Monday 27 October 2025.

(If you've come here via the many broken links* welcome! )

TheSolentMetropolitan was founded by me, Rob Davis.

Borne out of a love for both Solent cities, Southampton and Portsmouth - where I have roots in both and nearby areas: growing up, working, living studying and recreation.

Building out our grand menu system for our Information Architecture.

GitHub updates here: https://github.com/thesolentmetropolitan/thesolentmetropolitan.com/commits/main/

All very technical. But... know that things are going on.

These would have the potential to engage in local democracy not just around election time.

Voices have been heard in self-organised peaceful and legal protests for example, but there doesn't seem to be an official platform for scrutinise policies.

Update: we have: https://www.southampton.gov.uk/modernGov/ecSDDisplay.aspx?NAME=PetitionGuidance and this https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/services/council-and-democracy/your-say/petitions-and-e-petitions/

Perhaps these 2 could help with that.

We're continuing to work on this site.

The code is fully open source, you can follow commits here: https://github.com/thesolentmetropolitan/thesolentmetropolitan.com

There's room for several outlets championing the region.

What we add:

We should acknowledge that the concept of Solent as an official entity has been written about before, interesting reads if controversial:

While previous articles on here talk of the possibility of grand transport infrastructure, the question is: will it ever happen?

In the meantime, what can happen?

• Communication of ideas about the Solent
• Continuing to advance the region's identity in terms of culture and innovation

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/04/what-quangos-set-up-labour

With our passion for some form of metro-style public transport network, reading this article is of particular interest, for the specific quangos being created:

Along the lines of elsewhere, like https://www.madeinnyc.org/

For local manufacturing and makers. Physical and electronic.

We are introducing the idea of Made in Greater Solent, with a local designation. e.g.

Made in Greater Solent: Southampton

Made in Greater Solent: Portsmouth

Made in Greater Solent: Fareham

Made in Greater Solent: Cowes

Made in Greater Solent: Gosport

and so on...