Pershore Town Council has written to both Worcestershire County Council and Wychavon District Council to formally request involvement in discussions regarding the transition to a unitary authority.
Town clerk Charlie MacIntyre told the Observer that its primary aim in doing so was that the best possible outcome is secured for the town and that councillors were determined to ensure that voices of local residents are heard.
She explained that the move to a unitary authority presented a unique opportunity to return many local services under the direct control of the town council, which could enhance service delivery, improve responsiveness to community needs and ensure decisions were made as close to home as possible.
Ms MacIntyre said: “We urge residents to stay informed and engaged as further developments unfold,” and added “The council remains committed to transparency and will provide updates as discussions progress.”
In December 2024, the government issued a white paper that confirmed it intended to work at pace on the delivery of devolution and local government reorganisation.
As part of the shake up, it announced that separate district and county councils (so-called two-tier areas), would be abolished and combined into a single ‘unitary’ council.
It also wants to see regional level ‘strategic authorities’ (with elected mayors), to handle big issues such as transport and major infrastructure projects. The West Midlands already has a strategic authority and mayor covering the big cities across the region.
Worcestershire County Council’s overview and scrutiny performance board met on March 18 to discuss the council’s interim proposal for local government reorganisation prepared by consultants Price Waterhouse Cooper LLP (PwC) who provided an independent report with two main options.
Key findings of the report concluded that there are likely two options for Worcestershire (either a single or two unitary authorities) and only the single unitary model meets the criteria set by the government.
To view the scrutiny papers in full, which includes the PwC report visit the county council’s website at local government reorganisation and devolution.
