Wychavon

Wychavon District Council
Wychavon District Council
Type
Type	Non-metropolitan district
Leadership
Chair	George Duffy, ; Conservative ; since 15 May 2024
Leader	Christopher Day, ; Conservative ; since 18 October 2023
Chief Executive	Vic Allison ; since 1 August 2020
Structure
Seats	43 councillors
Political groups	Administration (29) Conservative (29) Other parties (14) Liberal Democrats (7) Green (6) Labour (1)
Length of term	4 years
Elections
Voting system	First past the post
Last election	4 May 2023
Next election	6 May 2027
Meeting place
	Pershore Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, WR10 1PT
Website
	www.wychavon.gov.uk

Wychavon District
Wychavon District
Non-metropolitan district
	Evesham, the district's largest town
	Wychavon shown within Worcestershire
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	West Midlands
Non-metropolitan county	Worcestershire
Status	Non-metropolitan district
Admin HQ	Pershore
Incorporated	1 April 1974
Government
• Type	Non-metropolitan district council
• Body	Wychavon District Council
• Leadership	Leader & Cabinet (Conservative)
• MPs	Harriett Baldwin (Conservative); Chris Bloore (Labour); Nigel Huddleston (Conservative)
Area
• Total	256.2 sq mi (663.5 km2)
• Rank	50th (of 296)
Population (2022)
• Total	134,536
• Rank	176th (of 296)
Ethnicity (2021)
• Ethnic groups	List 96.9% White ; 1.2% Mixed ; 1.1% Asian ; 0.5% other ; 0.3% Black ;
Religion (2021)
• Religion	List 57.7% Christianity ; 35% no religion ; 0.5% Islam ; 0.2% Hinduism ; 0.1% Judaism ; 0.3% Sikhism ; 0.3% Buddhism ; 0.4% other ; 5.6% not stated ;
Time zone	UTC0 (GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code	47UF (ONS) />E07000238 (GSS)
OS grid reference	SO9445346235

52°06′50″N 2°04′52″W / 52.114°N 2.081°W / 52.114; -2.081

Wychavon (/ˈwɪtʃ.eɪvən/)^[3] is a local government district in Worcestershire, England. The largest towns therein are Evesham and Droitwich Spa; the council is based in the town of Pershore. The district also includes numerous villages and surrounding rural areas, and includes part of the Cotswolds, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The district's name references the Saxon Kingdom of Hwicce and the River Avon. The population in 2022 was 134,536.

The neighbouring districts are Malvern Hills, Worcester, Wyre Forest, Bromsgrove, Redditch, Stratford-on-Avon, Cotswold, and Tewkesbury.

History

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of five former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:^[4]

Droitwich Municipal Borough
Droitwich Rural District (except parish of Warndon, which went to Worcester)
Evesham Municipal Borough
Evesham Rural District
Pershore Rural District (except parish of St Peter the Great County, which went to Worcester)

The name Wychavon was coined for the new district. "Wych" phonetically recalls the Saxon Kingdom of Hwicce, and "Avon" is for the River Avon.^[5]

Governance

Wychavon District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Worcestershire County Council.^[8] The whole district is covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.^[9]

Since 2014 the council has shared a chief executive and other staff with neighbouring Malvern Hills District Council.^[10]

Political control

The council has been under Conservative majority control since 1999.

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:^[11]^[12]^[13]

Party in control		Years
	Independent	1974–1983
	No overall control	1983–1987
	Conservative	1987–1995
	No overall control	1995–1999
	Conservative	1999–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1999 have been:^[14]

Councillor		From	To
John Grantham^[15]	Liberal Democrats		9 May 1999
Malcolm Meikle^[16]^[17]	Conservative	May 1999	May 2003
Martin Jennings	Conservative	May 2003	6 May 2007
Paul Middlebrough	Conservative	22 May 2007	20 May 2015
Linda Robinson	Conservative	20 May 2015	Oct 2018
Bradley Thomas	Conservative	7 Nov 2018	18 Oct 2023
Christopher Day	Conservative	18 Oct 2023

Composition

Following the 2023 election the composition of the council was:^[18]

Party		Councillors
	Conservative	29
	Liberal Democrats	7
	Green	6
	Labour	1
Total		43

The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 43 councillors representing 27 wards, each electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.^[19]

Premises

The council is based at Pershore Civic Centre on Queen Elizabeth Drive, which was purpose-built for the council in 1991. The council also maintains offices in Droitwich and Evesham.^[20]

Civil parishes

The whole district is divided into civil parishes. The parish councils for Droitwich Spa, Evesham and Pershore have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". Broadway is a post town, but has not been declared a town by its parish council.^[21] The Wychavon district includes the following civil parishes:

Abberton Parish Meeting
Abbots Morton Parish Council
Ashton under Hill Parish Council
Badsey and Aldington Parish Council
Beckford Parish Council
Bickmarsh Parish Meeting
Birlingham Parish Council
Bishampton and Throckmorton Parish Council
Bredicot Parish Meeting
Bredon, Bredon's Norton and Westmancote Parish Council
Bretforton Parish Council
Broadway Parish Council
Broughton Hackett Parish Meeting
Charlton Parish Council
Childswickham Parish Council
Churchill Parish Meeting
Cleeve Prior Parish Council
Cookhill Parish Council
Cropthorne Parish Council
Crowle Parish Council
Defford and Besford Parish Council
Dodderhill Parish Council
Drakes Broughton and Wadborough with Pirton Parish Council
Droitwich Spa Town Council
Eckington Parish Council
Elmbridge Parish Council
Elmley Castle, Bricklehampton and Netherton Parish Council
Elmley Lovett Parish Council
Evesham Town Council
Fladbury Parish Council
Flyford Flavell, Grafton Flyford and North Piddle Parish Council
Great Comberton Parish Council
Hadzor, Himbleton, Huddington and Oddingley (Saleway) Parish Council
Hampton Lovett and Westwood Parish Council
Hanbury Parish Council
Hartlebury Parish Council
Harvington Parish Council
Hill and Moor Parish Council
Hindlip, Martin Hussingtree and Salwarpe Parish Council
Hinton-on-the-Green and Aston Somerville Parish Council
Honeybourne Parish Council
Inkberrow Parish Council
Kemerton Parish Council
Kington and Dormston Parish Council
Little Comberton Parish Council
Naunton Beauchamp Parish Council
North and Middle Littleton Parish Council
North Claines Parish Council
Norton and Lenchwick Parish Council
Norton juxta Kempsey Parish Council
Offenham Parish Council
Ombersley and Doverdale Parish Council
Overbury and Conderton Parish Council
Pebworth Parish Council
Peopleton Parish Council
Pershore Town Council
Pinvin Parish Council
Rous Lench Parish Council
Sedgeberrow Parish Council
South Littleton Parish Council
Spetchley Parish Meeting
South Lenches Parish Council
Stock and Bradley Parish Council
Stoulton Parish Council
Strensham Parish Council
Tibberton Parish Council
Upton Snodsbury Parish Council
Upton Warren Parish Council
White Ladies Aston Parish Meeting
Whittington Parish Council
Wick Parish Council
Wickhamford Parish Council
Wyre Piddle Parish Council

References

^ "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
^ ^a ^b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Wychavon Local Authority (E07000238)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
^ "Plans for the future of Wychavon's town centres". YouTube. Wychavon District Council. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
^ "Wychavon's new chairman vows to make public art a key focus of his new role". Droitwich Standard. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
^ Calkin, Sarah (15 May 2020). "People moves: Districts confirm joint chiefs, Howe returns to local government". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
^ Cosgrove, David (17 October 2014). "Malvern Hills and Wychavon Councils to share chief executive". Worcester News. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
^ "Complete round-up of results from Thursday's local council elections". The Times. NewsBank. 4 May 1991.
^ "England council elections". BBC News Online. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
^ "Council minutes". Wychavon District Council. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
^ "Middle England takes its revenge". Birmingham Post. 8 May 1999. p. 3. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
^ "Cutback council 'forgot' £658,000". Birmingham Post. 19 July 1999. p. 3. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
^ "Leaders picked for Wychavon". Worcester News. 28 May 2003. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
^ "The Wychavon (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2023/26, retrieved 11 February 2024
^ "Contact us". Wychavon District Council. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
^ "Parish Councils". Wychavon District Council. Retrieved 13 February 2024.

[1] "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.

[2021_Nomis-2] UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Wychavon Local Authority (E07000238)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.

[3] "Plans for the future of Wychavon's town centres". YouTube. Wychavon District Council. Retrieved 10 January 2025.

[definition-4] "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023

[5] "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023

[6] "Wychavon's new chairman vows to make public art a key focus of his new role". Droitwich Standard. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.

[7] Calkin, Sarah (15 May 2020). "People moves: Districts confirm joint chiefs, Howe returns to local government". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 11 February 2024.

[8] "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023

[electionmaps-9] "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 9 January 2023.

[10] Cosgrove, David (17 October 2014). "Malvern Hills and Wychavon Councils to share chief executive". Worcester News. Retrieved 11 February 2024.

[electionscentre-11] "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2022.

[vote1991-12] "Complete round-up of results from Thursday's local council elections". The Times. NewsBank. 4 May 1991.

[vote2011-13] "England council elections". BBC News Online. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2015.

[14] "Council minutes". Wychavon District Council. Retrieved 21 September 2022.

[15] "Middle England takes its revenge". Birmingham Post. 8 May 1999. p. 3. Retrieved 21 September 2022.

[16] "Cutback council 'forgot' £658,000". Birmingham Post. 19 July 1999. p. 3. Retrieved 21 September 2022.

[17] "Leaders picked for Wychavon". Worcester News. 28 May 2003. Retrieved 21 September 2022.

[18] "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.

[19] "The Wychavon (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2023/26, retrieved 11 February 2024

[20] "Contact us". Wychavon District Council. Retrieved 13 February 2024.

[21] "Parish Councils". Wychavon District Council. Retrieved 13 February 2024.

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