A TOP-LEVEL name game could spell a change of identity for residents of Bromsgrove as the voting area boundaries come under further scrutiny.

A newly-created town centre ward, made up of parts of Whitford, Sidemoor and Charford, could be called St John's after the "prominent feature" of the parish church in the middle of Bromsgrove, if the district council's suggestions are taken on board.

Councillors are in the middle of a consultation exercise over new ward boundaries suggested by Whitehall for voting purposes.

People living in Catshill and North Marlbrook could find themselves in two different ward areas called Catshill Village and Barley Mow, while those in Rubery North could be voting in Waseley and Rubery South in Beacon.

Members of the council's periodic electoral review committee have accepted many of the proposals put forward by the Local Government Commission but are sticking to their guns over some of the ideas.

They're objecting to the switch of 81 voters in New Road, Dragoon Fields and Finstall Road from Stoney Hill to Charford because the centre of New Road forms "a more logical boundary."

They also object to moving 51 people in Burcot Lane, Burcot Avenue and Birmingham Road from the Town Centre ward to the Lickey End and Lowes Hill ward.

They also want to keep the listed Strand House in the town centre ward, rather than seeing it moved to the Sidemoor ward.

The council is also putting forward its own names for some of the changes instead of the "cumbersome" suggestions from the commission.

They suggest Barnt Green, Cofton Hackett and North Lickey should be called Lickey Hillside, after the area's "most prominent feature" and Blackwell, Burcot and South Lickey should be Linthurst to reflect local use.

Lickey End and Lowes Hill should be Norton and Stoney Hill should be Slideslow after the farm.

The council is sending the recommendations to the commission for the next stage of the procedure.