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.
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History
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:
Alton Rural District
Alton Urban District
Petersfield Rural District
Petersfield Urban District
The district was originally proposed to be called Petersfield. 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.
Between 2009 and 2022 the council shared a chief executive with neighbouring Havant Borough Council.
Under upcoming local government reform plans the district will be split to form new unitary authorities from 2028, with the bulk joining with other districts to form Mid Hampshire, while South East Hampshire will cover the a part of the district near to Portsmouth.
Governance
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.
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.
Political control
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.
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:
Leadership
The leaders of the council since 1991 have been:
Composition
Following the 2023 election, and subsequent changes up to March 2026, the composition of the council was:
Premises
The council is based at Penns Place on the eastern outskirts of Petersfield.
Elections
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.
Settlements and parishes
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.
Settlements in East Hampshire include:
Alton
Beech, Bentley, Bentworth, Binsted, Blackmoor, Blendworth, Bordon, Bramshott, Bucks Horn Oak, Buriton
Catherington, Chawton, Clanfield, Colemore
East Meon, East Tisted, East Worldham, Empshott
Farringdon, Finchdean, Four Marks, Froxfield
Golden Pot, Grayshott, Greatham
Hawkley, Headley, Headley Down, High Cross, Holybourne, Horndean
Kingsley
Langrish, Lasham, Lindford, Liphook, Liss, Lower Froyle, Lower Wield
Medstead
Neatham, Newton Valence, North Street
Petersfield, Priors Dean
Ropley, Ropley Dean, Rowlands Castle
Selborne, Shalden, Sheet, Steep, Stroud
Upper Froyle, Upper Wield
West Tisted, West Worldham, Weston, Whitehill
Media
Television
Local TV coverage for the area is served by BBC South and ITV Meridian.
Radio
Radio stations for the area are:
BBC Radio Surrey
BBC Radio Solent
BBC Radio Sussex can also be received
Heart South
Easy Radio South Coast
Greatest Hits Radio Surrey & East Hampshire
Wey Valley Radio, a community based station which broadcasts from Alton.