Central Bedfordshire Council | |
---|---|
Type | |
Type | |
History | |
Founded | 1 April 2009 |
Preceded by | Bedfordshire County Council District councils
|
Leadership | |
Adam Zerny, Independent since 25 May 2023 | |
Marcel Coiffait since November 2020 [1] | |
Structure | |
Seats | 63 councillors |
Political groups |
|
Joint committees | East of England Local Government Association |
Elections | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
Meeting place | |
Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Shefford, SG17 5TQ | |
Website | |
www |
Central Bedfordshire Council is the local authority for the Central Bedfordshire unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. It was created in 2009 covering the area of the former Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire districts, and also took over the functions of the abolished Bedfordshire County Council in that area. The council is based at Chicksands.
Local government in Bedfordshire was reorganised with effect from 1 April 2009. The borough of Luton had already been made a unitary authority independent from the county council in 1997. The changes in 2009 divided the rest of the county into two unitary authorities: Bedford and Central Bedfordshire. The new Central Bedfordshire covered the combined area of the two former districts of Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire. Central Bedfordshire Council also took over the functions of the abolished Bedfordshire County Council within the area. Central Bedfordshire is legally classed as a non-metropolitan county. [2] [3] Central Bedfordshire remains part of the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire for the purposes of lieutenancy. [4]
The council went under no overall control at the 2023 election, having previously had a Conservative majority. An independent-led administration - the first in a unitary authority in English local government history - subsequently formed with independent councillor Adam Zerny being appointed leader of the council at the Annual Council and Extraordinary General Purposes Committee, held on 25 May 2023. [5]
Political control of the council since its creation in 2009 has been as follows: [6]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
Conservative | 2009–2023 | |
No overall control | 2023–present |
The first leader of the council was Tricia Turner, who had been the last leader of Mid Bedfordshire District Council. [7] The leaders of the council since 2009 have been:
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tricia Turner [8] | Conservative | 18 Jun 2009 | May 2011 | |
James Jamieson [9] | Conservative | 19 May 2011 | Jan 2021 | |
Richard Wenham [10] | Conservative | 14 Jan 2021 | 25 May 2023 | |
Adam Zerny | Independent | 25 May 2023 |
Following the 2023 election and a subsequent change of allegiance in June 2023, the composition of the council was: [11] [12] [13]
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Independent | 28 | |
Conservative | 20 | |
Liberal Democrats | 9 | |
Labour | 5 | |
Green | 1 | |
Total: | 63 |
The next election is due in 2027.
The council inherited offices at Priory House (built 2006) in Chicksands, just outside the town of Shefford, from Mid Bedfordshire District Council, and the South Bedfordshire District Council offices (built 1989) in Dunstable. Priory House became the new council's headquarters. The South Bedfordshire offices were renamed Watling House and served as additional offices for the council until being closed in 2022. [14]
Since the last boundary changes in 2023, the council comprises 63 councillors, elected from 31 wards. Elections are held every four years. [15]
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county in the East of England. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Hertfordshire to the south and the south-east, and Buckinghamshire to the west. The largest settlement is Luton (225,262), and Bedford is the county town.
St Albans, also known as the City and District of St Albans, is a local government district with city status in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in St Albans, the largest settlement in the district. The district also includes the town of Harpenden and several villages. The district borders North Hertfordshire, Welwyn Hatfield, Hertsmere, Watford, Three Rivers, Dacorum, and Central Bedfordshire.
Mid Bedfordshire was a local government district in Bedfordshire, England, from 1974 to 2009.
South Bedfordshire was a local government district in Bedfordshire, in the East of England, from 1974 to 2009. Its main towns were Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Leighton Buzzard.
North Hertfordshire is one of ten local government districts in the county of Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Letchworth. The district borders East Hertfordshire, Stevenage, Welwyn Hatfield, St Albans, Central Bedfordshire, Luton, and South Cambridgeshire.
Bedfordshire is an English ceremonial county which lies between approximately 25 miles and 55 miles north of central London.
South West Bedfordshire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. As with all constituencies of the UK Parliament, it elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Bedford Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. The executive of the council is the directly elected mayor of Bedford. It is a member of the East of England Local Government Association.
Bedfordshire County Council was elected every four years. Luton was administered by the county council until 1997, when it became a unitary authority. Bedfordshire County Council was abolished in 2009, when unitary councils were introduced across the rest of Bedfordshire. Services which prior to 2009 were provided by Bedfordshire County Council are now provided by either Bedford Borough Council or Central Bedfordshire Council.
Chicksands is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Campton and Chicksands in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England. The village is on the River Flit and close to its parish village of Campton and the town of Shefford.
Mid Bedfordshire was a non-metropolitan district in Bedfordshire, England. It was abolished on 1 April 2009 and replaced by Central Bedfordshire.
Luton Borough Council is the local authority of Luton, in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. Luton is a unitary authority, having the powers of a county and district council combined. It is a member of the East of England Local Government Association.
The Luton/Dunstable urban area, according to the Office for National Statistics, is the conurbation including the settlements of Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, in Bedfordshire, East of England.
Dunstable is a market town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, east of the Chiltern Hills, 30 miles north of London. There are several steep chalk escarpments, most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the north. Dunstable is the fourth largest town in Bedfordshire and along with Houghton Regis forms the westernmost part of the Luton/Dunstable urban area.
Central Bedfordshire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. It was created in 2009.
Ipswich Borough Council is the local authority for Ipswich, a non-metropolitan district with borough status in Suffolk, England. It is the second tier of a two-tier system, fulfilling functions such as refuse collection, housing and planning, with Suffolk County Council providing county council services such as transport, education and social services.
Luton Borough Council is the local authority for the unitary authority of Luton in Bedfordshire, England. Until 1 April 1997 it was a non-metropolitan district.
Wokingham Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Wokingham in Berkshire, England. It is a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council.