'Hands Off Portsmouth' or see Your Council Taxes Rise and Local Services Cut
Via a shot gun marriage, Labour wants to abolish Portsmouth City Council from May 2028.
The Labour government wants to force the Council's replacement with a new, larger body with over 500,000 people - over twice our current size.
This could include Fareham, Gosport and Havant and parts of near bankrupt Hampshire County council.
This is the biggest change to local government in Portsmouth in 50 years.
The change is being forced on our city with NO local vote and, as yet, NO local consultation.
Currently, Lib Dem-run Portsmouth is well run and financially stable.
In contrast, Hampshire County Council has a structural deficit of £180million and part of its huge debts will be pooled with Portsmouth on merger.
As it stands, it is very likely that the new body will be bankrupt on day one. For Portsmouth residents that will mean higher Council Tax and the loss of many services like libraries and community wardens.
What's more, the move is being rushed through by the Labour government.
Just like Labour's cuts to Winter Fuel Allowances and its rises to National Insurance.
How well did that turn out.
Your Councillors are being asked to give a first response to the Government's proposals on your behalf by March 21st.
How can we do this properly when we don't even know what the new body will be called, its final borders or its financial position?
In short, it's another disaster in the making!
As Portsmouth Liberal Democrats, we say:
'Hands Off Portsmouth' until the Labour government can show us that Portsmouth residents won't be made worse off by the change.
If you agree, please sign our petition below.
Hands off Portsmouth!
The Government wants Portsmouth to merge into a larger authority which will include other areas. Those areas have different needs, they are not Portsmouth and they may come with lots of Hampshire's debt which Portsmouth did not incur. Portsmouth should remain its own city and not be forced to merge and lose its identity.