly qualified to attend.

For the purposes of sub-paragraph (3) the next suitable meeting is the next following meeting or, where standing orders made by the Combined County Authority provide for another meeting of the Combined County Authority, committee or sub-committee to be regarded as suitable, either the next following meeting or that other meeting.

Subject to sub-paragraphs (2), (3) and (5), no remuneration or allowances are to be payable by the Combined County Authority to its members, other than—

The Combined County Authority may pay an allowance to—

The Combined County Authority may only pay an allowance to a person listed in sub-paragraph (2)(a) to (d) if—

Article 16(2)(a) of the 2017 Order applies in relation to the Combined County Authority as if after “sub-committee of that authority” there were inserted “or a member of a constituent council or a member of a district council”.

Where the Combined County Authority pays a relevant allowance to a person—

In sub-paragraph (5), “a relevant allowance” means—

1. (a)

   an allowance payable under sub-paragraph (2) to any person referred to in that sub-paragraph, which is not an allowance for travel and subsistence;

2. (b)

   an allowance payable in accordance with a scheme made under section 52A of the 2023 Act.