‘Mercia’ mayor suggestion welcomed by opposition chiefs
There are suggestions Gloucestershire could join Warwickshire and Worcestershire in a combined authority with a directly-elected mayor
Last updated 20th Mar 2026
Suggestions that Gloucestershire could join Warwickshire and Worcestershire in a “Mercia” combined authority with a directly-elected mayor have been welcomed by oppostion leaders in the county.
Local government is being reorganised across England and in Gloucestershire the plan is for districts to merge with Shire Hall to create one or more unitary authorities.
Once this is done, the idea is that the area would become part of a combined authority which allows two or more councils to work together on key regional decisions like economic development, transport and housing.
The Government has asked council chiefs in Warwickshire to begin talks with counterparts in the two neighbouring counties as they look to create combined authorities with populations of around 1.5 million.
This came to light earlier this month as Stratford District Council’s deputy chief executive Tony Perks gave an update on devolution at an overview and scrutiny committee meeting.
“We’ve been asked to talk Worcestershire and Gloucestershire about the feasibility of forming some form of mayoral or strategic authority with them,” he said.
He clarified that “it was the Government who approached us asking for that” and explained that he had a letter from local government minister Matthew Pennycook.
Gloucestershire County Council’s Liberal Democrat leadership made clear this week that their preference would be to join the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) who they say the county shares most economic links with.
But Reform UK councillors, who lead the opposition at Shire Hall, would welcome a partnership which “truly reflects the heart of Middle England”.
Former Gloucestershire County Council chairman Vernon Smith (Tewkesbury West), who leads the Reform group at Shire Hall, said: “Our roots have always been in the Midlands, and as a result, we very much favour a Mercia mayor.”
Reform say this would underscore their party’s support for strong, locally-rooted leadership that recognises historic and cultural ties across the Midlands region.
Gloucestershire, with its central position bridging traditional Midland heartlands, stands to benefit from devolution models that prioritise practical, common-sense governance over distant bureaucracy, they said in a statement.
Such a move to work with Worcestershire and Warwickshire has also been welcomed in the North Cotswolds.
Conservative Tom Stowe, who leads the opposition at Cotswold District Council (CDC) and represents Campden Vale said being grouped with places as far away as parts of Somerset is “mind-boggling”.
“GCC’s cabinet and CDC leader Cllr Mike Evemy have both confirmed that their preferred options would be to join WECA,” he said.
“This seems to be at odds with news coming from Stratford District Council that Warwickshire Councils have been instructed by the Government to open discussions with Gloucestershire and Worcestershire to form a new strategic or mayoral authority.
“I suppose it’s all about perspective. As someone who lives in Mickleton and represents the Campden Vale Ward, Gloucestershire’s most northerly village and ward, the idea of being governed from Bristol with key decision making on economic development, transport and housing, being grouped in with places as far away as Somerset is mind-boggling, even Cirencester seems a remote destination at times.
“From my perspective, a link up with Warwickshire and Worcestershire would make the most sense, our nearest major market towns are Stratford and Evesham, Campden Vale ward would be slap bang in the centre of the new authority. It’s important that this option is given thorough consideration.”