Eastbourne Borough Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
| Structure | |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
| First past the post | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Town Hall, Grove Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4UG | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Eastbourne Borough Council is the local authority for Eastbourne, a non-metropolitan district with borough status in East Sussex, England. The council meets at Eastbourne Town Hall.
Eastbourne's first elected local authority was a local board, established in 1859 when the ancient parish of Eastbourne was made a local government district. Prior to that the parish had been governed by its vestry, in the same way as most rural areas. [4]
Eastbourne become a municipal borough in 1883, governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Eastbourne", but generally known as the corporation or town council. [5] The borough covered a slightly larger area than the previous local government district, also taking in an area known as Norway from the neighbouring parish of Willingdon. In 1911 Eastbourne was elevated to be a county borough, making it independent from East Sussex County Council. The borough was enlarged at the same time to take in the Hampden Park area from Willingdon. [6] [7]
The Eastbourne Corporation Act 1926 allowed the council to purchase the Eastbourne Downland Estate on the west side of the borough, including Beachy Head. [8]
Eastbourne became a non-metropolitan district on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, with East Sussex County Council once more providing county-level services to the town. [9] Eastbourne kept its borough status, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor, continuing Eastbourne's series of mayors dating back to 1883. [10]
Since 2016 the council has shared a chief executive and other staff with nearby Lewes District Council. [3]
Eastbourne Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by East Sussex County Council. [11] There are no civil parishes in the borough, which is an unparished area. [12]
Parts of the borough lie within the South Downs National Park. In those areas, town planning is the responsibility of the South Downs National Park Authority. [13]
The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since 2007.
Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows: [14] [15]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal | 1974–1976 | |
| Conservative | 1976–1984 | |
| No overall control | 1984–1986 | |
| Alliance | 1986–1988 | |
| Conservative | 1988–1990 | |
| No overall control | 1990–1991 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 1991–1999 | |
| No overall control | 1999–2000 | |
| Conservative | 2000–2002 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 2002–2004 | |
| Conservative | 2004–2007 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 2007–present | |
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Eastbourne. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2001 have been: [16]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis Cullen | Conservative | 5 May 1988 | 2 May 1991 | |
| Alan Shuttleworth | Liberal Democrats | 2 May 1991 | 4 May 2000 | |
| Graham Marsden | Conservative | 4 May 2000 | 15 May 2002 | |
| Beryl Healy | Liberal Democrats | 15 May 2002 | 23 Jun 2004 | |
| Graham Marsden | Conservative | 23 Jun 2004 | 18 May 2005 | |
| Ian Lucas | Conservative | 18 May 2005 | 6 May 2007 | |
| David Tutt | Liberal Democrats | 16 May 2007 | 7 May 2023 | |
| Stephen Holt | Liberal Democrats | 24 May 2023 | Present | |
Following the 2023 election the composition of the council was: [17]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | 19 | |
| Conservative | 8 | |
| Total | 27 | |
The next election is due in 2027.
The council meets at the Town Hall on Grove Road. The building was designed by William Tadman Foulkes, and built between 1884 and 1886 under supervision of Henry Currey, the Duke of Devonshire's architect. [18]
The council has its main offices nearby at 1 Grove Road, a large building which also includes a library and theatre. [19] That building was completed in 1964 on a site which had been occupied by the previous library and fire station, which were both destroyed in 1943 during the Second World War. [20]
Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 27 councillors representing 9 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held every four years. [21]
Mid Sussex is a local government district in West Sussex, England. The largest town is Haywards Heath, where the council is based. The district also contains the towns of Burgess Hill and East Grinstead plus surrounding rural areas, including many villages. The district includes part of the South Downs National Park and part of the designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of High Weald, including sections of Ashdown Forest. The district contains most headwaters of the River Ouse. Its largest body of water is Ardingly reservoir which is used by watersports clubs. At the 2021 census the district had a population of 152,949.
Arun is a local government district in West Sussex, England. Its council is based in Littlehampton. The district's other towns are Arundel and Bognor Regis. The district is named after the River Arun, which runs through the centre of the district. Parts of the district fall within the South Downs National Park.
Basingstoke and Deane is a local government district with borough status in Hampshire, England. The main town is Basingstoke, where the council is based. The district also includes the towns of Tadley and Whitchurch, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The modern district was created in 1974, initially being called Basingstoke. It changed its name to "Basingstoke and Deane" in 1978 at the same time that it was made a borough; Deane was added to the name to represent the rural parts of the borough, being the area's smallest village.
Wealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England. Its council is based in Hailsham, the district's largest town. The district also includes the towns of Crowborough, Polegate and Uckfield, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The district's name comes from the Weald, the landscape and ancient woodland which occupies much of the centre and north of the area.
Test Valley is a local government district with borough status in Hampshire, England, named after the valley of the River Test. The council is based in the borough's largest town of Andover. The borough also contains the town of Romsey and numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. A small part of the borough at its southern end lies within the New Forest National Park, and part of the borough north of Andover lies within the North Wessex Downs, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
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.
Tandridge is a local government district in east Surrey, England. Its council is based in Oxted, although the largest settlement is Caterham; other notable settlements include Warlingham, Godstone and Lingfield. In mid-2019, the district had an estimated population of 88,129.
Lewes is a local government district in East Sussex, England. The district is named after the town of Lewes. The largest town is Seaford. The district also includes the towns of Newhaven, Peacehaven and Telscombe and numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The Council is based at Marine Workshops a former industrial building in Newhaven which it shares with East Sussex Colleges Group.
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 also 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.
Horsham is a local government district in West Sussex, England. It is named after the town of Horsham, which is its largest settlement and where the council is based. The district also includes the surrounding rural area and contains many villages, the largest of which are Southwater and Billingshurst. The district includes part of the South Downs National Park and part of the designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of High Weald. At the 2021 census the district had a population of 147,487.
The Borough of Tunbridge Wells is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. It takes its name from its main town, Royal Tunbridge Wells. The borough also contains the towns of Paddock Wood and Southborough, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. Large parts of the borough fall within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Polegate is a town and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is located five miles (8 km) north of the seaside resort of Eastbourne and is part of the greater area of that town. Although once a railway settlement, its rail links were closed as part of the Beeching cuts. The 2011 census put the civil parish of Polegate at a population of 8,586, with 41.2% aged 65 and over.
Winchester, or the City of Winchester, is a local government district with city status in Hampshire, England.
East Sussex County Council is the upper tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of East Sussex in England.
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.
Crawley Borough Council is the local authority for Crawley in West Sussex, England. The council consists of 36 councillors. It is currently controlled by the Labour Party, led by Michael Jones. The administrative headquarters are at Crawley Town Hall.
Hastings Borough Council is the local authority for Hastings, a non-metropolitan district with borough status in East Sussex, England. The council is based at Muriel Matters House on the seafront.
The Borough of Tewkesbury is a local government district with borough status in Gloucestershire, England. The borough is named after its largest town, Tewkesbury, which is where the council is based. The district also includes the town of Winchcombe and numerous villages including Bishops Cleeve, Ashchurch, Churchdown, Innsworth and Brockworth as well as other hamlets and surrounding rural areas. Parts of the district lie within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Borough of Chesterfield is a non-metropolitan district with borough status in Derbyshire, England. It is named after the town of Chesterfield, its largest settlement, and also contains the town of Staveley and the large village of Brimington.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)