Gloucestershire is 'big enough to have its own strategic authority'

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Gloucestershire is ‘big enough to have its own strategic authority’

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‘We do not need to be part of Bristol or in the same authority as Bath, Hereford or Worcester’

Carmelo Garcia Local democracy reporter

Aerial views of Gloucester (inset) and Cheltenham. “We are being offered the opportunity to set up a Gloucestershire foundation strategic authority before we will be able to join WECA,” he told the meeting on March 25. “Lets remember, the Labour mayor of WECA doesn’t want Gloucestershire. She will resist it until she’s out of office.” He said the council should get the so-called responsibilities and powers that were taken away from the County Council years ago. “Then we’ll find out, chair, that the Government has been sacked and we’ve got a strategic authority of our own and we might find that it becomes a permanent solution. View 5 Images

A map of Gloucestershire with the six districts. Inset are logos of the six district authorities with Gloucestershire County Council in the top left. (Image: GCC/SDC/FoDDC/CBC/CDC/TBC/GCiC) “It should be a permanent solution. Gloucestershire is big enough. It’s got a population of over 660,000. “It’s big enough to carry out the so-called devolved responsibilities and handle the money the government is planning to give. “We do not need to be part of Bristol. We do not need to be part of the same authority as Bath or Hereford or Worcester. “What we could do with our Gloucestershire foundation strategic authority in a few years time we could invite South Gloucestershire to come back and join the fold and reunite the whole historic county of Gloucestershire and have its own authority to deal with the major issues.” View 5 Images

County Councillors Martin Horwood and Jeremy Hilton speaking during the debate at Shire Hall on March 25, 2026. (Image: Carmelo Garcia) During the debate, Councillor Martin Horwood (LD, Leckhampton and Warden Hill) said the devolution process was an “unhelpful, top-down centralising imposition” from the central Government. He said if they have to choose the council should look south. And historically Gloucestershire “was only Mercian for a couple of hundred years”, Cllr Horwood added. “Bristol was part of Gloucestershire. That’s why Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is in Bristol,” he added. View 5 Images

Gloucestershire County Cricket Club He went on to agree with Cllr Hilton and said there is an argument to be made for a “Greater Gloucestershire”. “I think that is a rather good idea if we can pull it off. I’d be all in favour of having a Greater Gloucestershire Strategic Authority. “North, East, West and South Gloucestershire all in one go.”

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