County Council Elections

County Council Elections are normally held every four years, on the first Thursday in May, although the Secretary of State can notify another date in specific circumstances. The first full election for Worcestershire County Council following local government re-organisation was held in 1997 (shadow elections and also a combined poll with the General Election). Since then full Council elections were held on 7th June, 2001 and 5th May, 2005. Those elections were also combined with a Parliamentary election.

Worcestershire is currently divided into six areas based on the boundaries of the District Councils. Each district is divided into wards and polling districts and those precise areas are used separately for the election of district councillors. County Electoral Divisions are the geographical areas which apply to the election of county councillors. There are 52 Electoral Divisions. The pattern of electoral divisions changed for the 5 May, 2005, election following a periodic electoral review undertaken by the Boundary Committee for England and approved by the Electoral Commission. This involved a reduction in the number of electoral divisions from 57 to 52, although there will still be 57 councillors elected. Two councillors are returned for each of the divisions in the Redditch district area and the Stourport-on-Severn division. The remaining divisions return one councillor. The County Returning Officer usually appoints a Deputy Returning Officer (DRO) to manage the conduct of the election in each of the district areas in the county .

The last County Council elections were held on 5 May 2005.

Do you want to be a County Councillor? Click here for copy of the Do you want to be a Councillor leaflet  (1.44 MB). If you are interested in seeking election as a County Councillor information is provided to give an insight into what it all means to put your name forward.

Do you want to understand the statistical make up of a particular area of population? Click here to view relevant statistical analysis for a specific area www.statistics.gov.uk/neighbourhood. A link is also available to view a breakdown of statistical analysis for each of the Electoral Divisions in the county.

You must be registered to vote! Click here for guidance about voter registration and the various ways of voting www.aboutmyvote.co.uk. You should not assume that because you pay council tax that you are automatically on the register. You have to make the effort to register and check that you are included. The registers can be amended, checked and inspected at the relevant City or District Council electoral registration office responsible for your address listed below.

Electoral registration and election related contact numbers

The contacts for each of the district areas responsible for electoral registration and the administration of elections, including staffing for polling stations and counting centres. Deputy Returning Officers (DRO) are usually appointed by the County Returning Officer for County Council elections to provide local contact and expertise and to conduct the elections in the relevant district area. DRO's are also normally based at the relevant City or District Council Offices.

• Bromsgrove: Tel. 01527 873232 - www.bromsgrove.gov.uk
• Malvern Hills: Tel. 01684 892700 - www.malvernhills.gov.uk
• Redditch: Tel. 01527 64252 - www.redditchbc.gov.uk
• Worcester: Tel. 01905 723471 - www.cityofworcester.gov.uk
• Wychavon: Tel. 01386 565000 - www.wychavon.gov.uk/azservices/details.asp
• Wyre Forest: Tel. 01562 732728 - www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk

County Returning Officer and Election service contact:

Patrick Birch,
Director of Corporate Services and County Returning Officer,
County Hall,
Spetchley Road,
Worcester,
WR5 2NP

Telephone: 01905 766670
Email:  smallinson@worcestershire.gov.uk