ANGRY councillors have pledged to fight any attempt to move Hartlebury into the Wyre Forest district.

Wyre Forest District Council has agreed to ask the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to consider relocating Hartlebury Ward from Wychavon to within its own borders.

The move was prompted by the new proposed Wyre Forest Parliamentary Constituency, currently being consulted on by the Boundary Commission, which would include Hartlebury.

But furious Wychavon District Council members unanimously backed a motion to express surprise that Wyre Forest had not consulted with them before proposing the idea and pledging to oppose the plan.

They accused Wyre Forest chiefs of acting “disgracefully” and demanded the proposal be withdrawn immediately.

At a full Wyre Forest District Council meeting, leader Marcus Hart denied the move was an attempt at land grabbing and added they were just asking the commission to look at their proposal to “see if it had any legs”.

Councillor Linda Robinson, Leader of Wychavon District Council, said: “We’re extremely disappointed this recommendation has been made without any prior discussion with us or indeed with residents in Hartlebury.

“The justification for such a move is weak and it would be Hartlebury residents who would pay the price, as under Wyre Forest District Council the average band D Council Tax bill would rise by almost £88. That’s an increase of over 74 per cent at a time when many people are struggling financially.

“We already have a situation where parts of Wychavon are in different Parliamentary constituencies and the system functions perfectly well.

“This would also be an unnecessary distraction at a time when there are bigger issues we need to be dealing with that would make a real difference to the lives of our residents.”

Councillor Nigel Dowty, who represents Hartlebury on Wychavon District Council, said: “Moving Hartlebury residents across an invisible local authority boundary will not benefit them, but will result in them paying more in Council Tax for, what I believe, would be a poorer standard of service.

“Wyre Forest District Council has acted disgracefully by proposing this without any prior discussion with Wychavon and should withdraw it immediately.”

Councillor Sheridan Tranter, Chairman of Hartlebury Parish Council, added: “We’re concerned by this as it has come completely out of nowhere.

“We would expect there to be a full and proper consultation with our residents, and their views taken note of, before this proposal is taken any further.”

At the full council meeting Councillor Hart said: “There is no intention to be discourteous to anybody and there is no intention to ignore or not to consult.

“There are parliamentary boundary proposals that they are all already being consulted on. Our council papers were made public and I have ensured our chief executive has spoken directly to the chief executive of Wychavon District Council about this.

“I have also arranged a meeting with the leader of Wychavon on October 13 to talk to her about this face to face.