Voters across Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are expected to elect a Mayor of Wessex in May 2028, creating the closest thing for centuries to a single political figurehead for the historic region.
The proposed mayoral authority will encompass Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset and BCP, with powers and funding transferring from Whitehall to the region.
Historic Kingdom Revived
The original Kingdom of Wessex evolved from an Anglo-Saxon kingdom into the formidable powerbase from which England was ultimately unified. Æthelstan, grandson of Alfred the Great, was its final king before conquering Viking York in 927 and ruling as King of the English.
Wiltshire can lay claim to a particularly strong connection with the ancient monarch. When Æthelstan died in 939, he was laid to rest at Malmesbury Abbey, where his tomb remains visible to this day – though the monument stands empty and the location of his remains has long since been lost to history.
Following the unification of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, the Wessex name endured as an earldom, held first by Godwin and subsequently by his son Harold, who became King Harold II before meeting his famously grim fate at Hastings in 1066. The Earldom of Wessex then vanished for the best part of a thousand years, until Queen Elizabeth II revived the title for Prince Edward in 1999.
Devolution Deal Confirmed
Chancellor John Healey confirmed during the Budget on Wednesday, October 28 that Wessex was amongst the areas where new devolution agreements were being progressed.
The four council leaders, Ian Thorn, Bill Revans, Nick Ireland and Millie Earl, welcomed the move as a "significant vote of confidence in our region", stating it would deliver greater local control over transport, housing, skills, regeneration and economic growth.
Cllr Thorn has previously been particularly forthright regarding the financial case, saying: "When you look at the financial benefits of the mayoral authority, we would be crazy not to get involved." Bill Revans indicated that the new authority is expected to be established in 2027, with a mayoral election to follow in May 2028.
Direct Election and Capital Twist
The mayor would be directly elected by residents across the new Wessex area, rather than appointed by the four council leaders.
So, 1,101 years after Æthelstan shifted his focus from Wessex to England, the region will once again have a single political figurehead. However, there is a notable twist: the new Mayor of Wessex will not preside over Wessex's ancient capital. Winchester, once the royal heartland of the West Saxon kings, will instead fall under the jurisdiction of the separate Hampshire and Solent mayor.
