Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Last updated

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Coat of Arms of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees.svg
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council - Logo.svg
Type
Type
Leadership
John Gardner,
Conservative
since 3 April 2024 [1]
Bob Cook,
Labour
since 25 May 2011 [2]
Mike Greene
since 2022 [3] [4]
Structure
Seats56 councillors [5]
United Kingdom Stockton on Tees Borough Council 2023.svg
Political groups
Administration (22) [6]
  Labour (22)
Other parties (34)
  Conservative (26)
  Thornaby Ind. (4)
  Ingleby Barwick Ind. (3)
  Independent (1)
Elections
Last election
 4 May 2023
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
Stockton Council Offices on Church Road - geograph.org.uk - 487339.jpg
Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD
Website
stockton.gov.uk

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, which straddles the ceremonial counties of County Durham and North Yorkshire in England. Since 1996 the council has been a unitary authority, providing both district-level and county-level services. It therefore provides services including Council Tax billing, libraries, social services, town planning, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority. Since 2016 the council has been a member of the Tees Valley Combined Authority, which has been led by the directly elected Tees Valley Mayor since 2017.

Contents

History

The town of Stockton-on-Tees was an ancient borough. The borough's date of creation is unknown, but Stockton was being described as a borough by 1283. [7] The original borough had a very tightly drawn boundary; by 1835 it was said that the borough only covered a quarter of the urban area. [8] The borough was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which standardised how many boroughs operated across the country. The borough was then administered by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Stockton", generally known as the corporation, town council or borough council. The boundaries were extended on several occasions, notably in 1852, 1889 and 1913 (in which year it gained Norton and Hartburn). [7] [9]

That council was abolished in 1968 and replaced by the short-lived County Borough of Teesside from 1968 to 1974. Under the Local Government Act 1972 a new non-metropolitan district called Stockton-on-Tees was established, with a larger territory than the pre-1968 borough. [10] [11] [12] County-level services were provided by Cleveland County Council until its abolition in 1996, when Stockton-on-Tees became a unitary authority.

Governance

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the Local Government Act 1972 and subsequent legislation. For the purposes of local government, Stockton-on-Tees is within a non-metropolitan area of England. As a unitary authority, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has the powers and functions of both a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. In its capacity as a district council it is a billing authority collecting Council Tax and business rates, it processes local planning applications, it is responsible for housing, waste collection and environmental health. In its capacity as a county council it is a local education authority, responsible for social services, libraries and waste disposal. [13]

Since 2016 the council has been a member of the Tees Valley Combined Authority. [14]

Political control

The council has been under no overall control since 2019. Following the 2023 election the Conservatives were the largest party, but a minority Labour administration was able to retain control with the informal support of the two smaller parties, the Thornaby Independent Association and the Ingleby Barwick Independent Society. [15]

Political control of the council since its re-establishment in 1974 has been as follows: [16] [17] [18]

Non-metropolitan district

Party in controlYears
Labour 1974–1976
Conservative 1976–1979
Labour 1979–1991
No overall control 1991–1996

Unitary authority

Party in controlYears
Labour 1996–2005
No overall control 2005–2015
Labour 2015–2019
No overall control 2019–present

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Stockton-on-Tees, with political leadership instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1990 have been: [19]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Bob Gibson [20] Labour 199023 May 2007
Ken Lupton [21] Conservative 23 May 200725 May 2011
Bob Cook Labour 25 May 2011

Composition

Following the 2023 election the composition of the council was: [22]

PartyCouncillors
Conservative 26
Labour 22
Thornaby Independent Association4
Ingleby Barwick Independent Society3
Independent 1
Total56

The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 56 councillors representing 27 wards, with each ward election one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. [23]

Premises

Town Hall, council's meeting place until 2020. Stockton Town Hall, High Street, Stockton (geograph 6216524).jpg
Town Hall, council's meeting place until 2020.

The council has its main offices at the Municipal Buildings on Church Road in Stockton, which was purpose-built for the old borough council and opened in 1961. [24] Until 2020 full council meetings were generally held at Stockton Town Hall in the High Street, which was built in 1735. [25] Following the resumption of in-person meetings in 2021 following the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings have been held instead in the Baptist Church or the conference suite at the town's library, both of which adjoin the Municipal Buildings. [26]

Dunedin House: Council's proposed new headquarters from 2024 Dunedin House - geograph.org.uk - 1716360.jpg
Dunedin House: Council's proposed new headquarters from 2024

In 2021 the council purchased an office building called Dunedin House on Columbia Drive on the south bank of the River Tees in Thornaby, which had been completed in 1992. [27] [28] Conversion works to turn it into a new headquarters for the council are underway with a view to it opening during 2024. [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redcar and Cleveland</span> Borough in North Yorkshire, England

Redcar and Cleveland is a unitary authority area with borough status in North Yorkshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Counties of England</span> Geographic divisions of England

The counties of England are divisions of England. Counties have been used as administrative areas in England since Anglo-Saxon times. There are two main legal definitions of the counties in modern usage: the 84 counties for the purposes of local government, and the 48 counties for the purposes of lieutenancy, also termed the ceremonial counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Stockton-on-Tees</span> Unitary authority area in County Durham, England

The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees is a unitary authority with borough status in the counties of County Durham and North Yorkshire, England. The borough had a population of 196,600 in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tees Valley</span> Devolved region in Northern England

The Tees Valley is a devolved region in Northern England, around the lower River Tees. The area is not a geographical valley; the local term for the valley is Teesdale. The combined authority covers five council areas: Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council elections are held every four years. Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council is the local authority for the unitary authority of Stockton-on-Tees, which straddles the ceremonial counties of County Durham and North Yorkshire, England. Until 1 April 1996 it was a non-metropolitan district in Cleveland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Darlington</span> Unitary authority area in County Durham, England

The Borough of Darlington is a local government district with borough status in County Durham, England. Since 1997 Darlington Borough Council has been a unitary authority, with both district-level and county-level functions; it is independent from Durham County Council. It is named after its largest settlement, the town of Darlington, where the council is based. The borough also includes a rural area surrounding the town which contains several villages. The population of the borough at the 2021 census was 107,800, of which over 86% (93,015) lived in the built-up area of Darlington itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Hartlepool</span> Unitary authority area in County Durham, England

The Borough of Hartlepool is a local government district with borough status in County Durham, England. Since 1996 Hartlepool Borough Council has been a unitary authority, which gives it both district-level and county-level functions; it is independent of Durham County Council. It is named after its largest settlement, Hartlepool, where the council is based. The borough also includes a rural area to the west of the town. The population of the borough at the 2021 census was 92,571, of which over 95% (87,995) lived in the built-up area of Hartlepool itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middlesbrough Council</span> English unitary authority council

Middlesbrough Council, also known as Middlesbrough Borough Council, is the local authority for Middlesbrough, in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. Since 1996 it has been a unitary authority, providing both district-level and county-level services. The council is led by the directly elected Mayor of Middlesbrough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luton Borough Council</span> Local council of Luton, England

Luton Borough Council is the local authority of Luton, in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. Luton is a unitary authority, having the powers of a county and district council combined. It is a member of the East of England Local Government Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swindon Borough Council</span>

Swindon Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Swindon in Wiltshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. As such, it is administratively separate from the rest of Wiltshire. It was formed in 1997, replacing Thamesdown Borough Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleveland (county)</span> Former county of North East England

Cleveland was a non-metropolitan county located in North East England which existed between 1974 and 1996. Cleveland was a two-tier county and had four boroughs: Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough and Langbaurgh-on-Tees. The county town was Middlesbrough, where Cleveland County Council met. The county was named after the historic area of Cleveland, Yorkshire. Its area is now split between the counties of North Yorkshire and County Durham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council</span>

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is the local authority of Blackburn with Darwen in Lancashire. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durham County Council</span> Local authority in North East England

Durham County Council is the local authority which governs the non-metropolitan county of County Durham in North East England. Since 2009 it has been a unitary authority, having taken over district-level functions when the county's districts were abolished. The non-metropolitan county is smaller than the ceremonial county of County Durham, which additionally includes Darlington, Hartlepool and the parts of Stockton-on-Tees north of the River Tees. The county council has its headquarters at County Hall in Durham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ipswich Borough Council</span> English local authority

Ipswich Borough Council is the local authority for Ipswich, a non-metropolitan district with borough status in Suffolk, England. It is the second tier of a two-tier system, fulfilling functions such as refuse collection, housing and planning, with Suffolk County Council providing county council services such as transport, education and social services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derby City Council</span>

Derby City Council is the local authority for Derby, a unitary authority with city status in the East Midlands region of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County Borough of Teesside</span> Former district in northern England

The County Borough of Teesside was a county borough in the north-east of England, which existed for just six years. It was created in 1968 to cover the Teesside conurbation which had grown up around the various port and industrial towns near the mouth of the River Tees. The council was based in Middlesbrough, the area's largest town. The county borough was abolished in 1974 on the creation of the new county of Cleveland, which covered a larger area, with the county borough's territory being split between three of the four districts created in the new county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of York Council</span> Council for the city of York, England

City of York Council is the local authority for York, in Yorkshire, England. York has had a city council from medieval times, which has been reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1996 the council has been a unitary authority, performing both district-level and county-level functions. It is composed of 47 councillors and has been under Labour majority control since 2023. The council is based at West Offices on Station Rise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council</span> Unitary authority in England

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is the local authority for Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. Since 1996 it has been a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. The council was created in 1974 as Langbaurgh Borough Council and was a district-level authority until 1996 when it was renamed and became a unitary authority, taking over county-level functions from the abolished Cleveland County Council. The council is based at the Civic Centre in Redcar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council</span> Local government body in England

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council is the local authority for the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. The council styles itself Calderdale Council. It is a metropolitan district council, one of five in West Yorkshire and one of 36 in the metropolitan counties of England. It provides the majority of local government services in Calderdale. Since 2014 the council has been a constituent member of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council election</span> 2023 English local election

The 2023 Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect all 56 members of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, a unitary authority which straddles the ceremonial counties of County Durham and North Yorkshire in England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.

References

  1. ↑ "Meet the new Mayor of Stockton-on-Tees". Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  2. ↑ "Council minutes, 25 May 2011". Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  3. ↑ "Council minutes, 20 July 2022". Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  4. ↑ Metcalfe, Alex (13 July 2022). "From Scarborough to Stockton: Yorkshire council chief to lead Teesside's biggest borough". Teesside Live. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  5. ↑ "Councillors and Council meetings (egenda) - Stockton Council". www.stockton.gov.uk.
  6. ↑ Lightfoot, Gareth (23 June 2023). "Clean sweep for Conservatives in last local election making them largest party in Labour-led council". TeessideLive.
  7. 1 2 Page, William (1928). A History of the County of Durham, Volume 3. London: Victoria County History. pp. 348–365. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  8. ↑ Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Appendix 3. 1835. p. 1729. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  9. ↑ "Stockton-on-Tees Municipal Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  10. ↑ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 July 2022
  11. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 13 August 2022
  12. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 13 August 2022
  13. ↑ "Local Government in England outside London". Clean Highways. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  14. ↑ "The Tees Valley Combined Authority Order 2016", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2016/449, retrieved 25 February 2024
  15. ↑ Lightfoot, Gareth (21 September 2023). "Conservative bid to take over council is defeated in night of drama for Stockton Council". Teesside Live. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  16. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  17. ↑ "Local election results: Stockton-on-Tees". BBC News Online . Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  18. ↑ "Stockton-On-Tees". BBC News Online . Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  19. ↑ "Council minutes". Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  20. ↑ Larman, Connor (29 January 2020). "Tributes to Bob Gibson, former Stockton council leader". Northern Echo. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  21. ↑ Webber, Chris (11 November 2014). "All change for Stockton's Tories as Cllr Ken Lupton stands down as leader". Northern Echo. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  22. ↑ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  23. ↑ "The Stockton-on-Tees (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2023/1342, retrieved 21 February 2024
  24. ↑ "Municipal Buildings, Stockton c. 1960s". Picture Stockton Archive. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  25. ↑ Historic England. "Town Hall, High Street (1139975)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  26. ↑ "Calendar". Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  27. ↑ "Planning Application 23/0447/FUL, Application Form". Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Retrieved 21 February 2024. "The building is currently used as offices, and had been since its completion in January 1992."
  28. ↑ Metcalfe, Alex (27 July 2022). "New council headquarters for hundreds of workers to begin hosting staff in early 2023". Teesside Live. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  29. ↑ Lightfoot, Gareth (29 December 2023). "Stockton to transform its landscape through 2024". Darlington and Stockton Times. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
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.