Consultation on draft proposals for reorganisation order Kidderminster and Kidderminster Foreign

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN HEALTH ACT 2007

The Wyre Forest District Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) (Kidderminster, Kidderminster Foreign and Stourport-on-Severn) Order 2026

Made x day of x xxxx

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2)

Wyre Forest District Council (“the council”) in accordance with section 82 of the Local Government  and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (“the 2007 Act”), has undertaken a community governance review and made recommendations dated 16 July 2025.

The council has decided to give effect to those recommendations and, in accordance with section 93 of the 2007 Act, has consulted with the local government electors and other interested persons and has had regard to the need to secure that community governance reflects the identities and interests of the community and is effective and convenient.

In giving effect to the recommendations arising from the community governance review, the council has [obtained the consent] of the Boundary Commission for England in respect of the changes made by Article 5 of this Order to the parish electoral arrangements for the parishes of Stourport-on-Severn and Kidderminster as required by section 86 (6) of the 2007 Act following the making of the Worcestershire (Electoral Changes) Order 2024  on 13 November 2024.

The council, in accordance with section 100 of the 2007 Act, has had regard to guidance issued under that section.

This Order is made subject to the provisions of Article 5 of The Worcestershire (Electoral Changes) Order 2024 (with the exception of Article 5(3) where the boundary of the ward of Foley Park & Hoobrook within the parish of Kidderminster shall be as set out in this Reorganisation of Community Governance Order) which are to come into force on a date after this Order comes into force.

The  council makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 86,

98(3), 98(4), 98(6) and 240(10) of the 2007 Act.

1. Citation and commencement

• This Order may be cited as the Wyre Forest District Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance)(Kidderminster, Kidderminster Foreign and Stourport-on-Severn) Order
• This Order comes into force on 1 April 2026.

2. Interpretation

(1)    In this Order—

“district” means the district of Wyre Forest;

“map” means the map marked “Map”  referred to in the Wyre Forest District Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance)( Kidderminster, Kidderminster Foreign and Stourport-on-Severn) Order 2026” and deposited in accordance with  section 96(4) of the 2007 Act: and any reference to a numbered sheet is a reference to the sheet of the map which bears that number;

“registration officer” means an officer appointed for the purpose of, and in accordance with, section 8 of the Representation of the People Act 1983;

“The 2008 Regulations” mean the Local Government (Parishes and Parish Councils) (England) Regulations 2008 No. 625.

3. Alteration of the boundaries of Kidderminster Foreign Parish Council and Kidderminster Town Council

• The parish boundary between the parish of Kidderminster Foreign and the parish of Kidderminster is amended so that the area marked by red edge and hatching on map 1 shall cease to be part of the parish of Kidderminster Foreign and becomes part of the parish of Kidderminster and becomes part of the parish of Kidderminster ward of Franche and Habberley North.

4. Electoral arrangements for the parish of Kidderminster Foreign

• The parish of Kidderminster Foreign is not divided into wards.
• The number of councillors to be elected for the parish of Kidderminster Foreign is 7.

5. Alteration of the boundaries of Stourport Town Council and Kidderminster Town Council

• The parish boundary between the parish of Stourport-on-Severn and the parish of Kidderminster is amended so that the area marked by red edge and hatching on map 2 shall cease to be part of the parish of Stourport-on-Severn and becomes part of the parish of Kidderminster ward of Foley Park & Hoobrook.

6. Number of Town Councillors for the parish of Stourport-on-Severn

• The number of councillors to be elected for the parish of Stourport-on-Severn is 18.
• The number of councillors to be elected for the Stourport Town Council wards of
• Lickhill is 3; and
• Stourport on Severn North is 4.

7. Number of Town Councillors for the parish of Kidderminster     

• The number of councillors to be elected for the parish of Kidderminster is 18.
• The number of councillors to be elected for the Kidderminster Town Council ward of Franche & Habberley North is 3.
• The number of councillors to be elected for the Kidderminster Town Council ward of Foley Park & Hoobrook is 3.

8. Electoral register

• The registration officer for the district shall make such rearrangement of, or adaptation of, the register of local government electors as may be necessary for the purposes of, and in consequence of, this Order.

9. Order date

• xxxxx is the order date for the purposes of the 2008 Regulations.

Map 1: area to become part of the Parish of Kidderminster

Map 2 area becoming part of Kidderminbster Parish

(This note is not part of the Order)

Explanatory note

This Order gives effect to recommendations made by Wyre Forest District Council for changes to the electoral arrangements for Kidderminster Foreign Parish Council, and to the boundaries of Stourport on Severn Town Council Kidderminster Town Council and Kidderminster Foreign Parish Council .

Articles 3 and 5 provide for the alteration of boundaries of the Parish of Kidderminster.

Article 4 confirms electoral arrangements for the Parish of Kidderminster Foreign, including the number of councillors.

Articles 6 and 7 confirm the number of councillors for Stourport Town Council and Kidderminster Town Council and the number of councillors for the town council wards affected by the boundary changes. The town council wards and number of councillors for each ward will change in 2027 and 2028 respectively as a consequence of the Worcestershire (Electoral Changes) Order 2024

Article 8 obliges the Electoral Registration Officer to make any necessary amendments to the electoral register to reflect the new electoral arrangements.

The map defined in article 2 shows the new parish boundaries. It is available, at all reasonable times, at the offices of Wyre Forest District Council.