South Gloucestershire

Last updated

South Gloucestershire
Unitary authority area
Yate.church.view.arp.jpg
Yate town skyline
South Gloucestershire UK locator map.svg
Shown within Gloucestershire
Coordinates: 51°28′44″N2°22′48″W / 51.479°N 2.380°W / 51.479; -2.380
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region South West England
Ceremonial County Gloucestershire
Combined authority West of England
Admin HQ Yate
Government
 • Type Unitary authority
 • Body South Gloucestershire Council
 • Leadership(Conservative)
 •  MPs Jack Lopresti (C)
Damien Egan (L)
Luke Hall (C)
Area
 • Total191.87 sq mi (496.94 km2)
 • Rank78th (of 296)
Population
 (2021) [1]
 • Total290,736
 • Rank51st (of 296)
 • Density1,500/sq mi (590/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
[2]
 •  Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[2]
 •  Religion
List
Time zone UTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code 00HD (ONS) E06000025 (GSS)
OS grid reference ST735757
Police Avon and Somerset
Fire Avon
Ambulance South Western
Website southglos.gov.uk

South Gloucestershire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, South West England. Towns in the area include Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Kingswood, Thornbury, Filton, Patchway and Bradley Stoke. The southern part of its area falls within the Greater Bristol urban area surrounding the city of Bristol.

Contents

South Gloucestershire was created in 1996 to replace the Northavon district of the abolished county of Avon. It is separate from Gloucestershire County Council, but is part of the ceremonial county and shares Gloucestershire's Lord Lieutenant (the Sovereign's representative to the county). [3] Because of its history as part of the county of Avon, South Gloucestershire works closely with the other unitary authorities that took over when that county was abolished, including shared services such as Avon Fire and Rescue Service [4] and Avon and Somerset Police, [5] together with co-operation in planning strategy for transport, roads and housing.

History

Prior to the implementation of the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974, the area that now forms South Gloucestershire formed part of the shire county of Gloucestershire, comprising the urban districts of Kingswood and Mangotsfield and the Rural Districts of Warmley, Sodbury and Thornbury. However, under the terms of that act, the area was removed from Gloucestershire, and became part of the county of Avon, forming the districts of Kingswood and Northavon.

In 1996, the county of Avon was abolished, and South Gloucestershire was created as a unitary authority area comprising the former districts of Kingswood and Northavon. The area borders the city and county of Bristol, the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority area, and the shire counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

The geographic area currently known as South Gloucestershire should not be confused with Southern Gloucestershire. Nor should organisations or bodies in the past titled 'South Gloucestershire' (meaning Southern Gloucestershire) be confused with the area covered by the unitary authority.

Demographic

At the 2001 census, the population of South Gloucestershire was 245,641. [6]

At the 2011 census, the population had increased to 262,767.[ citation needed ]

At the 2021 census, the population estimate for South Gloucestershire is 290,400. [7]

According to the 2001 census estimates, 97.6 percent of the population was described as white, 0.8 percent as dual heritage, 0.7 percent as Asian or Asian British, 0.4 percent as Black or Black British and 0.5 percent as Chinese or other. [6]

Much of the population is in towns that form the 'suburbs' to the north and east of Bristol. There are also the large towns of Yate and its neighbour Chipping Sodbury, Thornbury, the large villages of Winterbourne and Frampton Cotterell, Wickwar, Alveston, Olveston and Tockington.

Economy

The main employers are the local authority with 9,500 people and the Ministry of Defence Headquarters for Defence Procurement and the Naval Support Command with 7,000 employees. Other key employers include Airbus, Rolls-Royce and the Royal Mail, which dominates the Filton-Patchway area of South Gloucestershire. Friends Provident and Hewlett-Packard also have major offices in nearby Stoke Gifford. [8]

Many employers operate in the heavily developed area between the northern edge of Bristol and the M5 motorway, an area sometimes described as the North Fringe of Bristol. This includes the Cribbs Causeway shopping centre, comprising The Mall regional shopping centre and the surrounding retail parks. East of Patchway are the Aztec West and Almondsbury business parks either side of the A38, extending to Bradley Stoke and the M4/M5 Almondsbury Interchange. Employers with sites in this area include EE and the RAC.

Education

South Gloucestershire is home to 99 primary schools, 16 secondary schools, and post-16 colleges and centres. [9] There is one university, the University of the West of England, which was a former polytechnic. In 2008, DCSF figures revealed that there was a 6.6% overall absence in the district's secondary schools, whilst 7.4% is the national average. [10]

Key Stage 4 results (2008) [11] 5 or more grades A*-C including English and maths GCSEs %Level 2 in functional English and mathsLevel 1 in functional English and mathsLevel 2 (5 or more grades A*-C)Level 1 (5 or more grades A*-G)2 grades A*-C which cover the Key Stage 4 science programme of studyA*C in a modern foreign languageA*G in a modern foreign languageAt least one qualification
Local Authority average48.1%56.9%92.8%63.6%93.0%50.3%30.6%49.7%98.0%
England average48.1%52.0%90.2%65.3%91.6%50.3%30.7%44.8%98.6%

In 2005, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer recognised the City of Bristol's ties to science and technology by naming it one of six "science cities", and promising funding for further development of science in the city, [12] with a £300 million science park planned at Emersons Green, in South Gloucestershire. [13]

Geography

The River Severn forms the north-western edge of the area, with a wide coastal plain terminated by an escarpment. East of this is the wide River Frome Valley drainage area. Further east is another escarpment running roughly north–south, passing between Yate and Chipping Sodbury and west of Pucklechurch. The Cotswolds Escarpment forms the eastern edge of South Gloucestershire, while the western half is mainly urbanised.

A small part of the Cotswolds and the National Trust site of Dyrham Park are also in the district. South of the motorways are suburbs of Bristol while areas north are rural. Some of the inner green belts have been taken away by developments like the new town of Bradley Stoke.

Transport

Map of South Gloucestershire; the blue lines are motorways South Gloucestershire places.png
Map of South Gloucestershire; the blue lines are motorways

Many areas of South Gloucestershire have easy commuting access to Bristol (via the A38 and M32) and to Bath, as well as westward to South Wales and Cardiff via the two Severn bridges. The M5 and M4 motorways provide access to Gloucester and London. Bristol's northern and eastern ring road, the A4174, passes through South Gloucestershire. The Metrobus express bus network extends from Bristol into South Gloucestershire, and is supported by the district council. [14]

The area also has an important and well used railway network, with many direct routes to towns and cities across the UK. This includes eastward to London and westward through the Severn Tunnel to Cardiff and the rest of South Wales. There are also routes to the South-West counties and north to England's second city, Birmingham. Many routes cross in Stoke Gifford at Bristol Parkway station. There are six stations within the district, mainly located near the border with Bristol in the west of the district.

Mode of transport in 2001 [6] South Glos %National %
Car driver65.455.2
On foot7.310.0
Bus or coach6.57.4
Car passenger6.36.3
Bicycle3.02.8
Motorcycle1.81.1
Train0.64.1
Taxi0.20.5
Other0.30.5
Work from home8.59.2

Settlements

Other towns and villages

Places of interest

Democracy

The Conservatives held an overall majority on the council from 2015 until 2023; previously no party had overall control, except for 1999–2003 when the Liberal Democrats had a majority. After the 2023 elections, Labour and the Liberal Democrats formed a coalition which took control of the council, [15] this being Labour's first time in control and the Liberal Democrats for the first time in twenty years.

In 2012, it became one of the first authorities in the UK to return to a Committee System, abolishing the single party Cabinet, as allowed under the Localism Act. [16] This was later reverted to a leader and cabinet system in 2017 during the Conservative majority. [17]

For Westminster elections, the area is covered by three constituencies, all lying within the authority boundary. These are:

County/Borough is a legal term denoting the type of constituency. County is a rural area, Borough is an urban area.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloucestershire</span> County of England

Gloucestershire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire to the east, Wiltshire to the south, Bristol and Somerset to the south-west, and the Welsh county of Monmouthshire to the west. The city of Gloucester is the largest settlement and the county town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avon (county)</span> Former non-metropolitan and ceremonial county in England

Avon was a non-metropolitan and ceremonial county in the west of England that existed between 1974 and 1996. The county was named after the River Avon, which flows through the area. It was formed from the county boroughs of Bristol and Bath, together with parts of the administrative counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yate</span> Town in South Gloucestershire, England

Yate is a town and civil parish in South Gloucestershire, England. It lies just to the southwest of the Cotswold Hills and is 12 miles northeast of Bristol and 12 miles from Bath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Almondsbury</span> Village in South West, England

Almondsbury is a large village near junction 16 of the M5 motorway, in South Gloucestershire, England, and a civil parish which also includes the villages of Hortham, Gaunt's Earthcott, Over, Easter Compton, Compton Greenfield, Hallen and Berwick.

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

Filton is a town and civil parish in South Gloucestershire, England, 6 miles (10 km) north of Bristol. Along with nearby Patchway and Bradley Stoke, Filton forms part of the Bristol urban area and has become an overflow settlement for the city. Filton Church dates back to the 12th century and is designated a Grade II listed building.

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

Patchway is a town in South Gloucestershire, England, situated 6 mi (9.7 km) north-north west of central Bristol. The town has become an overflow settlement for Bristol and is contiguous with Bristol's urban area, along with the nearby towns of Filton and Bradley Stoke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northavon</span>

Northavon was a district in the English county of Avon from 1974 to 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol North West (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Constituency represented in the House of Commons

Bristol North West is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2017 by Darren Jones of the Labour Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northavon (UK Parliament constituency)</span>

Northavon was, from 1983 until 2010, a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Greater Bristol is a term used for the conurbation which contains and surrounds the city of Bristol in the South West of England. There is no official "Greater Bristol" authority, but the term is sometimes used by local, regional and national authorities, and others as a synonym for either the "Bristol Urban Area" or a wider area of the former County of Avon, and by some, TfGB, to refer to the Province of Bristol as defined by C. B. Fawcett (1919) or Derek Senior (1969).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Filton and Bradley Stoke (UK Parliament constituency)</span>

Filton and Bradley Stoke is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Jack Lopresti, a Conservative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thornbury and Yate (UK Parliament constituency)</span>

Thornbury and Yate is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since the 2015 election by Luke Hall, a member of the Conservative Party. Encompassing an area to the north-east of Bristol, it is one of three constituencies that make up the South Gloucestershire Unitary Authority Area, along with Filton and Bradley Stoke and Kingswood.

Thornbury Rural District was a rural district council centred on Thornbury in the south of Gloucestershire. It was originally formed as a Poor Law Union on 5 April 1836 with 26 Guardians representing the 21 parishes in the Union and the Guardians of the Poor became the Rural Sanitary Authority for the District in 1872. The Rural District Council became a separate body in 1894 although the District Councillors had a dual mandate as members of both the council and the Board of Guardians.The District was enlarged in 1904 when Henbury was transferred from the abolished Barton Regis Rural District. In 1930 the Guardians were abolished when their functions were transferred to the Rural District Council. The arms of the Council featured a "Thorn-berry" tree for Thornbury and a pair of gold wings for the important aircraft industry at Filton and Patchway. It was abolished in 1974 and the majority of it transferred into the new county of Avon, as part of the new district of Northavon.

The BS postcode area, also known as the Bristol postcode area, is a group of 37 postcode districts in South West England, within eight post towns. These cover the city of Bristol, north Somerset and south Gloucestershire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Gloucestershire Council</span>

South Gloucestershire Council is the local authority of South Gloucestershire, England, covering an area to the north of the city of Bristol. As a unitary authority it has the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It is administratively separate from the county of Gloucestershire.

References

  1. ↑ "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2021". Office for National Statistics. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – South Gloucestershire Local Authority (E06000025)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics . Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "Schedule 1: Counties and areas for the purposes of the lieutenancies in Great Britain". Lieutenancies Act 1997 . Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "About us". Avon Fire & Rescue. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "History of the Force". Avon and Somerset Constabulary. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 "South Gloucestershire Census Profile". South Gloucestershire Council. 12 January 2003. Archived from the original on 8 March 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
  7. ↑ "Census 2021 | BETA - South Gloucestershire Council". beta.southglos.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  8. ↑ "Major Employers in South Gloucestershire" (PDF). South Gloucestershire Council. 1 June 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
  9. ↑ "UK Schools & Colleges Database". Schools Web Directory. 20 April 2009.
  10. ↑ "Local Authority : South Gloucestershire". DCSF. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
  11. ↑ "Local Authority: South Gloucestershire". DCSF. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
  12. ↑ "Vice-Chancellor's speeches and articles". University of Bristol. 11 November 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2007.
  13. ↑ "City science park partner named". BBC News. 20 April 2006. Retrieved 6 May 2007.
  14. ↑ "metroBus Project Information". travelWEST. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  15. ↑ Postans, Adam (9 May 2023). "Lib Dems and Labour accused of 'dodgy secret deals' to run council". BristolLive. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  16. ↑ South Glos Council. "South Gloucestershire adopts committee system".
  17. ↑ Sims, Aaron (23 March 2017). "Conservative-led South Gloucestershire Council votes to adopt executive cabinet structure" . Retrieved 20 May 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.