Ministers are minded to split Worcestershire in two again, but North Worcestershire would now take over in April 2029, a year later than July's plan.

Bromsgrove District Council looks set to last a year longer than planned. The Government has said it is still minded to replace Worcestershire’s seven councils with two unitary authorities. Under its new timetable, the councils would take over in April 2029, not on 1 April 2028.

The Minister for Local Government, Jim McMahon, set this out in a letter to the county’s council leaders on 29 October. Elections to the new councils would be held in May 2028.

The same letter withdraws the decision announced on 16 July. That decision gave the earlier start date. It had been paused in September while ministers reviewed the whole programme.

What has been proposed

The Secretary of State is “currently minded” to approve the two-council plan. That plan was put forward by Bromsgrove, Malvern Hills, Redditch, Worcester and Wychavon councils. It would create:

Proposed council Made up of Population
North Worcestershire Bromsgrove, Redditch, Wyre Forest 293,000
South Worcestershire Malvern Hills, Worcester, Wychavon 328,000

The county council would go too. The rival plan for a single Worcestershire council, put forward by Worcestershire County Council and Wyre Forest, has been passed over for a second time.

This is not yet a final decision. The letter says the Secretary of State “remains open to reaching a different conclusion”, including choosing the other plan or no plan at all. Councils and other interested parties will be invited to make representations for at least three weeks. The Government says it will confirm the exact dates “shortly”. Any change would then need a structural changes order approved by Parliament.

Why ministers prefer two councils

The letter says both plans meet all six of the Government’s tests. It sets out why ministers still favour two councils:

  • the north and south have different needs; the north has a slightly younger population and specific challenges in skills, health and crime
  • two councils could shape housing, planning and economic plans around each area
  • the two-council plan had more evidence of public support; of respondents to the Shape Worcestershire survey who gave a preference, about two thirds chose two councils
  • it would give the north and south separate voices in any future devolution deal

The letter is also frank about the downside. Ministers’ own analysis found the single council “performs more strongly” on financial sustainability. It also had the stronger short-term savings case. The letter says North Worcestershire “would also face greater relative pressures, with higher need and a weaker income base”.

Both proposed councils are smaller than the 500,000 population the Government once used as a guide. The minister says that figure “is not a fixed threshold”. He points out that the median single-tier council serves around 275,000 people.

Bar chart of populations: North Worcestershire 293,000, South Worcestershire 328,000, a typical single-tier council around 275,000, against the Government's 500,000 guideline.
Both proposed councils sit above the median single-tier council but below the 500,000 guide. Chart by Bromsgrove News
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What the council leaders say

The leaders of all seven Worcestershire councils issued a joint statement on 29 October after meeting ministers. Bromsgrove’s leader, Cllr Karen May, was among them.

They said the July decision was “effectively unchanged”. They added: “Government is minded to implement a North and a South Worcestershire by April 2029 however we won’t get confirmation of this until before Christmas.”

What Bromsgrove’s MP says

Bradley Thomas, the Conservative MP for Bromsgrove, has campaigned for a single Worcestershire council. In a statement on his website he said splitting the county “remains one of the worst decisions a Government has ever made about the future of our area”.

He said the decision “puts Bromsgrove and the Villages one step closer to becoming an extension of Birmingham”. He also argued it had “locked residents into higher council tax bills”. He cited his own residents’ survey, which he says found 87% support for one council. He also pointed to Gloucestershire, where ministers are minded to create a single council for a county of similar size.

The money

Worcestershire will receive £900,000 in November. That is half of the £900,000 per new council the Government offers for the transition, according to the letter. The rest follows a final decision, with £150,000 more per council for leadership in children’s services, adult social care and public health.

What it means for you

  • Nothing changes to your services yet. Bromsgrove District Council still collects your bins and your council tax, and handles planning applications. Worcestershire County Council still runs roads, schools and social care.
  • If the timetable is confirmed, your council tax bill for 2028/29 would still come from the district and county councils, a year longer than July’s plan. The first single bill from North Worcestershire would be for 2029/30.
  • You would vote for the new council in May 2028. The letter does not say how many councillors it would have or how wards would be drawn.
  • You can have your say. The representation period has not opened yet. We will publish the dates and how to respond when the Government confirms them.
  • A final decision is expected before Christmas, according to the council leaders.

Sources