THE leader of Worcestershire County Council wants to wrestle more money back from Birmingham - saying we've been short-changed by millions.

Councillor Adrian Hardman says talks are needed at some stage over the future of the region's Local Enterprise Partnerships, which are tasked with bidding for massive infrastructure investment from central Government.

The bodies, known as LEPs, were set up to access cash grants worth £2 billion a year.

In July last year Worcestershire's LEP secured £47 million, and in January this year another £7.2 million was handed down.

But in Britain's Second City the Birmingham and Solihull LEP managed to lure Wyre Forest, Bromsgrove and Redditch in, as well as Lichfield and parts of Staffordshire, creating a monster-sized body also bidding for cash from the same kitty.

It effectively means half of Worcestershire's main towns, and 276,000 county residents, sit under the Birmingham LEP.

That huge LEP secured £357 million from the Government last year and another £21 million in January, saying it is aiming to create 29,000 new jobs within its patch by 2021.

Councillor Hardman has told your Worcester News at some point talks are needed over a change to give the county a better identity within the confines of Whitehall.

"I'd much rather have one LEP for Worcestershire - some of this county's transport money has gone to the Birmingham and Solihull LEP, I reckon we're around £11 million quid adrift," he said.

"At some point we will have to re-visit this, it's in a bit of a tangle - I do think a lot of people in Wyre Forest, for example, migrate downwards in the county for work, they look towards areas like Worcestershire rather than Birmingham.

"If we accept LEPs are part of the geography now, I think it's something we'll have to look at."

His comments come as KPMG has been tasked with assessing the future make-up of councils in Worcestershire, and what options it should take to grab devolved powers from the Government.

Worcestershire LEP's total 'wish list' from the Government adds up to around £250 million of projects by 2021, including funding towards a potential £70 million dualling of the Carrington Bridge.