Voters across Hampshire will head to the polls in May  after the Government confirmed that elections will take place as scheduled.

Elections for Hampshire County Council, Southampton City Council, Portsmouth City Council, and the Isle of Wight, among others, will go ahead, following formal confirmation issued on January 22 by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The announcement, made by Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP, brings an end to speculation that planned local government reorganisation could lead to a delay in the vote.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Reed described the changes as a landmark moment for local authorities.

He said: “This is a once-in-a-generation reform that will transform local government for the better.

“Cutting through two-tier bureaucracy means faster decisions on housing, simpler access to services, and more money going to potholes, tackling crime and caring for older people instead of being lost to duplication.

“That’s what residents want, and that’s what reorganisation will achieve.”

Mr Reed added that the decision followed careful consideration of concerns raised during the consultation process.

“I have carefully considered arguments about capacity, reorganisation and democracy. “I’m grateful to everyone who took the time to express their views.”

Leader of Hampshire County Council, Nick Adams-King, said: “I’m delighted that the Government have made the right decision, and that elections will be going ahead for those of us in Hampshire.

“Democracy is not a task to be dropped when it becomes inconvenient or difficult.”