Serving and supporting our communities

What we're focussing on 

Our corporate plan for 2023-2027 was launched in September last year. We’re working to make Wyre Forest ‘a safe, vibrant and clean place to live, work and visit’.

We are prioritising economic growth and regeneration and securing financial sustainability for services our local communities value as well as making the district a clean, safe and green place to live, work and visit.

Here are a few of things we are planning:

• We’re investing an extra £39,000 on tackling environmental crime and illegal parking in 2025-2026.
• We are spending an additional £108,000 on clearing up litter.
• We have a new climate change and carbon reduction plan for the district. It sets out what we are going to do up until 2027.
• We are building a new housing scheme to provide short-term accommodation while we help people to secure longer term housing.
• We are helping people make their homes more energy efficient working with partners and distributing grants.
• Electric charging points are being installed in car parks in Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley.
• We are making our nature reserves more accessible and working to increase visitor numbers.

Regenerating the district

Economic growth and regeneration continue to be a priority in the district. Since 2020 we have secured more £41million of external funding for regeneration projects.

• The transformation of the former Magistrates Court into a creative hub is progressing well. When finished it will provide contemporary multi-functional arts and cultural development space, co-working and research space. The project includes a complete renovation and re-development of the public area on Worcester Street, Coronation Gardens and the Worcester Cross.
• Kidderminster will be better connected thanks to our Worcester Street project. The urban park at the top end of Worcester Street is progressing well. The demolition of the shops was completed in January and work on site is due to start in March. The project is being funded by the Government’s Future High Streets Fund and Brownfield Land Release Fund.
• In Stourport we are working with the Government’s High Street Task Force to develop and implement a vision for the regeneration of the centre of the town.
• Work is also underway on the redevelopment of Kidderminster Town Hall. We secured the grant from the Government’s Levelling Up fund to transform he listed building into a bright new cultural, music and community meeting space. The building is owned by Kidderminster Town Council who is delivering the project in partnership with us.
• The Grade II listed Piano building also looks set to be brought back into use. Thanks to funding from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund we have been able to buy the building and we are planning to transform it into a mix of food and drinks spaces on the ground floor and office and co-working spaces on the other floors.