Local Government Reorganisation

Councils across Worcestershire are to be reorganised 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 – in Worcestershire, the Government will replace Bromsgrove District, Malvern Hills District, Redditch Borough, Worcester City, Worcestershire County, Wychavon District and Wyre Forest District councils two new unitary councils that will deliver all services.

• 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. 

In July 2026 the Government announced that the existing district councils and county council in Worcestershire will be replaced by two new unitary authorities. From 1 April 2028 these will take over all the functions of the current authorities.

• South Worcestershire Council will deliver services to the areas currently covered by Worcester City Council, Wychavon District Council and Malvern Hills District Council.
• North Worcestershire Council will deliver services to the areas currently covered by Bromsgrove District Council, Redditch Borough Council and Wyre Forest District Council.

The decision followed extensive public engagement by the seven existing councils and a formal public consultation by the Government. The Government elected to accept the proposals in the Transforming Worcestershire bid.

What happens next

• September 2026 - Voluntary Joint Committees of Members established across the councils.

• Autumn 2026 - Structural Changes Order (SCO) set before Parliament to make the legal changes to create a new system of local government in Worcestershire. SCO creates Joint Committees of elected Members that will work on preparatory matters (such as preparing a draft constitution) for the new unitary councils up until the shadow authority elections.

• December 2026 / January 2027 - Final version of SCO.

• 6 May 2027 – elections for the new shadow unitary authority, which will lead the creation of the new council structure.

• 1 April 2028 – Vesting day: new unitary councils take power and start to deliver local services.

Stay up to date

You can stay up to date with all the news on LGR, and the Worcester City Council services that you rely on, by signing up to our residents' e-newsletter.

Sign up for our newsletter

Already subscribed?

If you have already subscribed to another of our e-newsletter topics (or you get the message that your email already exists when you try to sign up) then please tap or click the button below to update your subscriptions. Just type in your email address and then tick ‘latest news’ from the list of topics.

Add latest news to your list of subscriptions