Island Signs Up To Super Mayor As Council Backs Radical Shake-Up

In a decision set to reshape the region’s future, the Isle of Wight Council voted to back plans for a powerful new tier of government – with a Hampshire and Solent “super mayor” at its head.

The fiery vote ended with 26 councillors in favour and just nine against, meaning the Island has now committed “in principle” to the creation of a Hampshire and Solent Mayoral Combined County Authority.

The move is part of Westminster’s flagship English devolution agenda, hailed by ministers as the biggest transfer of power from London in decades.

The shake-up promises billions in funding, control over housing, jobs, transport, investment and more – all placed in the hands of a single elected figure.

But the council report laid down a dramatic warning: if the Isle of Wight refused to agree, the government could still force through the changes anyway, leaving the Island powerless to influence the outcome.

Supporters claim the deal is a golden ticket to investment and influence, while critics warn it’s a dangerous surrender of local control.

Either way, the decision now clears the path for the first-ever super mayor election next year.

Last night’s meeting may have looked like local politics as usual – but make no mistake: it was a historic turning point.

The Isle of Wight has just bet its future on devolution.