East Hampshire is a local government district in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in the town of Petersfield, although the largest town is Alton. The district also contains the town of Bordon along with many villages and surrounding rural areas.
East Hampshire | |
|---|---|
 Petersfield town centre | |
 East Hampshire shown within Hampshire | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | South East England |
| Non-metropolitan county | Hampshire |
| Status | Non-metropolitan district |
| Admin HQ | Petersfield |
| Incorporated | 1 April 1974 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan district council |
| • Body | East Hampshire District Council |
| • MPs | Damian Hinds Greg Stafford |
| Area | |
• Total | 198.6 sq mi (514.4 km2) |
| • Rank | 76th (of 296) |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 127,319 |
| • Rank | 185th (of 296) |
| • Density | 640/sq mi (250/km2) |
| Ethnicity (2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion (2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| ONS code | 24UC (ONS) E07000085 (GSS) |
| OS grid reference | SU7659323528 |
Parts of the district lie within the South Downs National Park. The neighbouring districts are Havant, Winchester, Basingstoke and Deane, Hart, Waverley and Chichester.
History
editEast Hampshire was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of four former districts which were all abolished at the same time:[2]
- Alton Rural District
- Alton Urban District
- Petersfield Rural District
- Petersfield Urban District
The district was originally proposed to be called Petersfield.[3] The shadow authority elected in 1973 to oversee the transition to the new system requested a change of name to East Hampshire, which was confirmed by the government on 8 October 1973, before the new district formally came into being.[4]
Between 2009 and 2022 the council shared a chief executive with neighbouring Havant Borough Council.[5][6]
Governance
editEast Hampshire District Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Gill Kneller since January 2019[8] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 43 councillors |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
| First past the post | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Penns Place, Petersfield, GU31 4EX | |
| Website | |
| www | |
East Hampshire District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Hampshire County Council. The whole district is covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[9][10]
In the parts of the district within the South Downs National Park, town planning is the responsibility of the South Downs National Park Authority. The district council appoints one of its councillors to serve on the 27-person National Park Authority.[11]
Political control
editThe council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being led by a coalition of the Conservatives and local party the Whitehill and Bordon Community Party.[12]
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[13][14]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| No overall control | 1974–1976 | |
| Conservative | 1976–1991 | |
| No overall control | 1991–1995 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 1995–1999 | |
| Conservative | 1999–2023 | |
| No overall control | 2023–present | |
Leadership
editThe leaders of the council since 1999 have been:[15]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Cartwright | Conservative | 1999 | 19 May 2004 | |
| Andrew Pattie | Conservative | 19 May 2004 | 17 May 2006 | |
| Ferris Cowper | Conservative | 17 May 2006 | Oct 2009 | |
| David Parkinson | Conservative | 9 Nov 2009 | Oct 2010 | |
| Patrick Burridge | Conservative | 13 Oct 2010 | Mar 2012 | |
| Ken Moon | Conservative | 20 Mar 2012 | 9 May 2013 | |
| Ferris Cowper | Conservative | 9 May 2013 | 18 May 2017 | |
| Richard Millard | Conservative | 18 May 2017 | ||
Composition
editFollowing the 2023 election, the composition of the council was:[16]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 19 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 14 | |
| Whitehill and Bordon Community Party | 6 | |
| Green | 2 | |
| Labour | 1 | |
| Independent | 1 | |
| Total | 43 | |
The next election is due in 2027.
Premises
editThe council is based at Penns Place on the eastern outskirts of Petersfield.[17]
Elections
editSince the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 43 councillors representing 31 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[18]
Settlements and parishes
editEast Hampshire is entirely covered by civil parishes. The parish councils of Alton, Petersfield and Whitehill (where the largest settlement is Bordon) take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council.[19]
Settlements in East Hampshire include:
- Alton
- Beech, Bentley, Bentworth, Binsted, Blackmoor, Blendworth, Bordon, Bramshott, Bucks Horn Oak, Buriton
- Catherington, Chawton, Clanfield, Colemore
- East Meon, East Tisted, East Worldham, Empshott
- Farringdon, Finchdean, Four Marks, Froxfield
- Golden Pot, Grayshott, Greatham
- Hawkley, Headley, Headley Down, High Cross, Holybourne, Horndean
- Kingsley
- Langrish, Lasham, Lindford, Liphook, Liss, Lower Froyle, Lower Wield
- Medstead
- Neatham, Newton Valence, North Street
- Petersfield, Priors Dean
- Ropley, Ropley Dean, Rowlands Castle
- Selborne, Shalden, Sheet, Steep, Stroud
- Upper Froyle, Upper Wield
- West Tisted, West Worldham, Weston, Whitehill
References
edit- ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – East Hampshire Local Authority (E07000085)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 21 September 2023
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "Historical information from 1973 onwards". Boundary-Line support. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
- ^ "Management structure". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- ^ Sharman, Laura (31 January 2022). "Hampshire councils agree formal end to 12-year partnership". Local Gov. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ "New Chairman elected for our 50th year". East Hampshire District Council. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "New Chief Executive at East Hampshire and Havant Councils". Public Sector Executive. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- ^ "Members". South Downs National Park Authority. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- ^ Coates, Paul (29 May 2023). "East Hampshire District Council is all set for four very lively years". Farnham Herald. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ "England council elections". BBC News Online. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
- ^ "Council minutes". East Hampshire Council. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
- ^ "Contact us". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- ^ "The East Hampshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2018", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2018/854, retrieved 21 September 2023
- ^ "Parish council contact details". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 21 September 2023.