The Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority Regulations 2026

Schedule Constitution

Regulation 5 Membership 1 (1) Each constituent council must appoint one of its elected members to be a member of the Combined County Authority. (2) Hampshire County Council must appoint one further elected member to be a member of the Combined County Authority. (3) Each constituent council must appoint one named elected member (“substitute member”) for each member appointed by that council under sub-paragraphs (1) or (2), any of whom may act as a member of the Combined County Authority in the absence of a member appointed under sub-paragraphs (1) or (2). (4) In this Schedule, except in paragraph 2(1), “member” means a member appointed under sub-paragraphs (1) or (2), and a substitute member where that substitute member is acting in place of a member appointed under sub-paragraphs (1) or (2). (5) A person ceases to be a member or substitute member of the Combined County Authority if— (a) they cease to be an elected member of the constituent council that appointed them, or (b) the constituent council that appointed the member terminates their appointment. (6) A person may resign as a member or substitute member of the Combined County Authority by written notice served on the proper officer of the constituent council that appointed them, and the resignation takes effect on receipt of that notice. (7) Where a member or substitute member of the Combined County Authority’s appointment ceases by virtue of sub-paragraph (5) or (6), the constituent council that made the appointment must, as soon as practicable, give written notice of that fact to the Combined County Authority and appoint another of its elected members in that person’s place. (8) The term “proper officer” in this paragraph, in relation to a body and any purpose or area, means an officer appointed by the body for that purpose or area. Chair and vice-chair 2 (1) Before the election for the return of the mayor, the Combined County Authority must appoint a chair and a vice-chair from amongst its members and these appointments are to be the first business transacted after the appointment of members of the Combined County Authority, at the first meeting of the Combined County Authority. (2) A person ceases to be chair or vice-chair of the Combined County Authority if they cease to be a member of the Combined County Authority. (3) If a vacancy arises in the office of chair or vice-chair, an appointment to fill the vacancy is to be made at the next ordinary meeting of the Combined County Authority, or, if that meeting is to be held within 14 days of the vacancy arising, at the meeting following that meeting. (4) The vice-chair must act in place of the chair if for any reason— (a) the chair is unable to act, or (b) the office of chair is vacant. (5) If for any reason— (a) the chair is unable to act or the office of chair is vacant, and (b) the vice-chair is unable to act or the office of vice-chair is vacant, no meeting of the Combined County Authority may take place. (6) The chair of the Combined County Authority ceases to hold office, and the office of vice chair is abolished, at the end of the day before the first mayor’s term of office begins. Non-constituent and associate members 3 (1) The Combined County Authority must have no more than five non-constituent members and associate members. (2) Each nominating body of the Combined County Authority must nominate another person to act as the member of the Combined County Authority in the absence of the member appointed under section 11(3) of the 2023 Act (non-constituent members of a CCA). (3) An associate member appointed under section 12(1) of the 2023 Act (associate members of a CCA) must nominate another person to act as a member of the Combined County Authority in their absence. Proceedings 4 (1) Subject to article 8(4) of the Combined Authorities (Finance) Order 2017, any decision of the Combined County Authority is to be decided by a simple majority of the members present and voting on that decision at a meeting of the Combined County Authority and, after the beginning of the first mayor’s term of office, such majority is to include the mayor, or the deputy mayor acting in place of the mayor. (2) Before the first mayor’s term of office begins— (a) no business is to be transacted at a meeting of the Combined County Authority unless the chair, or vice-chair acting in place of the chair, and three of the members appointed by the constituent councils are present; (b) questions relating to the following matters require a unanimous vote in favour by all five members to be carried— (i) approval or amendment of the Combined County Authority’s budget; (ii) development and adoption of any local transport plan under section 108(3) of the 2000 Act; (iii) approval or amendment of the Combined County Authority’s constitution or standing orders; (iv) approval or amendment of such other plans and strategies as may be determined by the Combined County Authority and set out in its constitution or standing orders; (c) none of the following decisions may be taken unless the decision is approved by the member appointed by the constituent council concerned— (i) any decision which results in a financial liability on the constituent council; (ii) any decision which affects any land within the area of the constituent council; (iii) any decision which results in an exercise of functions within the area of the constituent council. (3) After the mayor’s term of office begins, no business is to be transacted at a meeting of the Combined County Authority unless the mayor, or the deputy mayor acting in place of the mayor, and at least four members appointed by the constituent councils are present. (4) Where the deputy mayor is acting in the place of the mayor they cannot also act in their capacity as a member of the Combined County Authority. (5) Each member is to have one vote and no member is to have a casting vote. (6) If a vote is tied on any matter it is deemed not to have been carried. (7) The proceedings of the Combined County Authority are not invalidated by any vacancy among its members or substitute members or by any defect in the appointment or qualifications of any member or substitute member. Records 5 (1) The Combined County Authority must make arrangements for the names of members present at any meeting to be recorded. (2) Minutes of the proceedings of a meeting of the Combined County Authority, or any committee or sub-committee of the Combined County Authority, are to be kept in such form as the Combined County Authority may determine. (3) Any such minutes are to be signed at the same or next suitable meeting of the Combined County Authority, committee or sub-committee as the case may be, by the person presiding at that meeting. (4) Any minute purporting to be signed as mentioned in sub-paragraph (3) is to be received in evidence without further proof. (5) Unless the contrary is proved, a meeting of the Combined County Authority, committee or sub-committee, a minute of whose proceedings has been signed in accordance with this paragraph, is deemed to have been duly convened and held, and all the members and substitute members present at the meeting are deemed to have been duly qualified to attend. (6) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (3) the next suitable meeting is the next following meeting or, where standing orders made by the Combined County Authority provide for another meeting of the Combined County Authority, committee or sub-committee to be regarded as suitable, either the next following meeting or that other meeting. Standing orders 6 The Combined County Authority may make standing orders for the regulation of its proceedings and business, provided that the standing orders are consistent with this Schedule, and may vary or revoke any such orders. Remuneration and pensions 7 (1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2), (3) and (5), no remuneration or allowances are to be payable by the Combined County Authority to its members, other than— (a) allowances for travel and subsistence paid in accordance with a scheme approved by the Combined County Authority; (b) allowances payable in accordance with a scheme made under section 52A of the 2023 Act. (2) The Combined County Authority may pay an allowance to— (a) the mayor, (b) the deputy mayor provided that the deputy mayor is not a leader or elected mayor of a constituent council and is not in receipt of an allowance from a constituent council for any other role, (c) members appointed to the overview and scrutiny committee of the Combined County Authority and any sub-committee of that committee, and (d) members appointed to the audit committee of the Combined County Authority. (3) The Combined County Authority may only pay an allowance to a person listed in sub-paragraph (2)(a) to (d) if— (a) the Combined County Authority has— (i) established an independent remuneration panel in accordance with article 16 of the Combined Authorities (Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Access to Information and Audit Committees) Order 2017 (independent remuneration panels) (“the 2017 Order”), and (ii) considered a report published by the independent remuneration panel mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) which contains recommendations for such an allowance, and (b) the allowance paid does not exceed the amount specified in the recommendation made by the independent remuneration panel. (4) Article 16(2)(a) of the 2017 Order applies in relation to the Combined County Authority as if after “sub-committee of that authority” there were inserted “or a member of a constituent council or a member of a district council”. (5) Where the Combined County Authority pays a relevant allowance to a person— (a) that person is entitled to a pension paid in accordance with a scheme established under section 1 of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 (the “2013 Act”), (b) that allowance is to be treated as an amount in respect of which such a pension is payable under a scheme made under section 1 of the 2013 Act, and (c) the Combined County Authority must make such payments as may be required in respect of pension payable to a person in relation to that allowance. (6) In sub-paragraph (5), “a relevant allowance” means— an allowance payable under sub-paragraph (2) to any person referred to in that sub-paragraph, which is not an allowance for travel and subsistence; an allowance payable in accordance with a scheme made under section 52A of the 2023 Act. Constitution 8 The Combined County Authority may make provision about its constitution, provided that the provision made is consistent with this Schedule.