Have your say on the reorganisation of local councils in Worcestershire

Residents, businesses, and community groups across Worcestershire are being urged to help shape the future of their local council in a public engagement exercise launched yesterday.

Under Government proposals for local government reorganisation, all seven councils in Worcestershire will disappear by 1 April 2028.

A four-week public engagement exercise is running until 29 June 2025 to gain feedback to help councillors decide what should replace them.

Currently services in Worcestershire are split, these are between Worcestershire County Council which provides county-wide services like highways and adult social care.

Borough, city and district councils – including Bromsgrove District Council – provide localised services like bin collections, street cleaning, planning, parks and leisure, and housing-related services.

The Government wants to replace this system with a single council – known as a unitary council – which provides all services. The aim is to make local government simpler for residents, while improving services and saving money.

There are currently two options proposed for Worcestershire:

1. Replacing all councils with one unitary council: This would replace the county council and the six district/city/borough councils with just one single council for the whole of Worcestershire. It would provide all services from collecting bins to school admissions.
2. Replacing all councils with two unitary councils: This means the county would be split into two new councils, with one for the north of the county and one for the south of the county. Each one would be responsible for all services in their part of the county.

Town and parish councils will remain but may have a greater role in the future in providing some services and representing local communities.

A dedicated website has been created at www.shapeworcestershire.org with more information about the proposals and a survey link so people can give their views.

Feedback will be used to help decide which of the two options to develop in detail and put to the Government.

Final plans need to be submitted by 28 November 2025.

Bromsgrove District Council’s Chief Executive John Leach, said: “Major changes are planned for councils across Worcestershire, and we want our residents to help us piece it together.

“We are urging the public, businesses, and community groups to learn more about the Government’s proposals and to have a say on who should deliver the services we rely on every day.”

Visit www.shapeworcestershire.org to find out more about what is changing and to take part.