Halton Borough Council | |
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Type | |
Type | |
History | |
Founded | 1 April 1974 |
Preceded by | |
Leadership | |
Mayor of Halton | |
Leader of the Council | |
Chief Executive | Stephen Young since 1 April 2022 |
Structure | |
Seats | 54 councillors |
Political groups |
|
Committees | 16
|
Joint committees |
|
Length of term | Third of council elected three years out of four |
Elections | |
Plurality-at-large | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Motto | |
Latin: Industria Navem Implet, lit. 'Industry Fills the Ship' | |
Meeting place | |
Runcorn Town Hall | |
Website | |
www | |
Footnotes | |
[1][2][3] |
Halton Borough Council is the local authority for the Borough of Halton, incorporating the towns of Runcorn and Widnes and the parishes of Daresbury, Hale, Moore and Preston Brook. It is a constituent council of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.[4]
History
Prior to 1974, the River Mersey marked the border between the counties of Lancashire to the north and Cheshire to the south. Widnes was administered by the Municipal Borough of Widnes in Lancashire, and Runcorn by Runcorn Urban District Council in Cheshire.
The 1969 Redcliffe-Maud Report recommended reforms to local government in England, including the abolition of all existing local government areas. They were to be replaced by mostly unitary authorities with the exception of three two-tier metropolitan areas to be called Merseyside, SELNEC and West Midlands. The report proposed that Runcorn and Widnes should form part of the new Merseyside Metropolitan Area under a district called 'St Helens-Widnes'.[5]
The proposals were broadly accepted by the then Labour government but set aside by the incoming Conservative government following the 1970 general election which it had fought on a manifesto pledge to introduce a system of two-tier local government.[6] The Local Government Act 1972 created new metropolitan counties around Liverpool (as Merseyside) and Manchester (as Greater Manchester) but Runcorn and Widnes would not be allocated to either. Instead, Widnes and Warrington would be moved into the non-metropolitan county of Cheshire, with Widnes joining Runcorn to create the new non-metropolitan district of Halton. The name of the new district was inspired by the ancient Barony of Halton which had possessed land on both sides of the river. The district was established on 1 April 1974. In addition to Runcorn Urban District and the Municipal Borough of Widnes, parts of Runcorn Rural District and the parish of Hale from Whiston Rural District were incorporated into Halton.
On 1 April 1998, Halton became a unitary authority, independent of Cheshire County Council. However, it continues to be served by Cheshire Police and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, and forms part of Cheshire for ceremonial purposes. On 1 April 2014, Halton became part of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, joining the local authorities of Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral, Knowsley and St Helens; the five metropolitan district councils which constitute the county of Merseyside. As a unitary authority, Halton's status is similar to the metropolitan district councils.[7]
Political control
Elections to the council are by thirds. This means that a third of the 54 councillors are elected every year over a four-year cycle (with no elections in the fourth year). Elections are usually held on the first Thursday in May.
Since the creation of the council in 1974, political control of the council has been held by the following parties:[8][9]
Year | Overall Control | |
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1974–present | Labour Party | |
Coat of arms
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References
- ↑ "Your Councillors". Halton Borough Council. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ↑ "Mayor". Halton Borough Council. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ↑ "Council Departments & Management Team". Halton Borough Council. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ↑ "Proposal to establish a combined authority for Greater Merseyside" (PDF). Department for Communities and Local Government. November 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ↑ Wood, Bruce (1976). The process of local government reform 1966–74. London: Allen and Unwin. ISBN 0-04-350052-8.
- ↑ "1970 Conservative Party Manifesto". conservativemanifesto.com. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
- ↑ Clay, Oliver, Halton to become part of Liverpool city region, Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News, archived from the original on 27 July 2011, retrieved 15 January 2009
- ↑ Coligan, Nick (25 April 2007). "It's one fight that Labour cannot lose ; Lib Dems' mission impossible: Local elections 2007". Liverpool Echo. p. 15.
- ↑ "Halton". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
- ↑ "Halton". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 13 January 2024.