Published: September 2, 2026
Chief Executive spotlight: six weeks on from launch
Dr Ruth Adams
Chief Executive, Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority
Six weeks after our official vesting day (birthday), our first Board meeting was a momentous milestone, formally bringing the Authority into operation and setting the foundations for the Strategic Authority.
At our first Board meeting, members agreed both the governance foundations for the Authority and began their discussions on key regional issues, the first crucial topic focusing on the blight that long term youth unemployment can bring to individuals, their families, their communities and our economy. The discussion was centred on ensuring ‘good growth’ moves beyond a sole focus on the economic prosperity of our region and businesses to ensuring the benefits of a prosperous region are distributed so that communities and residents participate.
Over the coming months, our attention will be on progressing the Local Growth Plan, developing our Strategic Skills Plan as part of preparing for devolved adult skills responsibilities, and establishing the advisory boards, committees and officer groups that will support the Authority’s work.
The small Combined Authority Team are supporting me in meeting with stakeholders, partners and businesses across the region to listen, understand local priorities and explore where the Combined County Authority can add the most value. These conversations are helping us to identify shared opportunities that is invaluable to the development work we are progressing.
I recently spoke to The Municipal Journal about the opportunity ahead for Hampshire and the Solent, and the work we are doing to expedite our foundational work and set up so we quickly move into clarity over the MSAs plans and priorities, recognising these will be shaped following the election of the Mayor, and then on into delivery. That conversation felt particularly relevant following the Government’s latest devolution announcements, which signal a greater focus on fiscal devolution and giving places more control over transport, skills, housing, employment and locally generated revenues. For developing combined authorities like ours, the priority is to keep building momentum before mayoral elections take place, while showing that we have the structures, partnerships and ambition in place to take on future devolved responsibilities.
I and other Chief Executives were in number 10 of the North in mid-August to work with officials to better understand the ambition and practicalities of these new arrangements and we will ensure we communicate these fully. We want to continue working closely with government so we can focus on the outcomes that matter most for our residents, businesses and communities.
What the HSCCA means for the region
For residents, businesses and partners, HSCCA is about looking at the big issues together rather than in isolation. That means giving the region a clearer voice, helping partners plan across boundaries and focusing on the shared priorities that can make the biggest difference to people, places and businesses.
In this short clip, Dr Ruth Adams explains how regional coordination can help partners plan across boundaries, join up decisions and take a longer-term view of what people, places and businesses need.
Introduction to the HSCCA Board
The HSCCA Board brings together leaders from Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton to provide strategic direction, oversee key decisions and support joined-up action for the region. The Board will play an important role as HSCCA moves from launch into delivery, helping to guide priorities, strengthen partnership working and ensure decisions reflect the needs and opportunities of the whole area. Further members, including non-constituent members, will be added and announced in due course. Meet the Board and find out more about HSCCA on our About us page.
What’s coming up
Over the coming months, HSCCA will continue to progress its Local Growth Plan, setting out how the region can build on its strengths, respond to shared challenges and make the strongest possible case for future investment. For communities, this means looking at how growth can support better access to jobs, skills, transport, housing and local opportunities. For businesses, it means creating the right conditions for investment, productivity and a skilled workforce. For partners, it provides a shared framework for coordinating priorities across boundaries, while for those outside the region it helps reinforce the national role Hampshire and the Solent plays through, for example, its ports, defence sector, visitor economy, natural assets and wider economic potential.
We will also continue work on the Strategic Skills Plan as part of our preparations for devolved adult skills responsibilities, alongside putting in place the organisational governance arrangements that will support transparent decision-making across all areas of responsibility. Developments on the Consolidated Adult Skills Fund will be covered in the next digital round-up.
Work for us
HSCCA is recruiting for a range of roles as we build the new Authority and put the right foundations in place. Current opportunities include roles in finance, programme management, business analysis, HR, planning and the portfolio office. Visit the HSCCA careers page to view the latest vacancies, register for updates and apply. You can also follow HSCCA on LinkedIn for job alerts to be notified of future opportunities as they go live.
Events
The next HSCCA Board meeting will take place on 28 September 2026 at 2.30pm in the Executive Room at Portsmouth City Council’s Civic Offices. The meeting will provide an opportunity to hear more about the Authority’s early priorities, progress on key workstreams and the next steps as HSCCA continues to move from launch into delivery.
Keeping you updated
Follow HSCCA on LinkedIn to stay up to date as the Authority moves through its set-up phase. We will share short videos and updates from Board members, stakeholders and partners on LinkedIn, including this video on how HSCCA aims to work across the region.