The Liberal Democrat leadership at North Warehouse has come under fire for advancing the creation of a Greater Gloucester authority without securing the City Council’s approval. Councillor Jeremy Hilton (LD, Kingsholm and Wotton) has been spearheading the vision for this new local government structure, which aims to merge the city with neighboring villages and surrounding areas into a single unitary authority.
Despite a £35,000 public relations role being funded to promote this initiative, city councillors have yet to formally discuss or approve the proposal. In contrast, parishes from neighboring districts—including Tewkesbury, Stroud, and the Forest of Dean—were recently invited to a closed meeting at Shire Hall. Notably, opposition parties within Gloucester’s City Council were neither informed about the meeting nor allowed to attend.
With no overall Liberal Democrat majority, the Gloucester City Council’s opposition groups voiced strong criticism. Labour group leader Terry Pullen (L, Moreland) has introduced a motion for the upcoming council meeting to debate the Greater Gloucester proposal officially. He insists that all democratically elected members must have the opportunity to discuss the potential impact and offer a collective decision.
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“The Greater Gloucester proposal has been put forward by Councillor Hilton in isolation, without any prior support or agreement from the whole City Council,” Pullen stated. “This approach is completely unacceptable and undemocratic. Councillors, elected to represent Gloucester’s residents, have so far been denied the chance to discuss or approve this significant proposal.”
Pullen and Labour councillors are calling for an urgent full council meeting to bring the proposal into the open. They argue that moving forward without broader council involvement undermines democratic process and transparency.
In response, Councillor Hilton explained that his suggestion for a Greater Gloucester council was a proactive measure reacting to the county’s proposed abolition of district councils. He noted that Cllr Pullen supported a letter sent to the UK Government in March, outlining three possible options for local government reorganisation in Gloucestershire.
Hilton said, “The government has now requested final proposals by November 28, with a council decision scheduled for November 20. A cross-party working group—including Councillor Pullen—is reviewing all three options. Though still in development, the proposals are sufficiently advanced to warrant member briefings and workshops.”
He added, “The government aims to select options for a public consultation in spring 2026. It would be disappointing if a unitary council model centered on Gloucester and its neighboring parishes were not included among those options.”
Currently, Gloucester City Council comprises 17 Liberal Democrats, 11 Conservatives, seven Labour councillors, and four Community Independents, reflecting a diverse political makeup that intensifies the call for inclusive debate on the future of local governance.