Political leaders in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight plan to ask incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham to bring forward the election of the region’s first mayor.

Cross-party members on the Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority (HSCCA) backed plans to write to Mr Burnham once he moves into Downing Street next week.

Elections for the first mayor of the devolved authority are scheduled for 2028.

It was original due to take place in May 2026, but government ministers pushed the poll back by two years.

At the inaugural HSCCA board meeting on Monday, July 13, members were told the 2028 mayoral election is expected to cost between £6 million and £7 million.

Chairman Nick Adams-King, Conservative leader of Hampshire County Council, said: “We will have a new prime minister within the next seven to 10 days and given that prime minister looks like being the former mayor of Greater Manchester then I think that gives us an opportunity to write to him, not only welcoming him, but also asking for him to allow us to put our foot to the floor with our plans.”

He added: “The sooner we have the mayor, the sooner this authority can properly undertake all of its functions and also receive the full amount of funding we have been promised by government.”

Board members were told a reserve has been created to cover the cost of the election.

Hampshire County Council Reform UK councillor and HSCCA board member George Madgwick said the cost was a substantial amount, which was another reason to write to Mr Burnham and encourage him to bring the mayoral poll in line with next year’s local government reorganisation elections.

Cllr Madgwick said: “Their (government’s) argument is they are doing local government reorganisation to save so much money, right.

“That’s the principle although I don’t agree with that principle. That’s the principle and it would make a lot more sense to amalgamate the elections to actually save the taxpayer here money.

“When you are talking about figures of £6 million to £7 million just for a singular election that’s not on the same year may I add as the proposed local government reorganisation elections it seems foolish.”

On the current timetable, the separate local government reorganisation process will see all-out elections for shadow unitary authorities in May 2027 ahead of these bodies taking over all day-to-day council services in April 2028.

This leaves the devolution mayoral election to stand alone in 2028.

When government announced the two-year deferral, secretary of state Steve Reed said this was to ensure “strong unitary structures” are in place before a new mayor takes office.

Mr Reed said: “This is because devolution is strongest when it is built on strong foundations, therefore moving forward we will ensure strong unitary structures are in place before areas take on mayoral devolution.”