Borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk | |
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Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Constituent country | England |
Region | East of England |
Administrative county | Norfolk |
Admin. HQ | King's Lynn |
Government | |
• Type | Borough Council |
Area | |
• Total | 560 sq mi (1,440 km2) |
• Rank | 15th |
Population (2022) | |
• Total | 155,741 |
• Rank | Ranked 136th |
• Density | 280/sq mi (110/km2) |
Ethnicity (2021) | |
• Ethnic groups | |
Religion (2021) | |
• Religion | List
|
Time zone | UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (British Summer Time) |
ONS code | 33UE (ONS) E07000146 (GSS) |
King's Lynn and West Norfolk is a local government district with borough status in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in the town of King's Lynn. The district also includes the towns of Downham Market and Hunstanton, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The population of the district at the 2021 census was 154,325. [2]
Part of the borough lies within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The borough lies on the coast, facing both The Wash to the west and the North Sea to the north. The neighbouring districts are North Norfolk, Breckland, West Suffolk, East Cambridgeshire, Fenland and South Holland.
The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering seven former districts which were all abolished at the same time: [3]
The new district was initially named "West Norfolk" reflecting its position in the wider county. [4] The district was awarded borough status on 30 January 1981, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. The name of the borough was changed later that year, becoming "King's Lynn and West Norfolk" with effect from 14 May 1981. [5]
Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk | |
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Type | |
Type | |
Leadership | |
Lorraine Gore since 1 September 2019 [7] | |
Structure | |
Seats | 55 councillors |
Political groups |
|
Elections | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
Meeting place | |
Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King's Lynn, PE30 5DQ | |
Website | |
www |
The Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Norfolk County Council. Much of the borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government. [8] [9]
The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being run by a coalition of most of the independent councillors, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens with informal support from Labour. [10]
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: [11] [12]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
No overall control | 1974–1976 | |
Conservative | 1976–1991 | |
No overall control | 1991–1995 | |
Labour | 1995–1999 | |
No overall control | 1999–2003 | |
Conservative | 2003–2023 | |
No overall control | 2023–present |
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, with political leadership instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2007 have been: [13]
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nick Daubney [14] | Conservative | 2007 | 12 May 2016 | |
Brian Long [15] | Conservative | 12 May 2016 | 20 May 2021 | |
Stuart Dark | Conservative | 20 May 2021 | 18 May 2023 | |
Terry Parish | Independent | 18 May 2023 |
Following the 2023 election the composition of the council was: [16]
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Conservative | 21 | |
Independent | 18 | |
Labour | 11 | |
Liberal Democrats | 3 | |
Green | 2 | |
Total | 55 |
Of the independent councillors, 17 sit together as the "Independent Partnership", which forms the council's administration with the Liberal Democrats and Greens. [17] The next election is due in 2027.
Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 55 councillors representing 35 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. [18]
Although the UK Youth Parliament is an apolitical organisation, the elections are run in a way similar to that of the Local Elections. The votes come from 11 to 18 year olds and are combined to make the decision of the next, 2 year Member of Youth Parliament. The elections are run at different times across the country with King's Lynn and West Norfolk's typically being in early Spring and bi-annually.
The council generally meets at the Town Hall on the Saturday Market Place in King's Lynn, parts of which date back to the 1420s, having replaced an earlier guildhall on the site which burnt down in 1421. [19] [20] The council's main offices are at King's Court, on Chapel Street in King's Lynn, which had been built as speculative offices in 1975, initially being called Aspen House. [21] The council bought the building in 1981. [22]
The district comprises the urban area of King's Lynn itself, together with 102 surrounding parishes. At the time of the 2001 census, the district had an area of 1,473 km2, of which 28 km2 was in the urban area and 1,445 km2 in the surrounding parishes. The district had a population of 135,345 in 58,338 households, with 34,564 in 15,285 households living in the urban area, whilst 100,781 people in 43,053 households lived in the surrounding parishes. [23]
The main part of the urban area of King's Lynn (roughly corresponding to the pre-1974 borough of King's Lynn) is an unparished area. [9] The remainder of the district is covered by civil parishes. The parish councils for Downham Market and Hunstanton have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". The parishes are: [24]
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Hunstanton is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, which had a population of 4,229 at the 2011 Census. It faces west across The Wash. Hunstanton lies 102 miles (164 km) north-north-east of London and 40 miles (64 km) north-west of Norwich.
Downham Market, sometimes simply referred to as Downham, is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It lies on the edge of the Fens, on the River Great Ouse, approximately 11 miles south of King's Lynn, 39 miles west of Norwich and 30 miles north of Cambridge.
Marham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, approximate 12 miles (19 km) away from King's Lynn. An RAF station, RAF Marham, is situated nearby at Upper Marham. The village covers an area of 1,485 ha and had a population of 2,951 in 788 households as of the 2001 census, increasing to 3,531 at the 2011 Census.
South West Norfolk is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Terry Jermy of the Labour Party. It was represented by Liz Truss between 2010 and 2024, who served as Prime Minister for 49 days in 2022.
North West Norfolk is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by James Wild, a Conservative.
Burnham Market is an English village and civil parish near the north coast of Norfolk. It is one of the Burnhams, a group of three adjacent villages that were merged: Burnham Sutton, Burnham Ulph and Burnham Westgate. In 2022, Burnham Market was rated among the "20 most beautiful villages in the UK and Ireland" by Condé Nast Traveler in 2020.
North Creake is a village and civil parish in the north west of the English county of Norfolk. It covers an area of 14.99 km2 (5.79 sq mi) and had a population of 414 in 184 households at the 2001 census, reducing to 386 at the 2011 Census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk. The parish shares boundaries with the adjacent parishes of Burnham Market, Burnham Thorpe, Holkham, Walsingham, South Creake, Barwick and Stanhoe.
North Runcton is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is 43.2 miles (69.5 km) west of Norwich, 4.3 miles (6.9 km) south-south-west of King's Lynn and 102 miles (164 km) north of London. The village is located a small distance south-west of the A47 between King's Lynn and Swaffham. The nearest railway station is at King's Lynn for the Fen Line which runs between King's Lynn and Cambridge. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport. The parish of North Runcton in the 2001 census, has a population of 266, increasing to 549 at the 2011 Census. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk.
West Lynn is a suburb of King's Lynn in Norfolk, England. It is the part of the town lying on the west bank of the River Great Ouse, linked to the main part of the town on the east bank by a passenger ferry or by a more circuitous 4 km road journey.
Burnham Norton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, one of the Burnhams, an adjacent group in the northernmost part of Norfolk, on the A149 some 2 km north of the larger village of Burnham Market, 35 km north-east of King's Lynn and 60 km north-west of Norwich. "Burnham" means "Homestead/village on the River Burn" or perhaps, "hemmed-in land on the River Burn". "Norton", meaning "North farm/settlement", distinguishes it from the other Norfolk Burnhams.
King's Lynn was a constituency in Norfolk which was represented continuously in the House of Commons of England from 1298 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until it was abolished for the February 1974 general election.
West Rudham is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village straddles the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road. It covers an area of 11.81 km2 (4.56 sq mi) and had a population of 213 in 97 households at the 2001 census, the population including Houghton and increasing to 288 at the 2011 census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk.
Stradsett is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk The village is 40.8 miles (65.7 km) west of Norwich, 11.3 miles (18.2 km) south of King's Lynn and 96.4 miles (155.1 km) north of London. The nearest town is Downham Market which is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west of the parish. The village is located on the A1122 which runs between Outwell and Swaffham. The A134 between King's Lynn and Colchester also passes through the parish. The nearest railway station is at Downham Market for the Fen Line which runs between King's Lynn and Cambridge. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport. The parish of Stradsett, in the 2001 census, has a population of 60. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk. At the 2011 Census the population remained less than 100 and was included in the civil parish of Crimplesham.
Houghton is a small village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It covers an area of 7.64 km2 (2.95 sq mi) and had a population of 69 in 36 households at the 2001 census. At the 2011 census the population of the parish was again below 100, and was therefore included in the civil parish of West Rudham.
Shouldham Thorpe is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It covers an area of 5.87 km2 (2.27 sq mi) and had a population of 157 in 66 households at the 2001 census, the population increasing to 165 at the 2011 Census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk. It contains a church also in picture.
Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen is a civil parish and village in the English county of Norfolk. It is 6 miles (9.7 km) south of the town of King's Lynn on the west bank of the River Great Ouse. It covers an area of 17.76 km2 (6.86 sq mi) and had a population of 729 in 304 households in the 2011 census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk.
Stowbridge or Stow Bridge is a village in the parish of Stow Bardolph, extending into Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, in the English county of Norfolk. The parish of Stow Bardolph also includes Barroway Drove. Stowbridge is between Downham Market and King's Lynn on the banks of the River Great Ouse. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk. The Great Ouse, the Relief Channel and the mainline railway from King's Lynn to Cambridge run through the heart of the community.