FEARS East Hampshire will be forced to accept more houses if a Hampshire wide devolution bid is agreed have forced a re-think on supporting the bid.

Every district and city council in Hampshire signed up to support the bid for the government to devolve greater powers to the county, but now East Hampshire District Council (EHDC), and three other district councils are having second thoughts.

After recent talks with the government, EHDC leader Cllr Ferris Cowper says he believes devolution is a ‘Trojan Horse’ designed to force councils to accept more housebuilding.

EHDC, and Basingstoke, Hart and New Forest district councils have until early in the New Year to decide if they wish to remain in the devolution process.