Tewkesbury councillors are divided on whether to join the West of England Combined Authority or Three Counties devolution partnership
Bristol has been compared to JRR Tolkien’s fictional realm of Mordor during a debate on Gloucestershire’s devolution options, with councillors saying they would rather “remain in The Shire” alongside Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Local government is undergoing reorganisation throughout England, and as part of this process the county would form partnerships with neighbouring authorities to take strategic decisions across a broader region.
The Bristol-focused West of England Combined Authority (WECA) is the favoured choice for Gloucestershire among the leadership of six of the county’s seven principal councils, and is regarded as the strongest option economically.
However, Tewkesbury Borough Council wishes to keep open the possibility of joining Herefordshire and Worcestershire in a Three Counties combined authority.
A discussion on the alternatives at the council earlier this week evoked imagery from fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings, as one senior Conservative councillor drew parallels between the city of Bristol and the desolate, fortress realm of Mordor.
Winchcombe Councillor David Gray said: “I looked for an analog in terms of Gloucestershire and how we might integrate and I found one in terms of an area that is peaceful, a rural life, farms, rolling hills and beauty and that is The Shire in the Lord of the Rings.
“And if I think about that, Mordor looks to me very like Bristol in that analogy.”
He is concerned that joining WECA would result in much of the funding being allocated to the Bristol area, leaving Gloucestershire at a disadvantage. He suggested this would make it unavoidable that portions of the county would be drawn into the city’s sphere of influence.
“I don’t like visiting Bristol,” he told the Tewkesbury Borough Council meeting on April 7.
“Bristol, to me, is not a cool place to visit. It’s a place you want to get out of as soon as possible. So in that light, I recognise all the economic arguments as to why we might go with favouring WECA but I do think that it makes sense to us on this one to sit on the fence.”
He argued that earnest thought should be devoted to the prospect of combining with Worcestershire and Herefordshire to establish a Three Counties combined authority.
“That has got many advantages and culturally, there is a lot more for us in that area,” he said.
“We can be our own cool kids in terms of having the best environment, the best nature, the best rivers. All of the things Gloucestershire has to offer.”
Fellow Conservative Councillor Paul McLain (Highnam with Haw Bridge) differed from Cllr Gray in his view of Bristol, expressing his affection for the city and having no objections to WECA.
But he did not regard it as the optimal solution for the county and voiced apprehension about the danger of Gloucestershire absorbing additional housing from the Bristol region.
“Here in Tewkesbury we’re used to being something of a dump for Gloucester and Cheltenham,” he said.
“I take no schadenfreude from Gloucestershire becoming a housing dump for the rest of WECA, but that is certainly a concern.”
He continued by stating he wouldn’t “reference Mordor and The Shire” but did assert the finest cider originates from the Three Counties rather than Somerset.
‘We love you Bristol’
“Much as I love Somerset cider, the best ciders come from Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire orchards,” he said.
Near the conclusion of the session, he suggested Gloucestershire ought to keep an open perspective regarding its choices.
“If we end up with WECA, we don’t want to burn those bridges but by the same token we as an authority, I think, need to show that we at least have considered both options and we are open minded.
“While many of us might prefer The Shire, and, I’m not saying Bristol is Mordor. It’s not. We love you Bristol. I do love Bristol but my inclinations go with those cider makers.”
At present, there’s no definitive timeline from ministers regarding which region, if any, Gloucestershire will align itself with.









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