page_title: Evolution of Worcestershire county boundaries since 1844
section_title: Devolution
hierarchical_section_title: Evolution of Worcestershire county boundaries since 1844 / New Worcestershire (1998 to present) / Devolution
context_page_description: The administrative boundaries of Worcestershire, England have been fluid for over 150 years since the first major changes in 1844. There were many detached parts of Worcestershire in the surrounding counties, and conversely there were islands of other counties within Worcestershire. The 1844 Counties Act began the process of eliminating these, but the process was not completed until 1966, when Dudley was absorbed into Staffordshire.
  The expansion of Birmingham and the Black Country during and after the Industrial Revolution also altered the county map considerably. Local government commissions were set up to recommend changes to the local government structures, and as early as 1945 recommendations were made to merge Worcestershire with Herefordshire. Eventually in 1974, a form of this recommendation was carried out, most of Worcestershire was combined with Herefordshire to form a new county named Hereford & Worcester, while the northern Black Country towns and villages of Worcestershire, along with adjoining areas of Staffordshire and Warwickshire, formed the new administrative county of West Midlands.
context_section_description: There has been intense media debate and discussion throughout 2014 and 2015 about possible 'Combined Authorities' within the West Midlands region. The new body became known as the West Midlands Combined Authority and was formally established on 17 June 2016. 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'. So far; Redditch is the only Worcestershire authority to join the new combined authority as an associate 'non-constituent' member, while Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest opted not to join "at this time". Councillor Simon Geraghty (current leader of Worcestershire County Council) also stated that the county has no plans to join the combined authority, but previously refused to rule out a change of consensus, if it is felt that Worcestershire is getting left behind.
  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, but has yet to be ratified by government or established.
caption: Black Country Flag