A huge council shake-up will taxpayers more – and could see some areas swallowed up by Birmingham, it is feared.

It was confirmed this month that two new authorities covering the north and south of the county will replace Worcestershire County Council and the six current districts in April 2028.

The Worcester, Wychavon and Malvern Hills districts will constitute the south, while Wyre Forest, Bromsgrove and Redditch will form north Worcestershire.

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Former local government secretary Steve Reed, who had the job at the time of the announcement, said: “The two councils have been shaped to align to different geographies between the more urban, industrial north and more rural, service-based south.

“It will enable services, partnerships and economic strategies to be better tailored to the distinct needs of each area.”

Mr Reed said that while both new councils would have populations beneath the Government’s original target for unitary councils of 500,000, “that figure has always been a guiding principle, not a fixed threshold”.

He said the two councils would offer “flexibility for devolution”, adding: “Given that a range of potential devolution options are still being considered for the area, this flexibility is important.”

But former Worcestershire cabinet member Mike Rouse suggested that represented a “clear hint (using ministerial jargon) that the north of Worcestershire would be absorbed into Birmingham as part of future devolution plans”.

And deputy council leader Adam Kent said: “Clearly they are considering different devolution options for the north than the south.”

He told BBC Hereford and Worcester it would result in “massive tax hikes for residents” due to the county council’s four largest spending areas – adult social care, children’s social care, home to school transport and highways – all needing to be divided.

Coun Kent rejected the notion of two unitaries sharing services such as social care and highways as a viable solution, saying: “What’s the point? It’s 90 per cent of the money!”