East Hampshire

Coordinates: 51°00′20″N 0°54′30″W / 51.0055°N 0.9082°W / 51.0055; -0.9082
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

East Hampshire
Petersfield town centre
Petersfield town centre
East Hampshire shown within Hampshire
East Hampshire shown within Hampshire
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionSouth East England
Non-metropolitan countyHampshire
StatusNon-metropolitan district
Admin HQPetersfield
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyEast Hampshire District Council
 • MPsDamian Hinds
Flick Drummond
Area
 • Total198.6 sq mi (514.4 km2)
 • Rank76th (of 296)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total126,199
 • Rank187th (of 296)
 • Density640/sq mi (250/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code24UC (ONS)
E07000085 (GSS)
OS grid referenceSU7659323528

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.

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[edit]

East 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]

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[edit]

East Hampshire District Council
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Anthony Williams,
Conservative
since 18 May 2023[7]
Richard Millard,
Conservative
since 18 May 2017
Gill Kneller
since January 2019[8]
Structure
Seats43 councillors
Political groups
Administration (25)
  Conservative (19)
  W&B Community (6)
Other parties (18)
  Liberal Democrat (14)
  Green Party (2)
  Labour (1)
  Independent (1)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
Penns Place, Petersfield, GU31 4EX
Website
www.easthants.gov.uk

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[edit]

The 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[edit]

The 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[edit]

Following 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[edit]

The council is based at Penns Place on the eastern outskirts of Petersfield.[17]

Elections[edit]

Since 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]

East Hampshire District Council Election Results 2023

Settlements and parishes[edit]

East 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:

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – East Hampshire Local Authority (E07000085)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 21 September 2023
  3. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
  4. ^ "Historical information from 1973 onwards". Boundary-Line support. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Management structure". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  6. ^ Sharman, Laura (31 January 2022). "Hampshire councils agree formal end to 12-year partnership". Local Gov. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Council minutes, 18 May 2023". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  8. ^ "New Chief Executive at East Hampshire and Havant Councils". Public Sector Executive. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  10. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Members". South Downs National Park Authority. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  12. ^ Coates, Paul (29 May 2023). "East Hampshire District Council is all set for four very lively years". Farnham Herald. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  14. ^ "England council elections". BBC News Online. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  15. ^ "Council minutes". East Hampshire Council. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  16. ^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  17. ^ "Contact us". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  18. ^ "The East Hampshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2018", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2018/854, retrieved 21 September 2023
  19. ^ "Parish council contact details". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 21 September 2023.

External links[edit]

51°00′20″N 0°54′30″W / 51.0055°N 0.9082°W / 51.0055; -0.9082