evolution boundaries boundaries england fluid years major changes detached parts surrounding counties conversely islands counties counties detached parts act began processing eliminating process completed absorbed expansion birmingham industrial revolution altered county map considerably local government commissions set recommend changes local government structures early recommendations merge eventually form recommendation carried combined form new county named northern towns villages adjoining areas formed new county divided separate counties time boundaries changed opted join associate non constituent member october affect borough status boundaries boundaries relatively stable victorian era parishes changed hands neighbouring counties usually gifts monarchy church conquest administration carried courts quarter sessions responsible law order civil jurisdiction certain administrative functions county roles included licensing police weights measures construction maintenance highways bridges poor law disputes setting taxes county divided hundreds county subdivision separate larger towns worcester county corporate worcester autonomous certain degree autonomy hundreds remaining hundreds prior reforms main township parish incorporated fractured layout hundreds best confusing hundreds split divisions differing parts county table shows parishes islands surrounded hundreds parishes existed counties jurisdictions known simply islands parishes stretched county boundary area old parish included instance unusually large number cut main county completely surrounded nearby counties relationship neighbouring counties mirrored confusing fragmented layout parishes hundreds images table notable islands area main respectively history outside county colourful changing hands returning differing times centuries southern boundary county complex parish boundaries penetrating deep gloucestershire vice versa counties detached parts act counties detached parts act act parliament abolished counties england wales precursor legislation reform act parliamentary boundaries act boundaries members parliament acts changed status starting process incorporating surrounding county act parliament designed issue islands numerous remained enactment act final transferred west order parish detached gifted earl late 11th century lying northern border southern border small islands excluded gift retained consisted dozen disconnected fragments land manor detached parts isolated returned ending detached status islands years later neighbouring parish joined new parish historically division ancient parishes linked system parishes sharing boundaries poor law amendment act declared divergence historic ecclesiastical parish administrative functions locality creating civil parishes administrative units formed tier local government england established political reform 1880s increasing pressure reform structure english counties question county government major political issue party general election contained promises introduce elected local authorities boundaries act received september appointed review existing county boundaries counties corporate witnessed formation county administration loss territory birmingham act unite rest county achieved transfer territory act repealed favour alternative local government act administrative county came existence following local government act level division england purposes local government new structure replaced administrative functions carried quarter sessions administrative county covered historic newly designated county worcester county borough single tier authority regarded local government act independent county council jurisdiction administrative county size general population historic status counties corporate act ensured boundaries classified non administrative purposes match administrative county including county cases non administrative purposes stated sheriff lieutenant justices militia resembling functions modern ceremonial counties local government act hundreds replaced new district council formation urban rural districts following implementation local government act new districts second tier administrative units county council jurisdiction form county borough single tier authorities act abolition hundreds remaining powers given new district councils district council boundaries self contained administrative county legislation unlike predecessors stray external boundaries example included area changes act introduced structural changes civil parishes established elected civil parish councils rural parishes grouped rural districts boundaries altered avoid parishes split counties birmingham short time act northern external boundaries began alter district originally constituted northerly parish king area county added newly designated city birmingham october followed small island near transferred years following loss county gained parish parish nearly surrounded parish situated north east border area transferred jurisdiction continuous expansion birmingham city large factor fluid boundary changes associated housing issues followed birmingham november greater transfers city november saw considerable expansion city surrounding districts consequence transfer birmingham areas regarded birmingham status county borough ensured areas administered expansion compact size borough combined increasing population high cost derelict land urgent clearance contributed dire housing land shortage resulted council acquiring land adjacent local authorities expense grew slightly allow construction land situated boundary changes saw purchase town castle ruins council primarily free surrounding land social housing thousand homes council owned built known nest old park farm estates similar housing land shortage existed nearby borough resulted authority acquiring land adjoining council areas urban area spread border far road park adjustment county boundary took place occasion gained territory woods enabled build new housing estates west road housing land shortage continued world war rendering council concentrate primarily constructing medium rise flats high rise tower blocks social housing needs provisional order confirmation gloucestershire act counties detached parts act originally designed islands area surrounding county possessed south east enactment act nearly completed task islands surrounding county act transferred gloucestershire whilst gained rural district merged subsequently amalgamated boundary act south western tip transferred gloucestershire whilst county gained parish added expanding urban district proposed radical changes local government structures plans included merging form new administrative unit new south county worcester remain county services carried respective county council commission proposals abandoned revised proposals combined surface years later local government act course 19th 20th centuries birmingham urban areas single extensive spanning borders counties similar urban areas england london grown size industrial revolution expansion saw economic physical integration neighbouring towns communities process prominent growing housing issues extensive bombing world war clearance continuing migration urban areas contained combination county urban districts municipal county councils taking responsibility services resulted fragmented local government infrastructure local government act appointed review administrative structures boundaries england outside london act designated west special review area recommendations ultimately form west order legislation second report known west general review looked administrative authorities wider region including remainder commission report july recommended black country area administered large county remaining urban districts municipal merged authorities original county council responsibility services majority curtailed association historic ceremonial purposes included council areas incorporated county borough eventual proposed included enlarged borough successful campaign entitled hands orchestrated non partisan group called helped stop plans second report area delivered july proposal worcester lose county borough status implemented april expanded historical boundaries took surrounding districts west order status borough ceded enlarged borough renamed enlarged county borough regarded non administrative purposes county council jurisdiction amalgamation area area subsequent associated legislation established area west passenger transport executive territory county council grew took majority urban district designation april new town historically lies county boundary expansion newly designated town fall green belt north surrounding area boundary counties realigned favour consequence boundaries order legislation new town designation coincided programme considerable social housing development mainly enactment town development act numerous housing developments took place county especially worcester near birmingham boundary majority developments designed help alleviate housing land shortages birmingham boundaries report report recommended abolition existing county county borough borough urban district rural district councils replacement new authorities new single tier authorities largely based major towns acted regional employment commercial social recreational centres took account local transport infrastructure travel patterns proposals county included considerable loss territory proposed west metropolitan area including planned whilst included district known planned incorporate remaining central southern including worcester amalgamated form new county areas exist overarching covering entire region capacity won general election committed tier system local government england government proposals reorganisation ultimately led organisation saw great deal recommendations discontinued england government proposals reorganisation bill ultimately local government act far report plans amalgamation majority remained areas join proposed metropolitan county west order associated legislation formation instigated large degree local government integration carried county borough system place incorporated enlarged administrative unit plus join west debates associated local government bill amendment numbers proposed maintaining separate counties stated bill welcomed county situation reluctantly accepted group amendments change bill said whilst agreement place worcester included merger intensely unpopular especially neighbouring county said amendment debate future rural district whilst ambitions wish merger going smoothly result exercise operation local authorities political parties amendments defeated subsequent vote paving way future amendment numbers transfer parish new combined authority accompanying debates house_of_lords lord said respective borough council duly elected wholly opposed joined continued stating reason support county council opposition joining question green belt threatened future development originally combined authority called term early local government bill debates statistics time bill law county renamed worcester county west local government act new metropolitan administrative unit known incorporating south north border area act new county sub divided metropolitan districts districts metropolitan granted royal charters giving borough status largely centred birmingham county boundary roughly matching gap included enabling incorporated new structure new authority borough formed later whilst borough merged create rural proposed discarded permitting new authority april day local government reorganisation article times quoted unnamed official said new county boundaries solely purpose defining areas level government future administrative areas alter traditional boundaries counties intended people living change west county council existed short period abolition april enactment abolished greater london council individual metropolitan resumed services provided county level joint bodies west worcester legislation local government act came force april saw county amalgamated form single non metropolitan county worcester new county divided districts started periodic structural reviews looked administrative areas individual basis proposed boundary change near incorporate area proposal rejected minor adjustment commission investigated splitting following submissions proposals rejected time boundary changes proposed accepted resulting minor changes counties minor adjustments county boundary time borough near metropolitan borough near review west city birmingham boundaries worcester recent transfer territory occurred sections birmingham district boundary draft proposals final report city birmingham boundaries proposed remainder transfer birmingham changes intended unify housing estates built maintained town development act fell boundary split parts area transferred birmingham april small village remained formed new civil parish surrounding areas transferred city remained county recreated contrary final proposal boundary changes relatively minor comparison previous transfers local government act following local government act legislation charged examining english non metropolitan counties given authority recommend proposals significantly alter abolish administrative areas accompanying legislation known established new single tier form administrative unit known authority new councils responsible services carried non metropolitan district county authorities area resembling county county reviewed despite earlier structural review recommended change county options consultation including ideas forward discounted consultation stage included complete restoration boundary option included jurisdiction april deemed local government review include metropolitan counties review change boundaries recommended split authorities centred north south parliament chose hybrid tier option instead resulting abolition county new present worcester county council ceased exist april replaced new non metropolitan ceremonial county new county regained historic border authority districts worcester retained little change hills districts crossed historic border new district created parts districts restored external boundaries new county shown altered split following abolition county cross boundary organisations resources remain shared counties include waste management youth service radio station bbc commercial radio counterpart broadcasts counties regarded single licence area shared merged wider legally exists day metropolitan ceremonial county functions west passenger transport executive known original metropolitan counties combined authorities tier statutory bodies resembling metropolitan county councils involved combined authority process intense media debate discussion possible combined authorities region especially following scottish independence referendum greater manchester agreement local authorities initially agreed start process form combined authority official announcement june encompassed seven metropolitan councils new body known aims established june originally covering birmingham district councils forest discussed setting board formal governance structure combined authority sir leader said envisioned combined authority stretching form core powerhouse compete city regions world stated invited form possible combined authority membership far authority join new combined authority associate non constituent member whilst opted join time present secretary state business innovation skills said welcomed ambition shown new combined authority mission drive forward engine previously worcester sir mid leader spoken future birmingham combined authority incorporating county said empowering city regions essential new english settlement great counties england equal role ensuring economic success possibility combined authority focusing key areas transport infrastructure planning skills development land planning local media politicians document county final report states collective local authorities local enterprise partnership currently considering options establish economic prosperity board combined authority similar document mentions world class combined authority provides consistency present county council branding future subsequent local government restructuring april abolished tier counties including affect county maintains tier administrative system local government act lord stone pursuit growth review suggested english local authorities combined authority models similar existing structures scotland wales conversations taking place local media possible council structure possibilities forward discussions broadly similar proposals prior abolition ideas consist authorities based forest south worcester single council district councils south county successfully worked produce replaced existing local plans partner councils adopted february superseded elements plan joint service provisions north districts including building control shared services economic development regeneration water management emergency planning business continuity service revival separately secretary state communities local government announced symbolic england historic traditional counties exist recognised government encourage marking continued use traditional county names existing tiers local government residents follow announcement april forward initiative changing planning regulations stating traditional county names placed government department published online map comparing current historic counties main body boundaries appear acknowledged islands including omitted statistics table features official statistics relating size population onwards statistics compiled england wales basis population increased fold census reaching peak people according survey accounted people worcester whilst remaining resided administrative county area survey based different external boundaries opposed present county current population estimated people according census census taken world war statistics county individual statistics available
Evolution of Worcestershire county boundaries since 1844