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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.
Our public engagement took place in June 2025, the outcomes are now published on the ShapeWorcestershire website.
Together with other borough, city, district councils across Worcestershire, we used this feedback to create the 'Transforming Worcestershire' proposal.
This proposal sets out the vision for two new unitary councils to be created – one covering North Worcestershire and one South Worcestershire – running all services in their area.
They would replace the current six district councils and Worcestershire County Council.
The detailed final proposal - titled Transforming Worcestershire - was prepared and approved by Malvern Hills District Council, in partnership with Bromsgrove District Council, Worcester City Council, Redditch Borough Council and Wychavon District Council in November 2025.
It was then submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) as the councils' official proposal for the reorganisation of local government in Worcestershire.
pdf Read the Transforming Worcestershire proposal. (10.05 MB)
pdf Read the councils' letter to MHCLG. (279 KB)
MHCLG will consider the proposal alongside another to create a single unitary authority for the whole of Worcestershire, which has been submitted by Worcestershire County Council and Wyre Forest District Council.
The Government will hold a statutory consultation on the two proposals in the first half of 2026.
Once the Government has determined which of the two proposals will be taken forward, elections will be held in May 2027 for a “shadow” authority or authorities, which will guide the setting up of the new council structure.
The new unitary authority or authorities will take over local services in April 2028.