The See of Worcester

Worcestershire was established during the heptarchy, as an administrative and defensive unit in the early tenth century.^[1] Its purpose was to take into account and defend the estates within the northern area of the historic See of Worcester, held by the Episcopus Hwicciorum and Worcester Priory, along with the Abbeys of Pershore and Evesham.^[2] No fewer than thirteen monastic foundations existed in the area, between the 8th and 13th centuries.^[3] Worcester itself contained two monasteries in the tenth century; the original bishopric seat, dedicated to Ss. Peter and Paul and a newer Priory dedicated to St. Mary.^[4] A 'proto-shire' was believed to exist prior to the county formation, centred upon a fortified burh.^[5] The boundaries for this 'proto-shire' (and the early established county) are unknown, although the See of Worcester already owned a considerable amount of land. The burgs were defensible walled towns which had been developed by Alfred the Great, to protect against advancement of the Great Heathen Army. Worcester's strategically dominant position upon the undulating plains of the River Severn, an important role as an ecclesiastical centre and also the chief point of trade and military communications between the Anglo-Saxon and Welsh kingdoms,^[3] rendered it a logical location to serve as a burh.^[6] The fortification of Worcester, took place between 872 and 899 by Æthelred of Mercia, with the assent of King Alfred and the Mercian Witan. The shires and its hundreds, formed a framework for administering the resources of each burh's outlying estates.^[5]

The shiring of the See of Worcester also led to the formation of Gloucestershire - initially centred along the Severn Vale and Vale of Berkeley, through to the Mouth of the Severn.^[7] In the east, Arden became part of Warwickshire, and Winchcombeshire straddled an area bounded by the River Avon, Vale of Evesham and the Cotswold Hills.^[8] Winchcombeshire's existence was short-lived, and most of its parishes were absorbed into Gloucestershire upon dissolution. However, by the time of Domesday, some of Winchcombeshire's hypothesised former parishes were surveyed as detached exclaves of Worcestershire's Oswaldslow hundred.^[9][10][11]

The High Sheriff of Staffordshire

By the time of Domesday, many of Worcestershire's exclaves in the south-east of the shire were already established. Meanwhile, to the north; during Cnut's conquest of Anglo-Saxon England in 1015–16, Mercia was in turmoil and was invaded by Vikings, who seized territory "through force and fraud and secular power". This turmoil encouraged existing Anglo-Saxon gentry (and those who were allied to Cnut or Wessex) to take territory at will. In 1016 Clent and Tardebigge were seized or 'farmed' by 'Æfic', the Sheriff of Staffordshire,^[12][5] thus becoming exclaves of Kingswinford Manor. Dudley was also detached from Worcestershire during this period, and became an exclave entirely surrounded by Staffordshire. However, Dudley also possessed its own 'satellite exclave' - a strip of woodland, to the west of Dudley Castle Hill.

It is not known exactly how much territory of Worcestershire was seized by Æfic and his successors in the late Anglo-Saxon period. The emergence of exclaves and enclaves in and around North Worcestershire, was in tandem with the appearance of Oswaldslow's exclaves to the south-east of the shire.

More parishes and manors changed hands over the coming decades through conquest or as 'gifts', some becoming enclaves within adjoining jurisdictions. The aftermath of the Norman invasion of England in 1066 saw gifts of land and titles from William the Conqueror to his allies and friends. According to the Domesday Book, Duke William gave Dudley and other manors such as Selly Oak, Bartley Green, Northfield, Frankley, and Bromsgrove (Willingwick) to Ansculf de Picquigny, Sheriff of Buckinghamshire,^[13] and Hala to Roger de Montgomerie, who became Earl of Shrewsbury.^[14] Whilst Doddingtree Hundred was gifted to Raoul II of Tosny, seigneur de Conches-en-Ouche,^[15] Ranulph de Mortimer, and Osbern fitzRichard. Despite the Norman conquest, the rest of the county was still held by the Abbeys of Pershore and Evesham, the Bishop of Worcester and Priory.

Worcestershire's Hundreds

Fig 1. An interpretation of Worcestershire's Hundreds after Domesday (1086). Halfshire has not been created, although Oswaldslow was already in existence and Clent, Hala and Tardebigge were surveyed under Worcestershire, despite removal from the county.

The early story of Worcestershire's initial twelve hundreds – Came, Clent, Cresselau, Cuthburgelow (Cuthbergehlawe), Doddingtree, Esch, Fishborough (Fisseberge), Pershore (along with the Abbot of Westminster's unnamed double hundred of displaced lands^[16]), Winburgetreow, and Wulfereslaw, is largely unknown, including when they were established.^[17] Cuthburgelow, Winburgetreow and Wulfereslaw became the triple-hundred of Oswaldslow by 1086,^[17] administering the lands long held by the Bishop of Worcester and Priory.^[18] Pershore's lands had been granted to the Abbot of Westminster during the reign of Edward the Confessor, thus becoming a triple-hundred.^[19] Halfshire or Dimidii Comitatus de Wych^[20][21] (Half of Wych(e)) was formed before 1175–76;^[22] from an amalgamation of Came, Esch (except the possessions of Evesham Abbey, which became part of Blakenhurst) and the remnants of Clent, and consisted of land primarily owned by the Crown and Ansculf de Picquigny's successors. Halfshire was also known as the hundred of Dudley in 1275.^[23][24] Doddingtree also belonged to the Crown,^[25] whilst Fishborough/Fisseberge became known as Blakenhurst, who had a constant struggle to retain its lands from theft and conquest.^[26] In seven of the shires twelve hundreds the Crown and its designated official, the High Sheriff of Worcestershire, had no authority. The Crown's authority was replaced by the Bishop of Worcester and the Abbots at Pershore, Westminster and Evesham.^[27] This situation caused challenges within the legal framework and as acts of aggression where land was seized by force, or theft.^[28][29] The gradual amalgamation of the initial twelve hundreds into five, plus the changing ownership of parishes and manors over the centuries created a very fractured layout.^[30][31]

Warley Wigorn, Cradley and Bewdley

The ancient parish of Halesowen was an exclave of Shropshire, which itself contained numerous exclaves of Worcestershire at Warley Wigorn. (Historic County Borders Project)

From the 11th Century; Halesowen Parish (or Hala) was gifted to the Earl of Shrewsbury, thus creating an enclave (or exclave) of Salop, lying between Worcestershire's northern border and Staffordshire's southern border. The north eastern area of the parish was divided into two fragmented parts; Warley Wigorn remained in Worcestershire, whilst the remainder became Warley Salop.^[32] Warley Wigorn was a fractured parish where its territory was divided into countless separate pieces of land,^[33] forming numerous exclaves within an exclave. Hurst Green, Langley Green, Londonderry and Rood End were among some of the larger settlements of Warley Wigorn.^[34]

The Old Worcestershire–Shropshire Border – Lutley – geograph.org.uk – 961083

Cradley was also retained by Worcestershire, along with the hamlet of Lutley which was held by the "Canons of Wolverhampton".^[35][36] Other anomalies include the status of Bewdley, which was not formally in Worcestershire or Salop in the 15th century (despite being recorded as part of Worcestershire in the 14th Century), thus becoming a focus for criminals fleeing justice in either county. In 1544, Bewdley was formally designated part of Worcestershire.^[37][38]

Exclaves and enclaves

As stated earlier, Worcestershire had an unusually large number of exclaves inside nearby counties, prior to 1844 (see Fig 2). This relationship with neighbouring counties mirrored the confusing and fragmented layout of parishes within Worcestershire's own hundreds (see images and table below). Meanwhile, Herefordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Shropshire had their own exclaves within the main part of Worcestershire at Rochford,^[39] Broome,^[40] Clent,^[41] Tardebigge (Tutnall and Cobley)^[42] and Halesowen respectively. Tardebigge's history outside the county is even more colourful, changing hands from Worcestershire to Staffordshire and Warwickshire, before returning to Worcestershire at differing times over the centuries.^[43]

• The exclaves and enclaves of Worcestershire
• 
  Fig 2: The County of Worcestershire (1832)
• 
  Fig 2A: North West Worcestershire
• 
  Fig 2B: North Worcestershire
• 
  Fig 2C: South and South East Worcestershire

† Warley Wigorn and Warley Salop were amalgamated to form a new parish of Warley (1884–1908).

Evolution and revolution

A gradual divergence was taking place with the city and towns of the county. Worcester was largely autonomous, but the city became a county corporate in 1622, thus regarded as separate from Worcestershire.^[44] The larger towns were granted borough status from 1307 to 1660 (Bewdley, Pershore, Kidderminster, Droitwich and Evesham) and were largely confirmed as municipal boroughs from 1835 onwards, with Dudley (a manorial borough^[45]) following suit in 1865.^[46] Most of the hundreds were too cumbersome to administer and were split into 'Divisions', usually found in differing parts of the county. As the table below and Fig 2 show, some of these parishes were islands surrounded by other hundreds. A few parishes stretched over the county boundary as part of their contiguous area; Old Swinford parish included Amblecote from Staffordshire for instance.^[47] By the 19th century the Industrial Revolution started a process of economic, social and physical integration of some Worcestershire towns and villages, with neighbouring communities in Staffordshire, thus creating the urban area known as The Black Country.^[48] In 1844, following enactment of the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844, Halesowen and Oldbury were reunited with Worcestershire.^[49]

Elsewhere in the Halfshire hundred similar integration was taking place with the Warwickshire town of Birmingham, whom was expanding considerably to the south and east of its historic centre. The rapid urbanisation of Halfshire's northern border, along with the industrial expansion at Kidderminster and Stourbridge was in stark contrast with Oswaldslow, which was mainly rural. Worcester was still confined within its medieval boundaries,^[50] despite experiencing considerable industrial growth and population expansion. In light of these pressures; Worcester eventually incorporated the surrounding Oswaldslow parishes of the county in 1837^[51] and 1885.^[52]

The role of local government was also changing considerably, and new single-purpose subdivisions were emerging, such as poor law unions and sanitary districts.^[53] On a county level, the administration of Worcestershire was carried out by the Courts of Quarter Sessions, who were responsible for law and order, civil jurisdiction and certain administrative functions. These roles included the licensing of alehouses, police, weights and measures, construction/maintenance of highways and bridges, poor law disputes, and setting taxes.^[54]

The main township part of St. John in Bedwardine parish was incorporated into the City of Worcester in 1837.^[55]

Civil Parishes

Historically; the division into ancient parishes was linked to the manorial system, with parishes and manors often sharing the same boundaries.^[59] However the Poor Law Amendment Act 1866 declared a divergence between the historic ecclesiastical parish and administrative functions within the locality, thus creating civil parishes. These administrative units formed the bottom-tier of local government within England and were established from 1866.

Political Reform

Fig 3. Map depicting the repealed 1888 boundary proposals

By the 1880s there was increasing pressure to reform the structure of English counties and the question of county government had become a major political issue. Both the Liberal and Conservative party manifestos for the 1886 general election contained promises to introduce elected local authorities.^[60] The Local Government (Boundaries) Act 1887 received Royal Assent in September 1887 and appointed Boundary Commissioners to review the existing county boundaries, except for the 'Counties Corporate'. Fig 3 showed that Worcestershire would have witnessed the formation of a county administration and a loss of Yardley, Shipston-on-Stour and Tredington to Warwickshire.^[61] The Act also legislated for Dudley to reunite with the rest of the county, through a transfer of Rowley Regis and Cradley Heath from Staffordshire. The proposals would have also seen Smethwick join Worcestershire, plus Burford (uniting all of Tenbury rural sanitary district into one county), Ipsley, Upper Arley, Pebworth and West Malvern. The proposed border with Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Herefordshire would have seen considerable exchanges of parishes, thus eliminating all of Worcestershire's exclaves/enclaves.^[62] This Act was repealed in favour of the alternative Local Government Act 1888. The repealed Act's proposals were drastic and would have altered the county considerably, however subsequent legislation implemented many of these proposals, but on a gradual basis.

Local Government Act 1894

The hundreds were replaced by a new district council formation of either urban or rural districts following implementation of the Local Government Act 1894. These new 'districts' were 'second-tier' administrative units under county council jurisdiction, but did not form part of a county borough which were 'single tier' authorities. The Act did not legislate the abolition of the hundreds, but their remaining powers were given to the new district councils.^[67] The district council boundaries were also self-contained in one administrative county as per the legislation and therefore, unlike some of their predecessors, did not stray over the external shire boundaries. For example, the former Poor Law Union of Alcester in Warwickshire included Abbots Morton, Feckenham, Inkberrow and Oldberrow within its area until the 1894 changes.^[68] The Act also introduced structural changes to civil parishes, abolishing vestries and established elected civil parish councils in all rural parishes with more than 300 electors. These were grouped into their rural districts. Boundaries were altered to avoid parishes being split between counties.

Birmingham, Oldberrow, Upper Arley and Edvin Loach (1891–1911)

Fig 4: Map of the Upper Arley boundary change in 1895. The parish was transferred from Staffordshire to Worcestershire

Fig 5: Map showing the transfer of Balsall Heath, Quinton, Yardley and Kings Norton & Northfield from Worcestershire to Birmingham, Warwickshire (1891–1911) Map excludes similar Warwickshire and Staffordshire boundary changes.

Within a short time after the 1888 Act, Worcestershire's northern external boundaries began to alter (See Fig 5). The district of Balsall Heath, which had originally constituted the most northerly part of the Parish of King's Norton, was the first area of the county to be added to the newly designated City of Birmingham on 1 October 1891.^[69] This was followed by the small island of Edvin Loach near Bromyard, which was transferred to Herefordshire in 1893.^[70][71] Two years following the loss of Edvin Loach, the county gained the parish of Upper Arley,^[72] which was a Staffordshire parish nearly surrounded by Worcestershire and Shropshire (See Fig 4). Oldberrow parish, which was situated in the north east Worcestershire border area was transferred to Warwickshire County Council jurisdiction during 1896.^[73] Stoke Bliss was always regarded as part of Herefordshire until 1897, when it was transferred to Worcestershire. As a consequence; Acton Beauchamp was transferred to Herefordshire.^[74]

The continuous expansion of Birmingham city has been a large contributory factor to Worcestershire's fluid boundary changes and associated housing issues.^[75] Balsall Heath was followed into Birmingham by Quinton Urban District in November 1909, and then by both the Rural District of Yardley and the greater part of the Urban District of King's Norton and Northfield. These latter transfers into the city were as part of the Greater Birmingham Act on 9 November 1911, which saw a considerable expansion of the city into its surrounding districts.^[76] As a consequence of the transfer to Birmingham; these areas (and Balsall Heath) were regarded as part of Warwickshire.

Expansion of Dudley and Smethwick (1926–1928)

Fig 6: Map signifying the two boundary changes between Staffordshire and Worcestershire in 1926 and 1928 affecting Dudley County Borough and Oldbury Urban District

The compact size of Dudley County Borough combined with an increasing population, the high cost of reclaiming derelict land and urgent slum clearance contributed to a dire housing and land shortage. This resulted in the council "acquiring land from adjacent local authorities".^[77] At the expense of Staffordshire, Worcestershire grew slightly in 1926 to allow for the construction of the Priory Estate on land which was mostly situated in Sedgley. These boundary changes also saw the purchase of the town's castle and priory ruins by the council, primarily to free up surrounding land for social housing. Several thousand homes (mostly council owned) were built between 1929 and 1955 on what became known as the Priory, Wren's Nest and Old Park Farm estates.^[78]

A similar housing and land shortage existed in nearby Smethwick County Borough, which also resulted in the local authority acquiring land from adjoining council areas. By 1914; the urban area of Bearwood had already spread over the border of Oldbury Urban District as far as Rathbone Road and Warley Park.^[79] Smethwick put forward a proposal in 1920 for the extension of its boundary to include all of Oldbury. However the county boundary was adjusted partially in 1928 and on this occasion however, Staffordshire gained territory from Worcestershire at Warley Woods (See Fig 6). This enabled Smethwick to build new housing estates at Londonderry and to the west of Rathbone Road.^[80]

The housing and land shortage within Smethwick continued after World War II, rendering the council to concentrate primarily on constructing medium-rise maisonettes, flats and high-rise tower blocks for social housing needs.^[81] In 1948; Smethwick and West Bromwich County Borough planned to amalgamate, however a merger did not take place until 1974.^[82]

Provisional Order Confirmation (Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire) Act 1931

Fig 7: Map signifying the Worcestershire county boundary changes affecting the Redditch area, before and after the "New Town" designation in 1964

The Counties (Detached parts) Act 1844 was originally designed to eradicate exclaves or 'islands' and amalgamate the area with the surrounding county; Worcestershire however, still possessed many 'outliers' to the south east. This was before enactment of the Provisional Order Confirmation (Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire) Act 1931 which nearly completed the task of amalgamating Worcestershire's islands into their surrounding county, except for Dudley.^[83] The then-Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney-General - William Morrison MP (Cirencester and Tewkesbury) said in the subsequent Parliamentary debate, that the Local Government Act 1929 centralised the service of Poor Law and health upon the county councils concerned, thus making it difficult for the 'outlying' rural districts to obtain certain services from their neighbouring county.^[84] This act transferred Blockley, Daylesford and Evenlode to Gloucestershire, while Warwickshire gained Alderminster, Tidmington and Tredington. The whole of Shipston-on-Stour Rural District^[85] was also merged into Warwickshire and subsequently amalgamated with Brailes Rural District.^[86]

The outliers were not the only boundary realignments as part of the Act. The south western tip of Worcestershire at Redmarley D'Abitot and Staunton was transferred to Gloucestershire,^[87] while the county gained the parish of Ipsley from Alcester Rural District in Warwickshire (See Fig 7), which was added to the expanding Redditch Urban District.^[88]

Local Government Boundary Commission (1945–1949)

The Local Government Boundary Commission proposed radical changes to the local government structures during 1948. The plans included merging Worcestershire with Herefordshire to form a new administrative unit, except Dudley and Oldbury which would become part of a new "Stafford South" county.^[89] Worcester and Dudley would remain as county boroughs, however some services would be carried out by the respective county council.^[90] While the commission's proposals were abandoned, revised proposals for a combined Herefordshire & South Worcestershire county were to surface twenty years later.

West Midlands Special Review Area

The commission made its report in July 1961. It recommended that the Black Country area should be administered by large county boroughs, and that the remaining urban districts or municipal boroughs be merged into these authorities. The original county council's responsibilities for services within the majority of the conurbation were curtailed and association with the historic shire was for ceremonial purposes only. The West Midlands Special Review Area included Dudley, Oldbury, Stourbridge and Halesowen (as per Fig. 8). The latter two council areas were not incorporated into a county borough, as part of the eventual West Midlands Order 1965. Halesowen was proposed to be included within an enlarged Smethwick County Borough, but a successful campaign entitled "Hands off Halesowen" orchestrated by a non-partisan group called the "Halesowen Independence Committee" helped stop the plans.^[93]

Meanwhile, the second report into the West Midland General Review area was also delivered in July 1961 and a proposal for Worcester to lose its county borough status^[94] was not implemented.^[95]

West Midlands Order 1965

Fig 9: The boundaries of South Staffordshire, West Warwickshire and North Worcestershire after the local government reorganisations of the 1960s.

The County Borough of Warley – Warley's boundaries are shown as blue. The former Oldbury Urban District, Rowley Regis Urban District and Smethwick County Borough boundaries are marked red

In April 1966, Dudley expanded beyond its historical boundaries and took in the surrounding Staffordshire districts of Sedgley,^[96] Brierley Hill, Coseley^[96] and part of Amblecote.^[97] The West Midlands Order 1965 redefined its status and the Dudley County Borough became part of Staffordshire. Worcestershire County Council retained Halesowen and Stourbridge, but ceded Oldbury to an enlarged Smethwick County Borough which was renamed Warley County Borough. This enlarged county borough would be regarded as part of Worcestershire for "non-administrative purposes",^[98][99] but not under county council jurisdiction (see Fig 9). Warley was an amalgamation of Oldbury Urban District, Rowley Regis Urban District, and Smethwick as well as the Oakham area of Dudley and Tividale area of Tipton. Subsequent associated legislation established the West Midlands Constabulary,^[100] which policed the county borough area, and the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive.^[101]

Amblecote and Redditch New Town

During these reorganisations, the territory of the county council grew only where Stourbridge took in the majority of Amblecote Urban District^[102] from Staffordshire (See Fig 9) and the designation of Redditch in April 1964 as a "New town".^[103] Historically, Redditch lay on the county boundary, so any expansion of the newly designated town would either fall under the Green Belt to the north, or the surrounding area of Warwickshire at Matchborough. Therefore, the boundary between the two counties was realigned in favour of Worcestershire, as a consequence of the Warwickshire and Worcestershire (Boundaries) Order 1969 legislation (Fig 7).^[104] The Redditch New Town designation coincided with a programme of considerable social housing development, mainly due to enactment of the Town Development Act 1952.^[105] Numerous housing developments took place across the county, especially in Droitwich, Worcester and along the Birmingham boundary at Frankley, Hawkesley, Kitwell, Rednal, Rubery and Walkers Heath. The majority of these developments were designed to help alleviate the housing and land shortages within Birmingham's boundaries.

Highters Heath, lying to the north of Wythall, was transferred to Birmingham in 1966, along with a few residential areas around Maypole.^[106]

Redcliffe-Maud Report (1966–1969)

Fig 10: Redcliffe-Maud map – featuring the proposals for Worcestershire and the surrounding areas of Herefordshire and South Staffordshire

Under the Labour Government of 1964 to 1970; the Redcliffe-Maud Report (Cmnd. 4040) recommended the abolition of all existing county, county borough, borough, urban district and rural district councils and replacement with new authorities. These new unitary (i.e. single tier) authorities were largely based on major towns, which acted as regional employment, commercial, social and recreational centres and took into account local transport infrastructure and travel patterns.^[107]

The proposals for the county included a considerable loss of territory to a proposed "West Midlands Metropolitan Area", as per Fig 10. Stourbridge was including in the planned Metropolitan District of Dudley, while West Bromwich-Warley proposed to include Halesowen, and a district known as North Worcestershire planned to incorporate Bewdley, Bromsgrove, Kidderminster, Redditch and Stourport-on-Severn. The remaining part of central and southern Worcestershire (including Worcester), would be amalgamated with Herefordshire to form a new administrative unit. All of these areas would exist under an overarching "West Midlands Provincial Council" covering the entire region in a devolved capacity.^[108] The Conservative party won the 1970 general election and committed to a two-tier system in local government. In 1971 a further White Paper entitled Local Government in England: Government Proposals for Reorganisation (Cmnd 4584), which ultimately led to the 1974 re-organisation saw a great deal of Redcliffe-Maud's recommendations discontinued.

County of West Midlands

Fig 11: West Midlands County map – featuring the incorporation of Dudley County Borough, Halesowen Municipal Borough, Stourbridge Municipal Borough and Warley County Borough

The West Midlands Special Review and subsequent West Midlands Order 1965 legislation could be defined as the first real attempt by Government, at creating a unified Black Country for administrative purposes, albeit under the county borough system. Fig 9 - demonstrates that a Proto - West Midlands County appeared to be in existence eight years before the metropolitan county was formally established, if Birmingham and Solihull were also factored in. Although not all areas of the West Midlands conurbation were incorporated into a county borough. The Local Government Act 1972 legislated for a new metropolitan administrative unit to be known as the County of West Midlands,^[118] incorporating the North West Warwickshire, South Staffordshire and North Worcestershire border area. The Act also legislated that the new county would be sub-divided into metropolitan districts,^[119] although most districts became metropolitan boroughs after being granted or regranted Royal charters giving them borough status.^[120] The West Midlands was to be largely centred on the Birmingham and Black Country county boroughs, but with a boundary roughly matching the West Midlands conurbation, as per Fig 11. However the Meriden Gap in Warwickshire was included, enabling Coventry to be incorporated into the new structure.^[121] Within this new authority; Dudley County Borough along with Stourbridge and Halesowen formed Dudley Metropolitan District (later to become Dudley Metropolitan Borough), while Warley County Borough merged with West Bromwich to create Sandwell. Most of the rural hinterland proposed by Redcliffe-Maud was discarded; thus permitting Bewdley, Bromsgrove, Kidderminster, Redditch and Stourport-on-Severn to become part of the new Hereford & Worcester authority. On 1 April 1974; (the day of local government reorganisation) an article in The Times quoted an unnamed 'Department of the Environment' official who said "The new county boundaries are solely for the purpose of defining areas of first-level government of the future: They are administrative areas and will not alter the traditional boundaries of counties, nor is it intended that the loyalties of people living in them will change"^[122] The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's guidance entitled 'Celebrating the historic counties of England' stated "The Act did not specifically abolish historic counties, but they no longer exist for the purposes of the administration of local government, although some historic county areas may be coterminous with non-metropolitan county areas established by the 1972 Act".^[123] Despite the vague reassurances from Government, the new authority was not popular. John Butcher MP (Coventry South West) said in Parliament during 1982 "The West Midlands Metropolitan County Council is as useful to local government as the appendix is to the digestive system. Its presence is unnecessary and it becomes noticeable only when it malfunctions."^[124]

The West Midlands County Council existed for only a short period before abolition in April 1986 via enactment of the Local Government Act 1985,^[125] which abolished the Metropolitan County Councils and Greater London Council. The individual metropolitan boroughs resumed most services which were provided at county level^[126] or through joint bodies such as the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority. Black Country historian and author Tom Harkin said in an Express & Star article (2021) "It was a total disaster, and very costly to taxpayers and ratepayers. It replaced a system of local government which had served the people well for years, just because that is what people in London wanted."^[124]

Review of the West Midlands (City of Birmingham) Boundaries with Bromsgrove (Hereford and Worcester)

Fig 13: "Review of the West Midlands (City of Birmingham) Boundaries with Bromsgrove (Hereford & Worcester)" (Report No. 629) 9 January 1992 – Map showing the proposals transferring territory between Hereford & Worcester and the West Midlands.

The last territory exchange between the West Midlands County and Hereford & Worcester or its successor administrative authority occurred along sections of the Birmingham and Bromsgrove district boundary.^[133] The draft proposals and final report of the LBGCE Review of the West Midlands (City of Birmingham) Boundaries with Bromsgrove (Hereford & Worcester) proposed Frankley, Kitwell, Rubery, Walkers Heath and the remainder of Rednal and Bartley Reservoir transfer to Birmingham, as per Fig 13. The rationale for the proposals were the unification of several housing estates built and maintained by Birmingham City Council, under the Town Development Act 1952, which fell within the Bromsgrove boundary. These were referred to as the "North Worcester developments".^[134] Frankley was split into two parts with New Frankley and the area around Bartley Reservoir transferred from Bromsgrove to Birmingham in April 1995. The small village of Frankley remained in Hereford & Worcester and formed a new Civil Parish under the same name. Hopwood's surrounding areas were transferred from the city to Bromsgrove. Rubery remained within Hereford & Worcester (and the successor Worcestershire authority), contrary to the LGBCE final proposal.^[135]

These boundary changes were relatively minor in comparison to previous transfers.

Local Government Act 1992

Following the Local Government Act 1992 legislation; the LGBCE was once again charged with examining all English non-metropolitan counties, but was given authority to recommend proposals that would significantly alter or abolish administrative areas. Accompanying legislation known as the Local Government Changes for England Regulations 1994 also established a new single-tier form of administrative unit known as a 'Unitary authority'. These new councils would be responsible for all services carried out by non-metropolitan district and county authorities within their area,^[137] thus resembling county boroughs. The county of Hereford & Worcester was to be reviewed again, despite an earlier structural review which recommended no change to the county.

Various options were put to consultation, including:

Other ideas put forward and discounted before the consultation stage included a complete restoration of the pre-1974 Worcestershire county boundary. This option included Stourbridge and Halesowen, as they were under the jurisdiction of Worcestershire County Council until 1 April 1974. The LGBCE deemed that this Local Government review did not include metropolitan counties (except a one-off review of Sefton on Merseyside^[138]), so there would be no change to the boundaries of Dudley Metropolitan Borough.

The Local Government Boundary Commission recommended that Hereford & Worcester should be split into three unitary authorities centred on Herefordshire, North Worcestershire and South Worcestershire.^[139] However, Parliament chose the hybrid unitary and two-tier option instead, resulting in the abolition of the county of Hereford & Worcester.^[139]

Devolution

Black Country Flag

There has been intense media debate and discussion throughout 2014 and 2015 about possible 'Combined Authorities' within the West Midlands region.^{[145][146][147][148][149][150]} The new body became known as the West Midlands Combined Authority^[151][152] and was formally established on 17 June 2016.^[153] The Local Government Chronicle stated that Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest have been invited to form part of the combined authority, because of their membership of the 'Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership'.^{[152][154][155][156]} So far; Redditch is the only Worcestershire authority to join the new combined authority as an associate 'non-constituent' member,^[157][158] while Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest opted not to join "at this time".^[159] Councillor Simon Geraghty (current leader of Worcestershire County Council) also stated that the county has no plans to join the combined authority,^[160] but previously refused to rule out a change of consensus, if it is felt that Worcestershire is getting left behind.^[161]

The possibility of a Worcestershire combined authority, focusing on four key areas of "transport, infrastructure planning, skills development and land planning" has been mooted by local media and politicians,^{[162][163][164][165]} but has yet to be ratified by government or established.^[160]

Historic county revival

Flag of Worcestershire

Separately, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government announced on St. George's Day 2013 in a symbolic move that England's historic and traditional counties still exist. They are now recognised by the government, who will now encourage the marking and continued use of such traditional county names by the existing tiers of local government and residents.^[166] A follow-up announcement in April 2014 put forward an initiative in changing planning regulations, stating that 'traditional county' names can be placed on roadsigns.^[167] The same Government department also published an online map comparing the current and historic counties.^[168] The main body of the pre-1889 boundaries appear to be acknowledged, but Worcestershire's islands including Dudley and Shipston-on-Stour are omitted. Guidance released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 16 July 2019 sought to bring all of these aspects together into one document - 'Celebrating the historic counties of England'.^[123] One of the important aspects of the recent guidance has been recognition by government that historic counties still exist,^[169] and how they differentiate from 'administrative counties'. The phrase 'historic county' is also used extensively by Encyclopædia Britannica, where the main Worcestershire article^[170] includes descriptions of both the administrative and historic boundaries in the present-tense.

As part of the growing recognition of historic counties in recent years, a flag for Worcestershire was created and registered with the Flag Institute in April 2013 following a competition held by BBC Hereford & Worcester.^[171][172]

A unitary future?

The subsequent local government restructuring in April 2009 and 2019-2023, which abolished more two-tier counties (including Shropshire, Buckinghamshire, Dorset and Cheshire) did not affect Worcestershire. The county still maintains a two-tier administrative system as per the Local Government Act 1992, although Lord Heseltine's No stone unturned: in pursuit of growth review for the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills suggested that all English local authorities should be unitary or combined authority models similar to the existing structures in Scotland and Wales.^[173] As of 2014, conversations are taking place within the local media about the positives and negatives of a possible unitary council structure within Worcestershire.^{[174][175][176][177][178][179][180]} Possibilities being put forward in these discussions are broadly similar to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England proposals prior to the 'Hereford & Worcester' abolition. These ideas consist of either two unitary authorities based in North Worcestershire (Bromsgrove, Redditch, Wyre Forest) and South Worcestershire (Malvern Hills, Worcester, Wychavon) or a single countywide council as per Herefordshire. In September 2020; Redditch Borough Council's Leader said For me in Redditch, the two-tier system does not work and suggested either a merger of Worcestershire's districts into two unitary authorities, an 'across the border' solution and/or closer links with the West Midlands Combined Authority.^[181] Already the three district councils in the south of the county have successfully worked together to produce the South Worcestershire Development Plan,^[182] which replaced the existing Local Plans of these three partner councils when it was adopted in February 2016; it also superseded elements of Worcestershire County Council's County Structure Plan.^[183] There are also joint service provisions between the North Worcestershire districts including building control shared services, water management and the emergency planning and business continuity service,^[184] along with a joint economic growth strategy.^[185]