Borough of Havant

Last updated

Borough of Havant
A crowded Havant Market - geograph.org.uk - 823982.jpg
Havant UK locator map.svg
Havant shown within Hampshire
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region South East England
Non-metropolitan county Hampshire
Status Non-metropolitan district
Admin HQ Havant
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
  TypeNon-metropolitan district council
  BodyHavant Borough Council
   MPs
Area
  Total21.4 sq mi (55.3 km2)
  Rank238th (of 296)
Population
 (2022)
  Total124,854
  Rank193rd (of 296)
  Density5,800/sq mi (2,300/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
[1]
   Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[1]
   Religion
List
Time zone UTC0 (GMT)
  Summer (DST) UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code
  • 24UH (ONS)
  • E07000090 (GSS)
OS grid reference SU717062

The Borough of Havant is a local government district with borough status in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in Havant. Other towns and villages within the borough include Bedhampton, Cowplain, Emsworth, Hayling Island, Purbrook, Waterlooville and Widley. The borough covers much of the semi-urban area in the south east of Hampshire, between the city of Portsmouth and the West Sussex border.

Contents

History

Havant itself was an ancient parish. [2] Until 1852 it was governed by its vestry, in the same way as most rural areas. The parish was made a local board district in 1852, governed by an elected local board. [3] Such districts were reconstituted as urban districts in 1894. [4] The neighbouring parish of Warblington (which contained Emsworth) was made an urban district at the same time. [5]

The Havant Urban District was substantially enlarged in 1932, taking in the urban district of Warblington and the parishes of Bedhampton, North Hayling, South Hayling and Waterloo, with some adjustments to the boundaries with other neighbouring areas. It was renamed the Havant and Waterloo Urban District, and the whole area was made a single urban parish called Havant. [6]

The Havant and Waterloo Urban District was reconstituted as a non-metropolitan district named just "Havant" by the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974. [7] [8] The district was granted borough status as part of the 1974 reforms, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. No successor parish was created for the former urban district. [9]

The Borough of Havant is twinned with Wesermarsch district in Germany and Yavoriv Raion in Western Ukraine. [10]

Governance

Havant Borough Council
Havant Borough Council logo.png
Type
Type
Leadership
Peter Wade,
Labour
since 15 May 2024 [11]
Philip Munday,
Labour
since 15 May 2024 [12]
Steve Jorden
since April 2023 [13]
Structure
Seats36 councillors
Hampshire Borough of Havant Council 2024.svg
Political groups
Administration (21)
  Labour (10)
  Liberal Democrat (7)
  Green (4)
Other parties (15)
  Conservative (13)
  Reform UK (2)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
Last election
2 May 2024
Next election
7 May 2026
Meeting place
Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant, PO9 2AX
Website
www.havant.gov.uk

Havant Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Hampshire County Council. There are no civil parishes in the borough. [14] [15]

Political control

For the majority of the council's existence, the council has been under Conservative majority control, most recently for a period of over twenty years following the 2002 Havant local elections. However, following boundary changes made in 2023 [16] the Conservatives lost majority control in the 2024 Havant Borough Council election.

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows: [17] [18]

Party in controlYears
No overall control 1974–1978
Conservative 1978–1990
No overall control 1990–2002
Conservative 2002–2024
No overall control 2024-present

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Havant. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2001 have been: [19]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
David Gillett Conservative 20012008
Tony Briggs Conservative 200828 May 2014
Mike Cheshire Conservative 28 May 20146 May 2018
Michael Wilson Conservative 9 May 201819 May 2021
Alex Rennie Conservative 19 May 20217 May 2024
Philip Munday Labour 15 May 2024

Composition

Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was: [20]

PartyCouncillors
Conservative 13
Labour 10
Liberal Democrats 7
Green 4
Reform UK 2
Total36

Following the election a "Progressive Alliance" was formed in May 2024, led by Philip Munday, the leader of the local Labour party. [12] [21] The next council election will be in May 2026.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2024 the council has comprised 36 councillors representing 12 wards with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held in three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) being elected each time for a four-year term of office. Hampshire County Council elections are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no borough council elections. [22]

Premises

Civic Offices, photographed in 2010 prior to being extended and renamed Public Service Plaza Entrance to Havant Civic Offices - geograph.org.uk - 2093189.jpg
Civic Offices, photographed in 2010 prior to being extended and renamed Public Service Plaza

The council is based at the Public Service Plaza on Civic Centre Road in Havant. The building was previously called Civic Offices and had been built in 1977, replacing the old Town Hall on East Street in the centre of Havant, which subsequently became The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre. [23] A large extension was added to the Civic Offices in 2011 to incorporate some Hampshire County Council offices and space for voluntary organisations as well, after which the building was renamed Public Service Plaza. [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emsworth</span> Human settlement in England

Emsworth is a town in the Borough of Havant in the county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England near the border with West Sussex. It lies at the north end of an arm of Chichester Harbour, a large and shallow inlet from the English Channel, and is equidistant between Portsmouth and Chichester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waterlooville</span> Human settlement in England

Waterlooville is a town in the Borough of Havant in Hampshire, England, approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) north northeast of Portsmouth. It is the largest town in the borough. The town had a population of 64,350 in the 2011 Census. It is surrounded by Purbrook, Blendworth, Cowplain, Lovedean, Clanfield, Catherington, Crookhorn, Denmead, Hambledon, Horndean and Widley. It forms part of the South Hampshire conurbation. The town formed around the old A3 London to Portsmouth road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Havant</span> Human settlement in England

Havant is a town in the south-east corner of Hampshire, England, between Portsmouth and Chichester. Its borough comprises the town (45,826), the resort of Hayling Island, the town of Waterlooville, and the town of Emsworth. Housing and population more than doubled in the 20 years following World War II, a period of major conversion of land from agriculture and woodland to housing across the region following the incendiary bombing of Portsmouth and the Blitz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampshire County Council</span> British administrative body and municipal art collection

Hampshire County Council (HCC) is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Hampshire in England. The council was created in 1889. The county council provides county-level services to eleven of the thirteen districts geographically located within the ceremonial county of Hampshire. The county council acts as the upper tier of local government to approximately 1.4 million people. It is one of 21 county councils in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Hampshire</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

East Hampshire is a local government district in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in the town of Petersfield, although the largest town is Alton. The district also contains the town of Bordon along with many villages and surrounding rural areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Gedling</span> Local government district in Nottinghamshire

Gedling is a local government district with borough status in Nottinghamshire, England. The council is based in Arnold. The borough also includes Carlton along with villages and rural areas to the north-east of Nottingham. The main built-up part of the borough around Arnold and Carlton forms part of the Nottingham Urban Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chichester District</span> Local government district in West Sussex, England

Chichester is a local government district in West Sussex, England. It is named after the city of Chichester, which is its largest settlement and where the council is based. The district includes the towns of Midhurst, Petworth and Selsey and surrounding rural areas, including many villages. The district includes part of the South Downs National Park, and Chichester Harbour is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. At the 2021 census the district had a population of 124,531.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Fareham</span> Non-metropolitan district and borough in England

The Borough of Fareham is a local government district with borough status in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in Fareham. Other places within the borough include Portchester, Hill Head, Sarisbury, Stubbington, Titchfield and Warsash. The borough covers much of the semi-urban area between the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation. The neighbouring districts are Eastleigh, Winchester, Portsmouth and Gosport. The district's southern boundary is the coast of the Solent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Winchester</span> Place in England

Winchester, or the City of Winchester, is a local government district with city status in Hampshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leigh Park</span> Post World War II housing estate in the suburbs of Havant, Hampshire, England

Leigh Park is a large suburb of Havant, in Hampshire, England. It currently forms the bulk or whole of four electoral wards: Battins, Bondfields, Barncroft and Warren Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Havant (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1983 onwards

Havant is a constituency in Hampshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Alan Mak, a member of the Conservative Party. He is the first person of Chinese and East Asian origin to be elected to the House of Commons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bedhampton</span> Human settlement in England

Bedhampton is a former village, and now suburb, located in the borough of Havant, Hampshire, England. It is located at the northern end of Langstone Harbour and at the foot of the eastern end of Portsdown Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gosport Borough Council</span>

Gosport Borough Council is the local authority for the borough of Gosport, in the county of Hampshire, England. The council consists of 28 councillors, two or three for each of the 14 wards in the town. It is currently controlled by the Liberal Democrats, led by Peter Chegwyn. The borough council is based at Gosport Town Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warblington</span> Human settlement in England

Warblington is a suburb of Havant, in the county of Hampshire, England. Warblington used to be a civil parish, and before that was part of the Hundred of Bosmere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portsmouth City Council</span> Local authority of the city of Portsmouth in Hampshire, England

Portsmouth City Council is the local authority of the city of Portsmouth, in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, England. Portsmouth has had a council since medieval times, which has been reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1997 the council has been a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council; it is independent from Hampshire County Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crawley Borough Council</span> Local authority for the borough of Crawley in West Sussex, England

Crawley Borough Council is the local authority for Crawley in West Sussex, England. It consists of 36 councillors and is currently controlled by the Labour Party, led by Michael Jones. The administrative headquarters are at Crawley Town Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Havant Borough Council election</span> 2012 UK local government election

The 2012 Havant Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2012 to elect members of Havant Borough Council in Hampshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Thomas à Becket Church, Warblington</span> Church in Hampshire , United Kingdom

St Thomas à Becket Church, sometimes referred to as St Thomas of Canterbury's Church and known until 1796 as the Church of Our Lady, is the Church of England parish church of Warblington in Hampshire, England. It was founded in the Saxon era, and some Anglo-Saxon architecture survives. Otherwise the church is largely of 12th- and 13th-century appearance; minimal restoration work was undertaken in the 19th century. Its situation in a "lonely but well-filled churchyard" in a rural setting next to a farm made it a common site for body snatching in that era, and two huts built for grave-watchers survive at opposite corners of the churchyard.

References

  1. 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Havant Local Authority (E07000090)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics . Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. "Havant Ancient Parish / Civil Parish". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  3. "No. 21310". The London Gazette . 16 April 1852. p. 1084.
  4. Local Government Act 1894
  5. Annual Report of the Local Government Board. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1895. p. 276. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  6. "Relationships and changes Havant and Waterloo UD through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  7. "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972". legislation.gov.uk . Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  8. "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  9. "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . 28 March 1974. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  10. "Increased cultural links will be formed by new town twinning | Havant Borough Council".
  11. "Councillor Wade elected as new Mayor of Havant". Havant Borough Council. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  12. 1 2 "New Leader and Cabinet announced for Havant Borough Council". Havant Borough Council. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  13. Boakye, Kwame (30 January 2023). "Job moves: New chiefs at Havant and Brent". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  14. "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  15. "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  16. "The Havant (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2023/200, retrieved 1 March 2024
  17. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  18. "Havant". BBC News Online . Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  19. "Council minutes". Havant Borough Council. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  20. Forero, Natalia (3 May 2024). "Local elections 2024: Huge shock as Conservatives lose Havant Borough Council - full list of results". The News. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  21. Needs, Noni (15 May 2023). "Havant Borough Council run by a new coalition following shock local election results". The News (Portsmouth) . Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  22. "The Havant (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2023/200, retrieved 11 November 2023
  23. "Our History". The Spring. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  24. Cousins, Ralph (2016). A Brief History of Havant (PDF). Havant: The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre. p. 13. Retrieved 11 November 2023.

50°51′03″N0°58′58″W / 50.85088°N 0.98284°W / 50.85088; -0.98284