Midland towns and villages risk being "consumed by Birmingham" if a controversial council shake-up goes ahead, it has been claimed. The decision to divide Worcestershire into two unitary councils as part of a nationwide transformation of how local services are run was condemned by Reform and Conservative politicians.
Two unitary authorities to replace seven councils
Worcestershire County Council, along with the county's six district councils, will be replaced by two unitary authorities in 2028, covering north and south Worcestershire. Ministers rejected an alternative proposal for a single unitary council spanning the entire county.
But Worcester City and Worcestershire County councillor Alan Amos, of Reform, said: "This is another disastrous outcome for the people of Worcestershire from this Labour government. The government has ignored all its original criteria for determining how many unitary councils should be set up. It has been a purely party political decision."
Critics warn of higher costs and confusion
Amos added: "Having two councils instead of one is the most expensive option with every department now having to be broken up into two at enormous cost to the taxpayer. It will mean higher costs, higher taxes, and confusion and duplication of services, which will be in chaos for years to come."
Fellow Reform councillor Justin Bowen, a former cabinet member for children and families, described the decision as a "disaster for children's services, as they will have to disaggregate one of the biggest services the council runs".
Bromsgrove MP warns of Birmingham absorption
Bradley Thomas, Conservative MP for Bromsgrove and the Villages, warned: "The Government has just opened the door to the risk of Bromsgrove and the villages being consumed by Birmingham. This decision risks complexity and bureaucracy increasing for residents who are dependent on what will be cross-border services and at greater cost to the taxpayer."
Thomas added: "This decision has not been made in the best interests of local residents. It's locked residents into higher council tax bills. We'll be paying more for less. The Government's decision-making is also inconsistent. They've approved one unitary authority for Gloucestershire, which has a similar population size to Worcestershire, yet they've decided to split our county in two."
Government defends reorganisation
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed outlined the government's rulings to Parliament, saying: "Once all decisions are taken, we will have cut the number of councils from 317 to a maximum of 173. This will simplify and strengthen local government serving over 20 million people and reorganisation will support city growth. I accept reasonable people may agree or they may disagree with the decisions, but the important thing now for residents is we move ahead to realise the savings."
The reorganisation is part of a nationwide push to streamline local government, but critics argue the split will create inefficiencies and higher costs for Worcestershire residents.
