Agenda item

The Leader presented the Local Government Reorganisation: 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 report for Members’ consideration.

 

It was noted that the purpose of the report was to provide the Council with a proposal to be submitted to Government by 28^th November 2025 for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Worcestershire, following 3^rd September 2025 Full Council meeting where Members supported a North and South Unitary Council model be developed based at the time on what was termed Option B. This option comprised of either entirely separate Councils or a shared service model. 

 

Working with KPMG, who were subsequently commissioned, and Mutual Ventures who had developed the options appraisal for a two Unitary model. Bromsgrove District Council, Redditch Borough Council, Malvern Hills District Council, Worcester City Council and Wychavon District Council had worked together to produce a proposal that best met the Government’s six criteria for LGR based on a North and South Worcestershire footprint as directed by Members.  The North being Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest Districts and Redditch Borough Councils and the South being Malvern Hills District, Worcester City and Wychavon District Councils.

 

The North and South two Unitary Council LGR proposal for Worcestershire was entitled “Transforming Worcestershire: Local government that works for people, powered by place and built for the future.”  It was noted that this was the only Worcestershire LGR proposal informed by the views of local people from across the whole of Worcestershire following the “Shape Worcestershire” survey that was supported by all six District councils in the County.  This ensured that Criteria Four (see below) of the Government’s specific requirements for LGR was met.

 

·       Criteria Four - Proposals should show how Councils in the area had sought to work together in coming to a view that met local needs and was informed by local views.

 

It was noted that not only had local people’s views been taken into account in this proposal, in addition all Members across the five commissioning Councils had been given an opportunity to further shape the two Unitary proposal for Worcestershire.  This approach recognised the democratic mandate of Councillors as representatives of their community and the very people who received Council services. Further to this, key stakeholders such as partners in the health sector, police, fire, business and voluntary and community sector, including town and parish councils had been asked for their views as well.  The output of all this work was a proposal for Worcestershire that was a product of true collaboration.

 

The vision for a thriving Worcestershire North and South was included within the report along with a number of key challenges and a pledge that should this proposal be accepted by Government and be delivered then: -

 

1. Public services would shift from crisis to prevention

2. Communities would feel more connected and empowered

3. Local services would respond faster to everyday issues

4. Vulnerable adults would live healthier, happier, and safer lives

5. Children and families would be supported to stay together

6. Young people would have better access to skills and jobs

7. Better housing would support healthier lives

8. People and businesses would benefit from stronger local economies

 

The approach to the implementation of LGR, should it be accepted by Government, was also detailed in the report.

 

It was stated that the case for two Councils in Worcestershire was clear and that changes needed to take place.  If the County services were merely rolled into a County Unitary Council, this would result in the same outcomes. In addition, to ignore the challenges and potential disruption caused by aggregating District services into a large one size fits all model was naive.  The proposal allowed services to provide focussed delivery and leadership at a local level and focussed delivery and leadership at a Countywide level where it made sense to do so.  This approach acknowledged that one size did not fit all.  This was an opportunity to take forward a new operating model for local government in Worcestershire by supporting a proposal that demonstrated flexibility, collaboration and the ability to navigate complex challenges in a rapidly changing environment.

 

Further detail was provided in respect of the North and South model and it was noted that it supported long-term financial sustainability through prevention-led reform and neighbourhood-based services.  The North and South unitary model would save approximately £9 million a year whilst delivering services people wanted, as opposed to perhaps saving more money but delivering services people did not want through a remote, large, digital by default one size fits all council.

 

In addition to this the north and south model reflected the strong and consistent preference of residents, staff, and partners across the County and incorporated the views of the 62.5 per cent of people who took part in the Shape Worcestershire survey and had stated a preference for a north and south model.  That survey showed more residents believed that two unitary councils would better improve services, support local identity and strengthen community engagement. In contrast, the one-unitary model was seen as remote, less representative and more likely to dilute local priorities.

 

The proposed model delivered stronger local accountability and decision-making, with Councillors closer to the communities they served and enabled tailored service delivery and planning that responded to the distinct needs of North and South Worcestershire.

 

Members were also informed that the North and South model embraced the opportunity for genuine transformation and that it was the only option shaped by genuine engagement, backed by evidence – both qualitative and quantitative - and designed to deliver better outcomes for Worcestershire.

 

Following the presentation of the report Members considered the proposal in detail. In doing so the following areas were highlighted:

 

·       The collaborative nature in which the Councils involved in the North and South Unitary proposal had worked together. This included the way in which local residents had been included and consulted with to understand their needs and requirements for the future. It was noted that Officers had informed Members of the process and progress at every opportunity and this had been gratefully received by Members.

·       The North and South Unitary model was the best option for Bromsgrove and its residents and that the data and consultation information gathered had helped to substantiate this. This model also provided long term financial sustainability and had been prepared following consultation with residents.

·       Members expressed the importance of local champions with local accountability who understood their local places, their identity, strengths, and how to harness them. All these areas had been included in the Devolution White Paper provided by Government at the beginning of the LGR process. The North and South unitary model also ensured that the Councils would not cover too large an area ensuring deeper understanding of the needs of local people and would retain the identity of the local area. This had happened in other Councils and Members were extremely keen to avoid this for Bromsgrove.

·       What was meant by the term ‘powered by Place’? – It was confirmed that this term described the local nature of the governance in the future including neighbourhood committees and decision making at a more local level. It was hoped that this type of governance would enable local communities to flourish. The proposals included in the report emphasised the importance of localism and this would enable improvements to take place in areas such as connectivity and transport.

·       It was a requirement that each authority had a separate directorate for both Adult Social Care and Children’s Services.

·       Would a Cabinet Member with specific responsibility for LGR be appointed? It was confirmed that as previously agreed there would be a Cabinet Member appointed with specific responsibility for LGR.

·       The pressures on Council Tax for the financial years 2026-2027 and 2027-2028.

·       The liability of assets contained within the District and how future authorities would take on debts and Capital Reserves in the future.

·       That the decision for the future governance model for Worcestershire lay with central Government.

·       Members expressed that although it seemed unlikely there still needed to be some awareness of the other local authorities that lay on the boundary of the County. 

·       Consideration of the establishment of a Town Council in the future for Bromsgrove, to ensure that assets were maintained and decisions could still be made at a local level.

 

A Member expressed that they were in favour of the One Worcestershire approach in the future. In particular in terms of the expenditure on Adult and Social Care Services which were a significant proportion of local government budgets and a huge pressure on local authorities. Members raised that there would be savings made if the One Worcestershire approach was taken.

 

It was also raised that the number of responses received as part of the consultation process only equated to six per cent of residents within the County. It was felt that there should have been more face-to-face meetings with residents in order for them to understand the options being proposed as part of the consultation.

 

It was felt by a Member that Worcestershire County Council (WCC) had been criticised in the proposal considered at this meeting and that WCC were operating under extreme financial pressures and with a particular financial burden of Adult and Children’s Services.

 

In response to the areas raised in support for the One Worcestershire approach to local government it was explained that Members at Bromsgrove District Council had a free vote on this matter and as such could support the model they wished to. It was noted that WCC had spent £320,000 on the One Worcestershire proposal which was to be submitted to central Governement. However, there had been no engagement with the politicians at County level and the proposal had been prepared solely by Officers. Members explained that there needed to be some changes made in the way in which local government was structured, and this was an opportunity to make the necessary changes to improve localism in the future and in turn improve the services for the residents within the North of Worcestershire. Again, the area of Adult Social and Children’s Services were highlighted as an area where it was hoped would see a significant improvement particularly in light of the aging population within Worcestershire. The North and South model of governance would align these services more effectively and help to deliver a sustainable care system tailored to demographic. It was acknowledged that the One Worcestershire approach would deliver initial savings however the two unitary approach would offer resilience and be locally rooted and compassionate to residents’ needs in the long term. 

 

Following the detailed discussion, it was noted that the Minister for Housing Communities and Local Government would ultimately make the decision of the future governance model for Worcestershire. It was hoped that whatever the decision was, Bromsgrove could continue to thrive and build on the work that had been carried out and was currently underway.

 

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor K. May and seconded by Councillor P. Whittaker.

 

In accordance with Procedure Rule 18.3 a recorded vote was taken in respect of the Local Government Reorganisation report.

 

Members voting FOR the resolutions:

 

Councillors S. Ammar, A. Bailes, R. Bailes, J. Clarke, S. Colella, J. Elledge, S. Evans, E. Gray, D. Hopkins, C. Hotham, R. Hunter, B. Kumar, M. Marshall, K. May, P. McDonald, B. McEldowney, D. Nicholl, S. Nock, S. Peters, J. Robinson, S. Robinson, K. Taylor, H. Warren-Clarke, S. Webb and P. Whittaker (25).

 

Members voting AGAINST the resolutions:

 

Councillors D. Forsythe, H. Jones and J. Stanley (3).

 

Members voting to ABSTAIN on the resolutions:

 

No councillors (0).

 

Therefore, on being put to the vote, the resolutions were carried.

 

RESOLVED to NOTE

 

1)    the matters set out in the Local Government Reorganisation Transforming Worcestershire proposal: Local government that works for people, powered by place and built for the future - TheNorth and South Local Government Reorganisation Proposal for Worcestershire attached at Appendix 1; and

 

RESOLVED

 

2)    To adopt the Local Government Reorganisation Transforming Worcestershire proposal: Local government that works for people, powered by place and built for the future - the north and south Local Government Reorganisation Proposal for Worcestershire, as the Council’s final submission to the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (“MHCLG”) on the issue of Local Government Reorganisation.

 

3)    That authority be delegated to the Chief Executive and the Assistant Director of Legal Democratic and Procurement Services to make any final amendments to Appendix 1 following consultation with the Group Leaders and thereafter to submit the document to the MHCLG by the deadline of Friday 28th November 2025.