REDDITCH Borough Councillors have voted to develop proposals for two unitary councils – one for the north and one for the south of the county – as part of the Local Government Reorganisation.
The decision, made at the council’s meeting last night (Thursday, September 4), comes as the Government prepares to replace district and county councils with single-tier ‘unitary’ authorities that deliver all local services.
Worcestershire’s seven councils, six districts and one county, have until November 28 to submit their preferred reorganisation models. A formal Government consultation will follow in early 2026, with a final decision expected later that year.
Councillors considered two options – a single council for all of Worcestershire or two councils for the north and south, which could see some services run across both.
To assess the pros and cons, five councils including Redditch commissioned consultancy Mutual Ventures for an objective, evidence-based appraisal, which explored factors including costs, population distribution, economy, democracy, and local identity.
Councillors also reviewed feedback from June’s ‘Shape Worcestershire’ public engagement. Among Redditch respondents who expressed a preference, 75 per cent favoured a two-council model, while 25 per cent supported a single council.
The vote means Redditch will now work with other councils favouring the two-council model, including Bromsgrove – which took the same decision the night before with a majority vote – to develop and approve a final submission to the Government ahead of the November deadline.
Redditch Borough Council leader, Coun Sharon Harvey, said: “This is a once in 50 years opportunity to shape our future.
“It has to be right. Redditch needs a localised approach to public services – a single council across Worcestershire hasn’t worked, and won’t.
“Redditch is an urban borough in a rural county, with distinct needs.
“Thank you to everyone who took part in the Shape Worcestershire survey.
“It showed many residents’ lack of confidence in a one-Worcestershire model, and we agree.
“This will ultimately be a Government decision, but they are listening, and we are giving our backing to a council that’s more rooted in and responsive to its communities.”
The Redditch Conservatives have criticised councillors who voted for the two new unitary authorities.
Coun Matt Dormer, the leader of the Conservative Group on Redditch Borough Council, said: “A politically motivated carve-up that saves less, delivers less, and puts Redditch at greater long-term risk.”
Labour’s preferred model — a north and south split of the county — would save £4.5million less each year than the single unitary model backed by Redditch Conservatives.
“They were given a clear choice – back a structure that delivers strategic strength and maximum savings for our county, or support a model that is more expensive, less efficient, and politically convenient. Labour chose politics over practicality.
“How Do You Deliver Localism If You’ve Spent the Budget on Bureaucracy?”
“Localism without funding is just noise. You can’t empower communities when you’ve already spent the money duplicating senior management teams.”
“The single unitary model we backed would have created the scale needed to save money and invest it back into real, local delivery – through area committees, ward-level budgets, and responsive services that actually work.”
And he said the Redditch Conservatives would continue to ‘stand up for Redditch’.
“Redditch deserves strong, simple, cost-effective local government — not a divided county and a shrinking voice.”
“We’ll keep making the case for what works — and we’ll keep standing up for Redditch.”
The full options appraisal, commissioned by Bromsgrove District, Malvern Hills District, Redditch Borough, Worcester City, and Wychavon District councils, is available on the council’s website alongside other information considered at the September 4 meeting.
Visit: shapeworcestershire.org for more on Shape Worcestershire.
