The business case for creating a single unitary authority in Worcestershire estimates that up to £8.5m could be required for redundancy payments.
Under the One Worcestershire proposal, the county’s current seven councils would be replaced by a single authority, reducing the number of councillors from 257 to 114.
Reform UK-led Worcestershire County Council is expected to endorse the plan, which aims to streamline local government and deliver long-term savings.
The business case outlines total implementation costs of just over £59m, but projects that these would be fully recovered within three years through efficiency savings.
While the document says 'every effort' will be made to avoid redundancies, it acknowledges that some duplicated roles will be removed — delivering an estimated £22.4m in savings.
It estimates that the one off redundancy pay will amount to £8.5m, while the potential actuarial strain on the local government pension scheme (LGPS) will be £15.7m, making the potential redundancy costs at least £24.2m.
Staff currently working a 35-hour week would also be moved onto a ‘standard' 37-hour week at a cost of £4.2m.
The proposal also includes a harmonised council tax rate across the county in the first year of operation, expected to generate an additional £16.3m in income.
Want to learn more about local government reorganisation? Check out: Local Government Reorganisation: What It Means and Why It Matters.
