Worcestershire County Council met on 6 November 2025, and councillors primarily discussed the proposal for a single unitary authority in Worcestershire, the interim external auditor's report, and a recommendation to approve changes to the capital programme. The council also considered an amendment to the LGPS Central Shareholder Representative Delegation, and a number of notices of motion.

Local Government Reorganisation

The council convened to discuss and consider the 'One Worcestershire' Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) proposal, a detailed business case advocating for the establishment of a single unitary council for Worcestershire¹. Councillor David Taylor, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for One Worcestershire, presented the proposal, which aims for submission to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) by 28 November 2025, with a target vesting day of 1 April 2028.

The proposal has been developed in response to the English Devolution White Paper, which encourages the consolidation of local governance through either unitary authorities or strategic authorities. The 'One Worcestershire' plan suggests that a single council would be more sustainable and efficient than dividing the county into multiple entities.

The council was asked to approve the content of the final LGR proposal, named the One Worcestershire Business Case, and determine any recommendations for the cabinet to consider before submitting the proposal to the MHCLG.

The business case addresses key criteria set by the MHCLG, including:

• delivery of high-quality public services
• collaboration among councils
• community engagement
• achieving efficiencies
• supporting devolution arrangements

The plan also addresses the MHCLG feedback, received on 3 June 2025, which requested more robust evidence and justification for the proposal.

The council considered the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board (OSPB) from its 16 October meeting, which have been incorporated into the final business case. The OSPB requested that the final plan provide detailed analysis and assumptions, ensure clarity regarding local decision-making, and include details of the council's communication plan to residents.

The One Worcestershire Business Case proposes a single unitary authority, retaining the current county boundary and supporting cooperation with statutory, private sector, and voluntary partners. It focuses on providing the best possible outcomes and value for money for residents and businesses through simpler service access, a community-focused delivery model, and strategic leadership.

The proposal also includes the creation of local neighbourhood committees (LNCs) to strengthen community empowerment and ensure local communities are involved in decision-making.

The council recognised that local government in Worcestershire faces significant financial challenges and that the One Worcestershire proposal is based on a clear and deliverable financial plan, aiming for financial sustainability by 2030/31.

The council considered the risks of dividing the county into two smaller unitary authorities, including the potential for service fragmentation, unbalanced funding, and complications in partnership arrangements.

The council noted that the One Worcestershire proposal has not been subject to a public consultation to date, but that an engagement campaign for residents commenced in October 2025 to raise awareness and support understanding of the proposal.

The council also reviewed a joint impact assessment, including equality impact assessments (EIAs), to evidence any potential disproportionate impact by organisational changes due to peoples protected characteristics.

Interim External Auditors Annual Report 2024/25

The council considered the Interim External Auditors Annual Report 2024/25 from Grant Thornton², the council's external auditor. The report summarised external inspection work undertaken across the County Council, including audit work carried out on the accounts.

The report included a statutory recommendation that the council should urgently address its increasing Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit³ and work with partners to develop a deficit management plan. The report also made key recommendations relating to financial management and control, and transformation.

The council was asked to consider the statutory recommendation in relation to the DSG deficit and whether to accept it, and to endorse the management responses and proposed actions set out in the report.

The report assessed the council's arrangements for:

• Financial sustainability
• Governance
• Improving economy, efficiency and effectiveness

The report identified significant weaknesses in the council's arrangements for financial sustainability and improving economy, efficiency and effectiveness, and made a statutory recommendation regarding the management of the DSG deficit.

The council noted that a High Needs Dedicated Schools Grant Deficit Management Group has been established, and that clear workstreams of activity have been established with senior leadership owners.

Variations to the Capital Programme

The council was asked to approve variations to the capital programme, including changes in funding for various schemes and the removal of funding for the new secondary school at Newtown Road, Worcester.

The recommendations included:

• approving the current capital programme
• approving additional variations to the capital programme
• approving the use of Social Care Capacity Grant for funding the costs of refurbishing Greenhill Lodge
• approving reductions in expenditure funded by borrowing for various schemes
• approving a change in funding for the Hampton Bridge scheme
• approving a reduction in expenditure funded by borrowing relating to the Local Members Highways Fund
• approving a reduction in expenditure funded by borrowing relating to the small infrastructure fund
• approving a reduction in expenditure funded by borrowing relating to the Structural Carriageway works
• approving the removal of funding from the capital programme for the new secondary school at Newtown Road, Worcester

The council noted that since the approval of the capital programme in July 2025, several re-cashflows, receipt of additional grant funding and minor amendments have taken place.

The council also noted that a review of the current overall capital programme has been undertaken, with a particular focus on those schemes funded by borrowing, and that the total impact of the reductions is a decrease in expenditure required to be funded by council borrowing of £29.585 million over the period of the capital programme.

The council was informed that work on the Redditch Railway Station scheme be stopped, and that the £12 million borrowing is requested to be removed from the budget and replaced with a £1 million scheme potentially funded by the 2026/27 Local Transport Grant allocation.

LGPS Central Shareholder Representative Delegation

The council was asked to consider an amendment to the LGPS Central Shareholder Representative Delegation.

The Pensions Committee recommended that, as part of the Council's Constitution in respect of the Scheme of Delegations, full Council approve the following delegation: that in the absence of the Chair of the Pensions Committee, the Section 151 Officer⁴ be the nominated LGPS Central Shareholder representative to exercise the Council's voting rights in the first instance or if they are unavailable, the Vice-Chair of the Pensions Committee.

The council noted that the recent response to the LGPS Fit for the Future consultation has created a need to review the delegations to ensure that decisions can be reached in a timely manner and in line with the government's deadlines.

Independent Member Appointment to the Audit and Governance Committee

The council was asked to consider the appointment of an Independent Member to the Audit and Governance Committee.

The Audit and Governance Committee recommended the appointment of an Independent Member to the Committee.

The council noted that the inclusion of an independent member can significantly influence the effectiveness of the committee, and that key institutions such as the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) promote such an appointment to satisfy industry standards.

The council also noted the potential disadvantages of appointing an independent member, including limited organisational knowledge, potential for misalignment, resource implications, confidentiality and sensitivity risks, and limited influence.

Notices of Motion

The council received the report of the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance on seven Notices of Motion.

The notices of motion included:

• Free Bus Travel for Veterans and Service Personnel
• Vaccinations
• Protecting Residents from Outdated Planning laws and Development Harms Across Worcestershire
• Expanding Access to Libraries for Key Stage 3 Students
• Road works and Utility Maintenance outside school premises
• Vote of No Confidence in Reform Cabinet Member for Education and SEND
• Immediate Demolition of County Hall, Worcester

Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2025/26

The council was asked to consider the future work programme recommended by the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board.

The Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board recommended that the 2025/26 Scrutiny Work Programme be endorsed.

The council noted that the work programme was developed following consultation with all scrutiny Members and is attached as an appendix.

Question Time

The council received answers to eleven questions asked by Councillors. The questions covered a range of topics, including:

• Independent Rape Gang Inquiry
• Safe crossing point on the A38, Kempsey
• Cost of the Bromsgrove South by-election
• Use of the on-demand bus service by young people
• Attachment of items to street furniture
• Community projects
• Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Programme (BREP)
• Removal of flags from Council property
• Vacancies on committees and scrutiny panels
• Severn Stoke Bund
• Tourism

Reports of Committees

The council considered the reports of Committees and to receive answers to any questions asked on those reports as follows:

• Audit and Governance Committee
• Pensions Committee
• Standards and Ethics Committee

Audit and Governance Committee

The council noted the Pension Fund Audit Findings Report for 2024/25, agreed the Internal Audit progress report, approved the new performance summary report template, noted the Counter Fraud Overview report, noted the update on processes supporting Business Continuity in the Council, noted the Income and Debt Management report, and noted the Treasury Management Update Report for quarter 1 of 2025-26.

Pensions Committee

The council noted the minutes of the Pension Board and Pension Investment Sub-Committee (PISC) meetings on 15 and 16 September 2025 and the Board meeting on 12 September 2025, noted the Fund's Annual Report and the Annual Report Summary for the year ended 31 March 2025, noted the Worcestershire Pension Fund Business Plan as of August 2025, agreed to implement phase 2 of the address tracing exercise, noted the July 2025 Worcestershire Pension Fund Risk Register, noted the Worcestershire Pension Fund Governance and Compliance Update, and the Good Governance Position Statement, noted the Dashboard Data Match Criteria Policy, the Under and Overpayment Policy and the draft Data Improvement Policy, noted the Training Update including the Training Policy and Programme and the Training and Conferences Calendar, noted the Forward Plan, noted the expected outturn of the Fund's budget for 2025/26, noted the Fund's investment Strategy review undertaken by Redington Ltd and the key findings of the review, noted the Independent Investment Adviser's fund summary and associated performance reports, noted the update on equity protection and the execution of the operation of a shaped equity strategy be approved and delegated authority be granted to the Chief Financial Officer in consultation with the Pension Fund's Independent Investment Advisor to select specific strategies as appropriate, noted the investment pipeline update, noted the update on responsible investment activities, Local Authorities Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF), noted the update on the Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the update on the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and noted the current issues update, including the Pension Review – Fit for Purpose, 2025 Actuarial Valuation, and the Capital Markets Update – Summer 2025, and noted the LGPSC Update.

Standards and Ethics Committee

The council authorised the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance to review the arrangements for dealing with complaints made against Councillors under the Members Code of Conduct, and authorised the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance to provide an update report to an additional meeting of the Committee scheduled on 15 December 2025.

Chairman's Announcements

Councillor Louis Stephen, Chair of the Council, made a number of announcements, including congratulating the teams involved in the Shrub Hill Quarter regeneration programme for being shortlisted for the Future Ambition Award at the Insider West Midlands Property Awards 2025, and announcing that he will be holding a Remembrance Service on Tuesday 11 November 2025 at 11.00am at Wildwood, Worcester.

Political Structures and Appointments

The council approved the recalculation of political balance and required the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance to give effect to it in accordance with the nominations from the respective Group leaders from time to time.