South Worcestershire (district)
South Worcestershire | |
|---|---|
Future unitary authority area | |
 The River Severn in Worcester | |
 | |
Interactive map | |
| Coordinates: 52°11′34″N 2°13′16″W / 52.1929°N 2.2210°W | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | England |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Ceremonial county | Worcestershire |
| Incorporated | 1 April 2028 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unitary authority |
| • Body | South Worcestershire Council |
| Area | |
• Total | 491.85 sq mi (1,273.88 km2) |
| Population (2024 estimate) | |
• Total | 327,915 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
South Worcestershire will be a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Worcestershire, England. It is planned to be formed on 1 April 2028, with the first elections taking place in May 2027.[1] Its largest settlement will be Worcester[2] and it will also include Droitwich Spa, Evesham, Malvern, Pershore and Tenbury Wells.[1][3] The area has a 2024 estimated population of 327,915.[4][5][6]
Formation
It will be formed from the existing Worcestershire districts of Malvern Hills, Worcester and Wychavon;[7] with the remaining, more urban, northern part of Worcestershire near to the West Midlands metropolitan county forming part of a new North Worcestershire unitary authority.[8]
The district is being formed as part of ongoing local government changes throughout England, in which all areas of the country that have separate county councils and district councils will see those replaced with single-tier, or unitary, local governance.[9] The alternative proposal for a single unitary, which was backed by Worcestershire County Council, but only one of the county's six district councils,[10] was not accepted.[11]
Governance
It will be run by South Worcestershire Council, which will comprise 60 councillors.[12]
Parishes
Worcester is currently unparished, the rest of the area is parished. Worcester City Council, which would be abolished, is considering the establishment of a civil parish of Worcester, which would have a town council.[13]
References
- 1 2 Wilkinson-Jones, Phil (16 July 2026). "Worcestershire will have two unitary councils from 2028". Worcester News.
- ↑ "Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Figure 1". Office for National Statistics.
- ↑ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey.
- ↑ "Malvern Hills". City Population. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
- ↑ "Worcester". City Population. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
- ↑ "Wychavon". City Population. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
- ↑ "Local government reorganisation: decision letter to Leaders in Worcestershire" (PDF). gov.uk. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ Wilkinson-Jones, Phil (17 July 2026). "The industrial north and rural south - why Worcestershire is being split in two". Worcester News.
- ↑ Forsyth, Alex (16 July 2026). "New councils to be created in 14 areas of England in local government shake-up". BBC News.
- ↑ Edwards, Tom (16 July 2026). "Worcestershire to get two new councils in north-south split". BBC News.
- ↑ "Consultation on Proposals for Local Government Reorganisation in Worcestershire". Gov.uk. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
- ↑ "Local government reorganisation: implementation letter to Worcestershire chief executives" (PDF). Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ Wilkinson-Jones, Phil (11 July 2026). "Elections to Worcester town council could happen in 2027". Worcester News.