Local Government Reorganisation in Worcestershire consultation

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Local Government Reorganisation in Worcestershire

Local government reorganisation will bring significant and lasting changes to the councils
that provide essential services to residents and businesses.
The Government intends to abolish the existing two-tier structure of county and district
councils and replace it with a unitary arrangement that will deliver all services provided by
the current councils. The new arrangement will come into force in April 2028.
There are two proposals for the creation of unitary local government in Worcestershire:
Transforming Worcestershire (supported by Worcester City, Bromsgrove District, Redditch
Borough, Malvern Hills District and Wychavon District councils) proposes to create two
unitary councils. Under this model, one authority would serve the south of the county –
Worcester, Malvern Hills and Wychavon – while another would cover the north, covering
Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest.
One Worcestershire – An alternative proposal for a single unitary council for Worcestershire
has also been submitted by Worcestershire County Council and Wyre Forest District Council.
This would bring all services under one authority, replacing the county and district councils.
We are supporting the Transforming Worcestershire option. This is based on the responses
to our Shape Worcestershire public engagement exercise carried out last summer along with
the options appraisal work that we undertook.
The responses to the public engagement exercise indicated a desire for local identity to be
reflected in the new arrangements and for decisions to be made at a local level. By creating
separate south and north unitary authorities, the Transforming Worcestershire proposal
seeks to deliver this.

You can find out more about Transforming Worcestershire, and the alternative One
Worcestershire proposal, at www.transformingworcestershire.co.uk.
The public consultation is open now and runs until 26 March.
Take part at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-reorganisation-in
worcestershire