A SHAKE-UP the city’s political map is set to be put forward as part of the first review of council wards to be held in two decades.

Two key adjustments to Worcester City Council’s boundary map have been proposed which would see the existing city centre Cathedral ward split in two forming new City Centre and Fort Royal wards each represented by two councillors.

The current Cathedral ward, which is represented by three councillors, is seen as ‘too big’ and needs addressing, according to the council.

The proposed changes are set to be submitted to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) as part of the first review to be held in Worcester since 2002.

Worcester City Council has been given the chance to have its say on the shake-up and has put forward a draft proposal, which has been backed by its four party group leaders, which would see the two new city centre wards created.

However, while an understanding has been reached over creating the two new city centre wards as a way of fixing the ‘electoral imbalance,’ the plan would still need 36 councillors to function – either freed up from elsewhere in the city or created afresh – and no consensus has said to have been reached by the political leaders in the Guildhall over how to fix it.

Earlier this year, city councillors voted in favour of changing the local electoral cycle to once every four years replacing the previous system which saw a third of councillors elected in elections held in three of every four years.

Following a separate vote earlier this year, councillors also agreed to recommend to the LGBCE that they preferred to see the number of elected members stay at the current level of 35 – but could be swayed to support the number increasing to 39 if required.

The draft plan also suggests moving the boundary between Warndon Parish North and Warndon Parish South which would see 54 homes move from the latter to the former.

As many as 142 homes around Astwood Cemetery would also move out of the St Stephen ward and into the Rainbow Hill ward under the proposals.

The final results are expected to be announced in March 2023 before they are submitted to Parliament for approval.