Prospect of council tax hikes, leaked data reveals

The data indicates that residents living in the likes of Droitwich and Evesham could see their bills rise by £400, by 2028

Worcestershire residents face the prospect of significant council tax rises under the plans for local government reorganisation, "scenarios" leaked to the BBC show.

The data reveals how people in areas including Evesham and Droitwich could face tax increases of more than £400 a year by 2028.

It also suggests pursuing the creation of a single unitary "super council" could prove more expensive to taxpayers than splitting the county in two and creating separate councils for north and south Worcestershire.

Worcestershire County Council said the document was compiled in May and had not been intended for public consumption.

Worcestershire is one of the first areas taking part in the government's plans for local government reorganisation - with a final submission due to be made to ministers at the end of November.

Worcestershire County Council has been exploring what a unitary authority could mean for council tax bills, and said the "scenarios" had not been designed for public consumption

Since the spring, modelling has been looking at the potential outcome for taxpayers, with a set of slides being circulated among a small group of people in July.

One option suggests that from 2028, band D bills - under a single unitary council - could be £2,176 a year, not including extra precepts from the police and fire service.

Under a "high scenario" that could be worth £482m to such a new authority.

The sum would add more than £430 to people's annual bills - compared to 2025 - in areas such as Evesham and Droitwich, as well as more than £300 in Kidderminster.

It could also result in bigger household bills than in the scenario where two councils for the north and south of Worcestershire were created.

The document appears to support such a move, saying "given the need to build a sustainable future" most councils in the current round of reorganisation "will seek to harmonise to the highest rate".

Five out of Worcestershire's six district councils favour splitting the county in two and having separate unitary authorities for the north and south.

But the big change is mired in disagreements, with Worcestershire County Council favouring one unitary authority instead, in line with central government wishes.

Dan Birch, a Conservative county and district councillor for Droitwich, said: "Personally I think the whole reorganisation is a waste of time, to be honest.

"There is no evidence I've seen people will see any degree of saving, or have better council services under one unitary authority.

"I struggle to see the benefits. What will ensure people in the area I represent won't see large hikes in council tax?

"I want the lowest impact on people in the south [of the county], but we don't seem to have a choice to stay as we are."

'A working document'

Pershore councillor Dan Boatright-Greene, leader of Wychavon's Liberal Democrats, said: "I'm really not happy about this.

"I've been asking for this sort of information all along - I feel like people have been keeping things from us."

But a spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council said the slide formed part of a "working document" created at the end of May, which has since been updated.

A scrutiny meeting is taking place later this month, with members expected to receive an updated version of the proposals, before it gets discussed by the Reform cabinet on 23 October.

Paul Robinson, county council chief executive, said: "We have to do this work in order to understand what the financial impact of combining the authorities would be.

"But I must be really clear on this, no decisions are being made at the moment – we are simply exploring what the possible options are.

"There are a myriad of figures you could go through - we've looked at all different type of options and I have to say, I'm really disappointed that somebody has chosen to leak this."

He added that the authority would be "talking to the public about the final position the council comes to" within the next few weeks.