The future of County Hall to be discussed at County Council meeting

The report follows a decision made by Cabinet in February 2025, where it was agreed that County Hall was surplus to the current needs of the Council.

Before the process of closing County Hall can take place, the report sets out a clear and phased approach to how this could be done. This includes recommendations regarding the relocation of the Council’s Data Centre to Pershore Civic Centre, securing alternative provision for the Record Office, resupplying gas and electricity services to the Countryside Centre, and arrangements for the relocation of remaining services still being run from County Hall. 

The report recommends, in principle, the disposal of the County Hall site, excluding the land required for car parking during the Council’s ongoing occupation of the Wildwood Offices.

A separate report on Worcester Secondary Education Sufficiency, also being considered by Cabinet, proposes a feasibility study into the potential partial use of the site to help meet local demand for secondary school places. The findings of this study will be reported back to Cabinet in the autumn to approve the final area of the site of County Hall for disposal. The report sets out the other steps that will be taken in the meantime to prepare the site for market so that it can be taken forward as quickly as possible.

Councillor Robert Wharton, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Finance and Efficiency at Worcestershire County Council, said: “County Hall has served the Council and the county’s residents for many years, but it is right that we now consider how best to use this site in a way that reflects our current and future needs. This report provides a clear and considered approach to relocating remaining services, decommissioning the site responsibly, and exploring a range of viable options for redevelopment. Savings of £1 million have already been built into the 2025/26 revenue budget through reduced maintenance costs at the County Hall site, with further savings expected to be delivered through its phased decommissioning and vacation. We want to ensure any future use delivers real value for the public and meets the needs of our communities as well as helping with Council finances.”

The report is available to read in full on our County Council website.