Dover District

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Dover District
Shakespeare Cliff, Dover - geograph.org.uk - 1898490.jpg
Shakespeare Cliff and Dover town skyline and coastline
Coat of arms of Dover District Council.svg
Dover UK locator map.svg
Dover shown within Kent
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region South East England
Non-metropolitan county Kent
Status Non-metropolitan district
Admin HQ Dover
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
  TypeNon-metropolitan district council
  Body Dover District Council
  LeadershipLeader & Cabinet
   MPs Natalie Elphicke (Labour)
Craig Mackinlay (Conservative)
Area
  Total121.56 sq mi (314.84 km2)
  Rank116th (of 296)
Population
 (2022)
  Total117,473
  Rank206th (of 296)
  Density970/sq mi (370/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
[1]
   Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[1]
   Religion
List
Time zone UTC0 (UTC)
  Summer (DST) UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code 29UE (ONS)
E07000108 (GSS)
OS grid reference TR315415

Dover is a local government district in Kent, England. It is named after its largest town, the port town of Dover. The council is based in Whitfield on the outskirts of Dover. The district also covers the towns of Deal, Sandwich and Walmer as well as the surrounding rural areas.

Contents

The district borders Thanet District to the north, the City of Canterbury to the west, and Folkestone and Hythe District to the south-west. To the south and east, it faces the Strait of Dover.

History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the whole area of four former districts and part of a fifth, all of which were abolished at the same time: [2]

The new district was named Dover after its largest town. [3]

Governance

Dover District Council
Dover District Council.svg
Type
Type
Leadership
Gordon Cowan,
Labour
since 17 May 2023
Kevin Mills,
Labour
since 17 May 2023
Nadeem Aziz
since April 2002 [4]
Structure
Seats32
Political groups
Administration (17)
  Labour (17)

Other parties (15)

  Conservatives (14)
  Independent (1)
Elections
Last election
4 May 2023
Last election
2027
Meeting place
Council offices, Whitfield Close - geograph.org.uk - 637667.jpg
Council Offices, Honeywood Close, White Cliffs Business Park, Whitfield, Dover, CT16 3PJ
Website
www.dover.gov.uk

Dover District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Kent County Council. [5] The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government. [6]

Political control

Since the 2023 election the council has been under Labour majority control. [7]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: [8] [9]

Party in controlYears
Conservative 1974–1991
No overall control 1991–1995
Labour 1995–1999
No overall control 1999–2007
Conservative 2007–2023
Labour 2023-present

Leadership

The leaders of the council (formally the chair of the policy and resources committee prior to 2001) have been: [10] [11]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Alexander Greenway-Stanley Conservative 19741976
Raymond Norley Conservative 19761977
Alexander Greenway-Stanley Conservative 19771978
Gwladys Payne Conservative 19781986
Graham Forster Conservative 1986Sep 1986
Paul Watkins Conservative Sep 19861989
George Tyler Conservative 1989Oct 1989
Christopher Smith Conservative Oct 19891992
Paul Watkins Conservative 1992Dec 1993
Tony Sansum Labour Dec 1993Nov 1995
Terry Birkett Labour Nov 19951998
Reg Hansell [12] Labour Nov 19981999
Terry Birkett [13] Labour 19992001
Peter Wells Labour 200114 May 2003
Paul Watkins [14] Conservative 14 May 200330 Sep 2017
Keith Morris [15] Conservative 18 Oct 201714 Oct 2019
Trevor Bartlett Conservative 30 Oct 201917 May 2023
Kevin Mills Labour 17 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was: [16]

PartyCouncillors
Labour 17
Conservative 14
Independent 1
Total32

The next election is due in 2027.

Premises

The council's main offices are at the White Cliffs Business park in the parish of Whitfield, to the north of the town of Dover itself. [17]

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 32 councillors representing 17 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. [18]

Geography

The northern boundary of the district is the River Stour; on its western side is the district of Canterbury; to the south the parish of Capel-le-Ferne; and to the east the Straits of Dover. The southern part of the latter is the point where the North Downs meets the sea, at the White Cliffs of Dover. Further north along the coast, from Deal onwards, the land is at sea level, where the River Stour enters the sea by a circuitous route. It is here, on the sand-dunes, that the Royal St George's Golf Club, founded in 1887, and of international repute, is situated.

In the district are industrial remains of the erstwhile Kent coalfield, situated around Tilmanstone and Betteshanger. Half of the underwater section of the Channel Tunnel is under British Sovereignty and thus part of the district.

Parishes

There are 35 civil parishes covering the whole district. The parish councils of Deal, Dover, Sandwich and Walmer take the style "town council". [19]

Communications

Deal Timeball is a Victorian maritime Greenwich Mean Time signal located on the roof of a waterfront four-storey tower. It was established in 1855 by the Astronomer Royal George Biddell Airy in collaboration with Charles V. Walker.

Crossing Dover district are the Roman roads of Watling Street and that leading from Richborough. Today the main road, the A2, closely follows Watling Street to Dover.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandwich, Kent</span> Town in Kent, England

Sandwich is a town and civil parish in the Dover District of Kent, south-east England. It lies on the River Stour and has a population of 4,985. Sandwich was one of the Cinque Ports and still has many original medieval buildings, including several listed public houses and gates in the old town walls, churches, almshouses and the White Mill. While once a major port, it is now 2 miles (3 km) from the sea due to the disappearance of the Wantsum Channel. Its historic centre has been preserved. Sandwich Bay is home to nature reserves and two world-class golf courses, Royal St George's and Prince's. The town is also home to many educational and cultural events. Sandwich also gave its name to the food by way of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, and the word sandwich is now found in several languages.

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

Walmer is a town in the district of Dover, Kent, in England. Located on the coast, the parish of Walmer is six miles (9.7 km) south-east of Sandwich, Kent. The town's coastline and castle are popular amongst tourists. It has a population of 6,693 (2001), increasing to 8,178 at the 2011 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stratford-on-Avon District</span> Non-metropolitan district in Warwickshire, England

Stratford-on-Avon is a local government district in Warwickshire, England. The district is named after its largest town of Stratford-upon-Avon, but with a change of preposition; the town uses "upon" and the district uses "on". The council is based in Stratford-upon-Avon and the district, which is predominantly rural, also includes the towns of Alcester, Shipston-on-Stour and Southam, and the large villages of Bidford-on-Avon, Studley and Wellesbourne, plus numerous other smaller villages and hamlets and surrounding rural areas. The district covers the more sparsely populated southern part of Warwickshire, and contains nearly half the county's area. The district includes part of the Cotswolds, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Tendring District is a local government district in north-east Essex, England. Its council is based in Clacton-on-Sea, the largest town. Other towns are Brightlingsea, Harwich, Frinton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gravesham</span> Borough and non-metropolitan district in England

Gravesham is a local government district with borough status in north-west Kent, England. The council is based in its largest town of Gravesend. The borough is indirectly named after Gravesend, using the form of the town's name as it appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086. The district also contains Northfleet and a number of villages and surrounding rural areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folkestone and Hythe District</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

Folkestone and Hythe is a local government district in Kent, England. It lies in the south-east of the county, on the coast of the English Channel. The district was formed in 1974 and was originally named Shepway after one of the ancient lathes of Kent, which had covered a similar area. The district was renamed in 2018. The council is based in Folkestone, the district's largest town. The district also includes the towns of Hawkinge, Hythe, Lydd and New Romney, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Ribble</span> Borough and non-metropolitan district in England

South Ribble is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Leyland. The borough also includes the towns and villages of Penwortham, Leyland, Farington, Hutton, Longton, Walmer Bridge, Salmesbury, Lostock Hall, Walton le Dale and Bamber Bridge. Many of the built-up areas in the borough form part of the wider Preston built-up area.

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

Rother is a local government district in East Sussex, England. Its council is based in Bexhill-on-Sea. The district is named after the River Rother which flows within its boundaries.

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

Braintree District is a local government district in Essex, England. The district is named after the town of Braintree, where the council is based. The district also includes the towns of Halstead and Witham and surrounding rural areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Canterbury</span> Local government district in Kent, England

Canterbury, also known as the City of Canterbury, is a local government district with city status in Kent, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Canterbury, where the council is based. The district also includes the towns of Fordwich, Herne Bay and Whitstable, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. Parts of the district lie within the designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of the Kent Downs.

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

Thanet is a local government district in Kent, England. The council is based in Margate and the district also contains the towns of Broadstairs, Ramsgate and Westgate-on-Sea, along with several villages. It takes its name from the Isle of Thanet, a former island which gradually became connected to the mainland between the 12th and 16th centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kent County Council</span> British administrative authority

Kent County Council is a county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Kent in England. The non-metropolitan county is smaller than the ceremonial county, which additionally includes the unitary authority of Medway. Kent County Council is the upper tier of elected local government, below which are 12 district councils, and around 300 town and parish councils. The county council has 81 elected councillors. It is one of the largest local authorities in England in terms of population served and the largest local authority of its type. The council is based at County Hall in Maidstone. It has been under Conservative majority control since 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dover and Deal (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1369 onwards

Dover and Deal is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Mike Tapp representing the Labour Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Thanet (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1983-2024

South Thanet was a constituency in Kent.

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

Tilmanstone is a small village and civil parish in Kent, in the South East of England, near Eastry, a much bigger and more developed area. Tilmanstone no longer has a village school; however, the independent Northbourne Park School is close to the parish boundary. The name of Tilmanstone has historically been famous for its colliery, although it is located in the village of Eythorne, operated from 1906 to 1986 as one of the four main pits of the Kent coalfield. The population taken at the 2011 Census also included that of the nearby hamlet of Ashley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A256 road</span> Road in Kent

The A256 is a major road running along the east coast of Kent between the Isle of Thanet and Dover. It is operated by Kent County Council as a primary route, and has seen investment in the past to connect traffic to the Port of Ramsgate, and to the Pfizer research centre in Sandwich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Kent Light Railway</span>

The East Kent Light Railway was part of the Colonel Stephens group of cheaply built rural light railways in England. Holman Fred Stephens was engineer from its inception, subsequently becoming director and manager. The line ran from Shepherdswell to Wingham Station with a branch from Eastry through Poison Cross to Richborough Port. Built primarily for colliery traffic within the Kent Coalfields, the line was built with many spurs and branches to serve the mines, with cancelled plans to construct extensions to several others. The success of Tilmanstone colliery allowed the main line of the railway to continue operation until 1986. A remainder of the line became the East Kent Railway, a heritage railway, in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miner's Way Trail</span> Walking trail in Kent, England

The Miner's Way Trail is a long-distance circular footpath in England, starting at Sholden, Kent. Linking up the coalfield parishes of East Kent. Including; the parishes of Deal, Ash, Aylesham, Chillenden, Eastry, Eythorne, Elvington, Goodnestone, Nonington, Northbourne, Coldred, Staple, Tilmanstone and Wingham.

The White Cliffs Countryside Partnership was established in 1989, to help landowners care for the special coast and countryside of Dover and Folkestone and Hythe districts. This includes the only two stretches of Heritage Coast in Kent; the Dover-Folkestone Heritage Coast and the South Foreland Heritage Coast between Dover and Kingsdown near Deal.

References

  1. 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Dover Local Authority (E07000108)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics . Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
  3. "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
  4. "Meet the board". Visit Kent. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  5. "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  6. "Election maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  7. Esson, Daniel (17 May 2023). "New Labour leader of Dover District Council reveals plan for cabinet". Kent Online. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  8. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  9. "Dover". BBC News Online . Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  10. "Past leaders of the council". Dover District Council. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  11. "Council minutes". Dover District Council. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  12. "Council minutes, 21 February 2007" (PDF). Dover District Council. Retrieved 27 July 2022. Councillor Reg Hansell...
  13. "Press release: Foot and Mouth Disease" (PDF). Dover District Council. 27 March 2001. Retrieved 27 July 2022. Councillor Terry Birkett, Leader of the Council...
  14. Robson, Beth (20 September 2017). "Dover District Council leader Cllr Paul Watkins to retire and says now is right time". Kent Online. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  15. Lennon, Sam (14 October 2019). "Dover District Council leader Keith Morris resigns". Kent Online. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  16. "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  17. "Contact us". Dover District Council. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  18. "The Dover (Electoral Changes) Order 2019", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2019/124, retrieved 25 June 2023
  19. "Town and parish council contact details". Dover District Council. Retrieved 25 June 2023.

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