Local Government Reorganisation: Shape Worcestershire

Background

Major changes are planned to councils across Worcestershire as part of the biggest shake-up of local government in more than 50 years. The Government is requiring 21 areas of England to restructure their system of local government before 2029.

There are two parts to the Government’s proposed changes:

• Local government reorganisation – where the Government is looking to replace Bromsgrove District, Malvern Hills District, Redditch Borough, Worcester City, Worcestershire County, Wychavon District and Wyre Forest District Councils with fewer councils.
• Devolution – where the Government is looking to transfer powers and funding to new Strategic Authorities (also called Combined Authorities) that cover a number of new council areas and are responsible for large projects such as transport, infrastructure, and economic development.

Latest

Redditch Borough Council have submitted their ambitious proposal to transform local government in Worcestershire to the Government.

You can view the final document and the covering letter to the minister below.

Transforming Worcestershire: Local government that works for people, powered by place and built for the future - The North and South Local Government Reorganisation Proposal for Worcestershire

Local Government Reorganisation - Submission Covering Letter

At a full council meeting on Monday November 17, members voted overwhelmingly in favour of submitting the document, ‘Transforming Worcestershire: Local government that works for people, powered by place and built for the future’, to the Government, by November 28th.

What’s Happened So Far

The council worked with Bromsgrove, Malvern Hills, Wychavon, and Worcester, alongside consultants KPMG and Mutual Ventures, to put together the proposal document.

To reach that point, the council considered a business case put together by Mutual Ventures and, together with other borough, city and district councils across Worcestershire, carried out public engagement for residents to have their say on their preferred option, called Shape Worcestershire: Reorganising your local councils together.