“The stakes could not be higher” Bradley has said as he holds a Parliamentary debate on the future of councils in Worcestershire.
With the Government determined to undertake the largest reorganisation of local government in Worcestershire in over 50 years, Bradley held a Westminster Hall debate today (January 7th) to make clear his position: Worcestershire must be kept together.
There are currently two options on the table. One, a single unitary authority for the whole of Worcestershire. Two, to split the County into a north and a south unitary authority.
In his speech, the local MP stated that the required aims of the new council organisation are clear: financial sustainability, good value for money, high‑quality services, and an ambition of continued improvement.
With those stated aims in mind, Bradley has concluded that the only viable option for Worcestershire is a single unitary authority.
The local MP has warned that, if the County is split in two, we would see North Worcestershire become an extension of Birmingham which would “shift our identity fundamentally.”
Following the debate, Bradley said:
“The reorganisation of Worcestershire Councils represents a defining moment for our county, one that offers either the opportunity to deliver better value for money to residents or, conversely, the risk of seeing parts of the county pushed involuntarily into becoming an extension of an urban city. The stakes could not be higher.
“The required aims of the new council organisation are clear: financial sustainability, good value for money, high‑quality services, and an ambition of continued improvement.
“Looking at the two options ahead of us, there is only one that will achieve these wants and needs of the local community. That is one unitary authority. A single, united structure that provides the clarity, efficiency, and the strategic strength necessary to meet the challenges that lie ahead.
“One unitary authority is the only option that protects Worcestershire’s integrity, strengthens its governance, and secures its long‑term ambition for prosperity.
“Many residents of Bromsgrove and the Villages have chosen to live there because they value the way of life in our towns and villages.
“That valued identity must be protected from being merged into an urban extension or even treated as a subset of an identity that has existed for generations and delivered a footprint for successful local government service delivery until now.
“We’re already at risk of urbanisation from, and our local democracy is already being eroded by the unprecedented housing targets being forced upon us despite the consistent local objection. As a 79% rural consistency composed of 89% greenbelt land and approximately 8% brownfield land, our housing targets have increased by 85%.
“Meanwhile Birmingham, our neighbouring city with at least 140 hectares of brownfield land and extensively established infrastructure, has seen their targets cut by over 30%.
“If we were to involuntarily risk becoming an extension of Birmingham, it is highly likely that our precious greenbelt would be sacrificed even further. The character of our county; its landscape, identity, and rural heritage, would be placed at real risk. Quite frankly, such a move would shift our identity fundamentally.
“The only way to protect ourselves is through a single unitary authority. One unitary council that will streamline services, improve value for money for residents and work towards a strong future for Worcestershire.”
