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East Hampshire

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East Hampshire
Non-metropolitan district
Petersfield town centre
Petersfield town centre
East Hampshire shown within Hampshire
East Hampshire shown within Hampshire
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionSouth East England
Non-metropolitan countyHampshire
StatusNon-metropolitan district
Admin HQPetersfield
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyEast Hampshire District Council
 • MPsDamian Hinds
Greg Stafford
Area
 • Total
198.6 sq mi (514.4 km2)
 • Rank76th (of 296)
Population
 (2025)
 • Total
130,599
 • Rank188th (of 296)
 • Density657.6/sq mi (253.9/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
[1]
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[1]
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code24UC (ONS)
E07000085 (GSS)
OS grid referenceSU7659323528

East Hampshire is a local government district in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in the town of Petersfield, although the largest town is Alton. The district also contains the town of Bordon along with many villages and surrounding rural areas.

Parts of the district lie within the South Downs National Park. The neighbouring districts are Havant, Winchester, Basingstoke and Deane, Hart, Waverley and Chichester.

History

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East Hampshire was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of four former districts which were all abolished at the same time:[2]

The district was originally proposed to be called Petersfield.[3] The shadow authority elected in 1973 to oversee the transition to the new system requested a change of name to East Hampshire, which was confirmed by the government on 8 October 1973, before the new district formally came into being.[4]

Between 2009 and 2022 the council shared a chief executive with neighbouring Havant Borough Council.[5][6]

In March 2026, the government announced that it would abolish the district in 2028 as part of local government reform across Hampshire.[7] These proposals were withdrawn in September 2026.[8]

Governance

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East Hampshire District Council
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Penny Flux,
Whitehill & Bordon Community Party
since 14 May 2026[9]
Richard Millard,
Conservative
since 18 May 2017
Dawn Adey
since 23 April 2026[10]
Structure
Seats43 councillors
Graph of the party split among 43 seats.
Political groups
Administration (24)
    Conservative (18)
    WBCP (6)
Other parties (19)
    Liberal Democrats (14)
    Green (1)
    Labour (1)
    Independent (3)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
4 May 2023
Meeting place
Penns Place, Petersfield, GU31 4EX
Website
www.easthants.gov.uk

East Hampshire District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Hampshire County Council. The whole district is covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[11][12]

In the parts of the district within the South Downs National Park, town planning is the responsibility of the South Downs National Park Authority. The district council appoints one of its councillors to serve on the 27-person National Park Authority.[13]

Political control

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The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being led by a coalition of the Conservatives and local party the Whitehill and Bordon Community Party.[14]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[15][16]

Party in controlYears
No overall control1974–1976
Conservative1976–1991
No overall control1991–1995
Liberal Democrats1995–1999
Conservative1999–2023
No overall control2023–present

Leadership

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The leaders of the council since 1991 have been:[17]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Peter Rodgers[18]Liberal Democrats19911996
David ClarkLiberal Democrats19961999
Elizabeth Cartwright[19]Conservative199919 May 2004
Andrew Pattie[20]Conservative19 May 200417 May 2006
Ferris Cowper[21]Conservative17 May 2006Oct 2009
David Parkinson[22][23][24]Conservative9 Nov 200931 Aug 2010
Patrick Burridge[25][26]Conservative13 Oct 2010Feb 2012
Ken Moon[27][28]Conservative20 Mar 20129 May 2013
Ferris Cowper[29][30]Conservative9 May 2013May 2017
Richard Millard[31]Conservative18 May 2017

Composition

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Following the 2023 election,[32] and subsequent changes up to March 2026, the composition of the council was:[33]

Party Councillors
Conservative 18
Liberal Democrats 14
Whitehill & Bordon Community Party 6
Green 1
Labour 1
Independent 3
Total 43

Premises

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The council is based at Penns Place on the eastern outskirts of Petersfield.[34]

Elections

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Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 43 councillors representing 31 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[35]

East Hampshire District Council Election Results 2023

Settlements and parishes

[edit]

East Hampshire is entirely covered by civil parishes. The parish councils of Alton, Petersfield and Whitehill (where the largest settlement is Bordon) take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council.[36]

Settlements in East Hampshire include:

Media

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Television

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Local TV coverage for the area is served by BBC South and ITV Meridian.

Radio

[edit]

Radio stations for the area are:

References

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  1. 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – East Hampshire Local Authority (E07000085)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 21 September 2023
  3. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
  4. ↑ "Historical information on changes to electoral arrangements of Local authorities, Parliamentary areas and European Parliamentary boundaries". Boundary-Line Downloads. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 25 August 2025. (See downloadable boundary-legislation-changes-from-1973.xls spreadsheet.)
  5. ↑ "Management structure". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  6. ↑ Sharman, Laura (31 January 2022). "Hampshire councils agree formal end to 12-year partnership". Local Gov. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  7. ↑ "Local Government Reorganisation Statement made on 25 March 2026". UK Parliament. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
  8. ↑ "Local government reorganisation: programme review and decisions withdrawal letter to council leaders". gov.uk. 7 September 2026. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
  9. ↑ "Chair of the council". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "New chapter for EHDC as Dawn Adey takes role as Chief Executive". East Hampshire District Council. 24 April 2026. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  12. ↑ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  13. ↑ "Members". South Downs National Park Authority. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  14. ↑ Coates, Paul (29 May 2023). "East Hampshire District Council is all set for four very lively years". Farnham Herald. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  15. ↑ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 26 November 2024. (Put "East Hampshire" in search box to see specific results.)
  16. ↑ "England council elections". BBC News Online. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  17. ↑ "Previous Leaders, Chief Executives and Chairmen at the council". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  18. ↑ "Tributes paid to Peter Rodgers". Farnham Herald. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  19. ↑ "Council minutes, 19 May 2004" (PDF). East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  20. ↑ "Council minutes, 17 May 2006" (PDF). East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  21. ↑ "Tories deny stabbing leader Ferris". Liphook Herald. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  22. ↑ "Council minutes, 9 November 2009" (PDF). East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  23. ↑ "Council minutes, 1 September 2010" (PDF). East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  24. ↑ "Shock as EHDC leader resigns". Alton Herald. 1 September 2010. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  25. ↑ "Council minutes, 13 October 2010" (PDF). East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  26. ↑ "District council leader stands down". Alton Herald. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  27. ↑ "Council minutes, 20 March 2012" (PDF). East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  28. ↑ "Cowper back in EHDC hotseat". Farnham Herald. 15 May 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  29. ↑ "Council minutes, 9 May 2013" (PDF). East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  30. ↑ "Cowper to quit as district leader". Bordon Herald. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  31. ↑ "Council minutes, 18 May 2017". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  32. ↑ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  33. ↑ "East Hampshire". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  34. ↑ "Contact us". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  35. ↑ "The East Hampshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2018", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2018/854, retrieved 21 September 2023
  36. ↑ "Parish council contact details". East Hampshire District Council. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  37. ↑ "Wey Valley Radio". Retrieved 18 January 2025.
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51°00′20″N 0°54′30″W / 51.0055°N 0.9082°W / 51.0055; -0.9082

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