Horsham itself had been an ancient borough from the thirteenth century, but lost its borough status in the 1830s.[2] The town had been made a local government district in 1875, which became Horsham Urban District in 1894.[3][4]
The modern district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as one of seven districts within West Sussex. The new district covered the whole area of three former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[5]
In the parts of the district within the South Downs National Park, town planning is the responsibility of the South Downs National Park Authority. The district council appoints one of its councillors to serve on the 27-person National Park Authority.[10]
The first elections to the council were 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:[12]
Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 48 councillors representing 22 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[28]
Premises
The council is based at Albery House on Springfield Road in Horsham. The council moved into the building in 2025.[29]
Park House, North Street: One of the council's former offices.
Between 2015 and 2025 the council shared a building called Parkside on Chart Way with West Sussex County Council.[30] Prior to 2015 the council was based across several buildings, including Park House, an eighteenth century house on North Street which had served as the headquarters of the old Horsham Urban District Council since 1928.[31]
The central part of the Horsham urban area, roughly corresponding to the pre-1974 Horsham Urban District, is an unparished area.[9] The rest of the district is divided into civil parishes. None of the parishes has been formally designated a town by its parish council, although Billingshurst, Henfield, Pulborough and Steyning are post towns.
Within the Horsham District are the following civil parishes:
↑ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 26 November 2024. (Put "Horsham" in search box to see specific results.)
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