SOUTHAMPTON has given its backing to press ahead with plans for a new so-called 'super council' in the south.

But councillors on the Isle of Wight have voted against the mofe.

At an extraordinary meeting of Southampton City Council last night members voted overwhelmingly in favour of putting its bid for a Solent Combined Authority forward to government for approval.

If accepted by Whitehall the new authority would see an elected mayor head up the new body which would include the councils of Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, but not replace them.

But last night councillors voted not to join the super council although a fnial decision on the island's future will be taken on Monday.

The government has given regions of the country the chance to bid for more powers and funding so that more decisions can be taken at a local level and strategic projects that benefit the whole area can be progressed with a joined up approach.

However, critics say the new authority would add an extra layer of bureaucracy and mean an unaccountable body would be making decisions that could not be properly scrutinised. In a speech to members before the matter was debated by the full council Denise Wyatt, founder of the English Futures Party, said councillors would risk "creating a monster" if they gave the SCA their backing.

The only other voice of dissent came from independent councillor Andrew Pope who accused the council of rushing into the deal without properly considering the consequences and labelling the consultation which found the 71 per cent of respondants in favour of the deal "a sham".

He also questioned how the figure of £30m - the expected annual funding the new authority would attract from government - had been calculated.

In responding council leader of the Labour-led administration Simon Letts admitted that the figure was dependent on how many of the 'district ' authorities eventually joined the new authority but said that the government had set aside that sum.

Speaking in favour of the proposals opposition Conservative leader Jeremy Moulton said: "This is an exciting prospect. We are not elected to lose out on a tremendous opportunities. Chances down always come around again."

In urging the chamber to support the proposal Cllr Letts outlined the advantages of the deal including how the new authority would be able to keep the tax raised through business rates, how the £30m funding could be used to invest in strategic projects the whole region would benefit from and how the bigger block of political power would add strength to any bid to government for more funding.

A motion to put the matter to a public referendum proposed by Cllr Pope was voted down by members, who argued the move would delay the process and scupper any chance of the deal going ahead.

Portsmouth City Council have already backed the bid with the Isle of Wight council executive due to meet next week to discuss their position.

If all three agree the bid can then be put forward to government.

However, last night the full council meeting of the Isle of Wight authority saw the opposition Conservative party vote against the devolution deal. 

It will now go before the Executive committee next week to make the final decision.

Conservative Group Council Leader Dave Stewart said: “Conservatives voted against the motion because we didn’t feel the deal in its current form with the current governance arrangements was right for the Island.  There has been little support for it amongst residents, and there were some very significant question marks over it.

“It wasn’t only Conservatives who voted against the motion.  Independent and UKIP groups also opposed the Solent devolution deal.  Two members of the ruling group abstained.  So we know there are cross-party concerns."