Frequently Asked Questions

We can’t say for definite as this will be a decision for the new unitary council(s). The aim of reorganisation is to save money by making services more efficient, but it is too early to predict what the impact on Council Tax will be.

Up until 1 April 2028 nothing will change. Your bin will still be collected and social care services will continue. All councils across Worcestershire are committed to ensuring there is minimal disruption to services for residents. After the new council(s) take over, then it is possible there may be changes to the way services are delivered or who provides them. The Government's aim is to improve services by delivering them in a more joined-up way, so they’re easier to access and better value for money.

Yes. Whether there’s one new council or two, you’ll still have clear ways to get in touch—by phone, online, or in person. Local access points will still be available. You will still be able to get in touch with your existing district/city/borough council and the county council up until 1 April 2028.

If the structure changes, there would be new elections to choose councillors for the new council(s). These will likely take place in May 2027 to elect people to a shadow council, which will then make preparations to take over services from 1 April 2028. There will be fewer councillors than now. 

No. Even if councils merge or change, towns and parishes keep their names, history, and community feel. Local priorities will still be important. The name of your district/borough/city councils will change however, to be either part of a single Worcestershire Council or a North/South Worcestershire Council.

Not directly. Education will still be managed locally. Reorganisation could help by making planning across school places, transport, and support services more joined up.

 Planning and housing decisions will still be made locally but the system could be simplified. Planning for new housing could be delivered more effectively and strategically across a wider area. This already happens in South Worcestershire where one local plan covers three council areas.

Adult social care services will continue. Reorganisation aims to improve services like social care by removing confusion about which council does what, and making health, housing, and support services work more closely together.

Yes. Whether there is one or two unitary councils, fewer senior managers will be needed than in the current seven councils. Some other jobs may be reduced to save money and avoid duplication. The focus will be on protecting frontline services and delivering better outcomes for residents.

Other areas that have reorganised are saving millions of pounds every year. The savings come from having fewer staff, fewer councillors, fewer buildings, simpler systems, and combined services.

We have commissioned specialists to help us work up realistic estimates of what the potential savings could be for each option.

We don’t know the exact amount of money reorganisation in Worcestershire will cost or save at the moment. That work is part of the next phase but will be available before any submission is made to the Government. 

Research complied by the House of Commons Library states: 

“It is not clear from available evidence whether unitary councils save money compared with a two-tier system. International experience suggests that, when councils are merged, sometimes the merged council saves money and sometimes it does not.

“In England, estimates published by the consultancies EY (formerly Ernst and Young) (2016) and PriceWaterhouseCoopers (2020) suggest that unitary councils could save roughly £20 million to £25 million a year compared with their predecessors. These estimates take into account the costs of the restructure itself, which are large in the short-term."

In terms of the benefits of devolution – again we don’t know the answer to that at this stage. It will depend how devolution is delivered in Worcestershire and what the offer is from the Government in terms of extra investment and additional powers.

This isn’t a formal consultation, it’s an engagement exercise to gain feedback from residents and other partners so isn’t covered by the guidance.

Unfortunately, a longer period of engagement wouldn’t allow us to properly analyse the responses and feed them into all the other work being done to work up the detail of the two options to allow councillors to make an informed decision in the autumn. Further work then needs to be done before final submission on 28 November so there just isn’t space to extend the engagement period and hit the Government’s deadline. 

We, along with many councils across the country, have expressed concerns to the Government about the speed of the process but the timeline is fixed and we can’t change it. Once the Government has decided on a final option for Worcestershire, a formal consultation will take place before any changes are introduced.

 There are currently different arrangements for managing allotments across the county. Some are the responsibility of town and parish councils and some are overseen by borough, city or district councils.

Where allotments are managed by parish or town councils there is likely to be no change to the current arrangements. Where they are managed by borough, city or district councils we do not have that level of detail at the moment. 

It would be something for the new unitary council/councils to decide.

Yes. We are asking for your views now. Have your say by filling in our online form before 11.59pm on 29 June 2025.

Fill in the council change survey

Once the Government has decided how it would prefer local government to look in Worcestershire in the future, a formal consultation will be held. This is likely to be in the early part of 2026.

If approved, it is expected the new council(s) will take over responsibility for services from 1 April 2028. You’ll be kept informed along the way.

We're here to help. Email your question to haveyoursay@shapeworcestershire.org and we’ll add it and our response to this page.