It’s not the plan we wanted or the process we wanted, but the needs of residents have to come first.

The Government's plans for Local Government Reorganisation in Hampshire and the Solent won't fix council finances or the pressures on adult social care or special education needs - and risks being a huge distraction for years to come.

Indeed, the financial problems at Hampshire County Council are so severe that local government reorganisation could force residents with councils that have done a better job at managing their finances into huge tax hikes and service cuts as well. The Government’s plan for reorganisation must include a plan to fix this. At the moment it doesn’t.

With the exception of the Isle of Wight, these authorities are also all very big. A big priority for me and for my Lib Dem colleagues is to work to keep decisions made as locally as they can be - and make sure that the different needs and wishes of residents in different areas are properly heard and listened to.

But the government’s decision has been made and if it gets through Parliament and any legal challenges, the Liberal Democrats are going to do what we can to make this work for our residents. It’s not the plan we wanted or the process we wanted, but the needs of residents have to come first and we will ensure that the transition is as seamless as we can make it.