An internal audit has highlighted the need to strengthen technology arrangements at the Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority as the organisation prepares to take on additional responsibilities for economic development, business support and adult skills.
The findings, reported on 11 November, reveal that the authority currently relies heavily on technology services provided by Southampton City Council and has limited directly employed IT capacity.
The report identifies the need to formalise existing arrangements as the regional organisation expands.
The authority is part of a wider programme of devolution intended to transfer greater responsibility for strategic decisions from central government to regional bodies.
Its activities are expected to include economic development, investment priorities, skills and other functions affecting Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
According to the audit findings, the organisation had between 30 and 40 directly employed staff in October, with a number of operational positions being filled on an interim basis.
At the time of the review, its directly employed IT capacity consisted of one interim technical programme lead working four days a week.
The authority receives core technology services from Southampton City Council, including hardware, internet connectivity, Microsoft 365, security software and technical support.
These arrangements allow the organisation to operate while developing its own staffing and systems.
However, the audit identified that the services were being provided through arrangements that had not yet been fully formalised.
The report recommends strengthening the agreements governing the relationship, including consideration of service standards, operational performance and business continuity.
These issues are particularly important for public organisations handling information, managing financial resources and delivering services across multiple administrative areas.
Technology infrastructure supports everyday activities such as communication, document management, procurement and financial administration.
As responsibilities expand, the requirements placed on these systems are likely to increase.
The authority is preparing to assume additional functions associated with business support and adult skills funding.
These responsibilities could involve managing information about training providers, employers, funding allocations and programme delivery.
Reliable systems and clear responsibilities will therefore be important to the effective administration of future services.
The audit does not establish that the authority has suffered a major technology failure or security breach.
Instead, it identifies organisational arrangements that require further development as the authority grows.
A director of digital and systems is being recruited, although the successful candidate is not expected to take up the position until approximately March 2027.
The authority is also expected to recruit or receive additional staff as further responsibilities are transferred.
For local businesses, the findings are relevant because the regional authority is expected to play an increasing role in economic development.
Business support programmes, investment initiatives and workforce training may eventually be administered through the organisation.
The effectiveness of these activities will depend partly on the administrative and technological systems supporting them.
The authority has access to approximately £17.8 million from its government investment fund during the 2026/27 financial year.
This funding provides resources for its wider programme, although it should not be interpreted as a dedicated allocation for IT improvements.
The report comes during an important period in the establishment of the regional authority.
New public bodies frequently need to develop governance, staffing and operational arrangements while beginning to deliver their responsibilities.
The challenge is to ensure that internal systems develop at a pace consistent with the services and financial resources being managed.
For Hampshire and the Solent, the expansion of regional decision-making creates opportunities for more coordinated approaches to investment and economic development.
However, those opportunities also require suitable administrative capacity and accountability.
The audit findings provide an indication of the work still required to establish the authority’s long-term technology arrangements.
As additional responsibilities are introduced, attention will turn to the recruitment of specialist staff, the formalisation of support agreements and the development of systems capable of meeting the organisation’s future needs.
