Torbay Council

Last updated

Torbay Council
Coat of arms of Torbay Borough Council.jpg
Coat of arms
Torbay Council logo.svg
Council logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1968
Leadership
Mark Spacagna,
Conservative
since 16 May 2023
David Thomas,
Conservative
since 16 May 2023 [1]
Anne-Marie Bond
since 2021 [2]
Structure
Seats36 councillors
Political groups
Administration (18)
  Conservative (18)
Other parties (18)
  Liberal Democrats (15)
  Independent (3)
Length of term
Whole council elected every four years
Elections
Plurality-at-large
Last election
 4 May 2023
Next election
6 May 2027
Motto
SALUS ET FELICITAS (Health and Happiness)
Meeting place
Torquay.townhall.arp.750pix.jpg
Town Hall, Castle Circus, Torquay, TQ1 3DR
Website
www.torbay.gov.uk

Torbay Council is the local authority for Torbay, a unitary authority with borough status in the ceremonial county of Devon, England. The council is based in Torquay.

Contents

Following the 2023 election the Conservatives had a majority of the seats - however in October 2023 two Conservative members left the party to form a new group, Prosper Torbay. This leaves the Conservative group as a minority, though still in control of the council. [3] The leader of the council is David Thomas.

History

The council was created on 1 April 1968 to govern the county borough of Torbay, which replaced the abolished municipal borough of Torquay, urban districts of Brixham and Paignton and civil parish of Churston Ferrers. The council's formal title on creation in 1968 was the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Torbay", informally known as the corporation or borough council. As a county borough, the council provided all local government services for the area. [4]

Six years later local government was reorganised again, under the Local Government Act 1972. Torbay kept the same boundaries, but on 1 April 1974 it became a non-metropolitan district, with Devon County Council once more providing county-level services to the area. [5] Torbay retained borough status, allowing the council to take the name "Torbay Borough Council" and letting the chair of the council take the title of mayor, continuing Torbay's series of mayors which had started in 1968. [6] [7]

Torbay regained its independence from the county council in 1998 when it was made a unitary authority, since when it has styled itself "Torbay Council". [8] [7] Between 2005 and 2019 the council had a directly elected mayor. Since 2019 political leadership has instead been provided by a leader of the council. [9]

Governance

As a unitary authority, Torbay Council has the responsibilities of both a district council and county council combined. In its capacity as a district council it is a billing authority collecting Council Tax and business rates, and its responsibilities include town planning, housing, waste collection and environmental health. In its capacity as a county council it is a local education authority, and responsible for social services, libraries and waste disposal.

Torbay Council appoints two members to the Devon and Somerset Combined Fire Authority [10] and appoints one member to the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Panel. [11] The Torbay Health and Wellbeing Board is made up of representatives from Torbay Council and other local healthcare organisations. [12]

Political control

The council is under Conservative control following the Conservatives winning a by-election in June 2024 [13] following the death of independent councillor Patrick Joyce. [14] This brought the Conservatives up to eighteen seats and with a tie-breaking casting vote hands of the Conservative mayor. [15] The council had previously been under no overall control after two changes of allegiance in October 2023 saw the Conservatives lose the majority they had won in the May 2023 election. [16]

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows: [17] [18]

Non-metropolitan district

Party in controlYears
Conservative 1974–1990
No overall control 1990–1991
Liberal Democrats 1991–1998

Unitary authority

Party in controlYears
Liberal Democrats 1998–2000
Conservative 2000–2003
Liberal Democrats 2003–2007
Conservative 2007–2019
No overall control 2019–May 2023
Conservative May 2023–Oct 2023
No overall control Oct 2023–2024
Conservative 2024–present

Leadership

Prior to 2005, political leadership was provided by the leader of the council. The leader from 2003 to 2005 was: [19]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Chris Harris Liberal Democrats 15 May 200323 Oct 2005

Between 2005 and 2019 the council had a directly elected mayor. The mayors were:

MayorPartyFromTo
Nick Bye [20] Conservative 24 Oct 20058 May 2011
Gordon Oliver [21] Conservative 9 May 20115 May 2019

In 2019 the council reverted to having a leader instead of a directly elected mayor. The leaders since 2019 have been: [19]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Steve Darling Liberal Democrats 28 May 201916 May 2023
David Thomas Conservative 16 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2023 election, [22] [16] two subsequent changes of allegiance in October 2023, and a by-election in June 2023, [13] the composition of the council is:

PartyCouncillors
Conservative 18
Liberal Democrats 15
Independent 3
Total36

Two of the independent councillors sit together as the "Independent Group." [23] The next election is due in 2027 where all seats will be contested.

Premises

The council is based at Torquay Town Hall on Castle Circus, which had been completed in 1911 for the former Torquay Town Council. [24] [25]

On its creation in 1968 the council also inherited the former Paignton Urban District Council's headquarters at Oldway Mansion and the former Brixham Urban District Council's headquarters at Brixham Town Hall. Oldway Mansion was used as additional office space for the council until 2013. [26] Brixham Town Hall was transferred to Brixham Town Council in 2011. [27]

Elections

Torbay Council wards Torbay Council wards.svg
Torbay Council wards

Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 36 councillors representing 16 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torquay</span> Town in Devon, England

Torquay is a seaside town in Devon, England, part of the unitary authority area of Torbay. It lies 18 miles (29 km) south of the county town of Exeter and 28 miles (45 km) east-north-east of Plymouth, on the north of Tor Bay, adjoining the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay and across from the fishing port of Brixham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brixham</span> Town in Devon, England

Brixham is a coastal town and civil parish in the borough of Torbay in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England. As of the 2021 census, Brixham had a population of 16,825. It is one of the main three centres of the borough, along with Paignton and Torquay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torbay</span> Borough in Devon, England

Torbay is a unitary authority with a borough status in the ceremonial county of Devon, England. It is governed by Torbay Council, based in the town of Torquay, and also includes the towns of Paignton and Brixham. The borough consists of 24.27 sq mi (62.9 km2) of land around the east-facing Tor Bay, part of Lyme Bay on the English Channel. A popular tourist destination, Torbay's sandy beaches, mild climate and recreational and leisure attractions have given rise to its nickname of the English Riviera. The neighbouring districts are South Hams and Teignbridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paignton</span> Seaside town in Devon, England

Paignton is a seaside town on the coast of Tor Bay in Devon, England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the borough of Torbay which was created in 1968. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton has origins as a Celtic settlement and was first mentioned in 1086. It grew as a small fishing village and a new harbour was built in 1847. A railway line was opened to passengers in 1859 creating links to Torquay and London. As its population increased, it merged with the villages of Goodrington and Preston. Paignton is around 25 miles (40 km) north east of Plymouth and 20 miles (32 km) south of Exeter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oldway Mansion</span> Mansion in Paignton England completed 1870s

Oldway Mansion is a large house and gardens in Paignton, Devon, England. It was built as a private residence for Isaac Singer (1811–1875), and rebuilt by his son Paris Singer, in the style of the Palace of Versailles.

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

Bedford Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Bedford, a local government district in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. The town of Bedford was a borough from at least the 12th century until 1974, when the modern district was created. It covers a largely rural surrounding area as well as the town itself. The modern council was initially called Bedford District Council from 1974 to 1975, then North Bedfordshire Borough Council from 1975 until 1992, when the current name was adopted. Until 2009 it was a lower-tier district council, with county-level services provided by Bedfordshire County Council. The county council was abolished in 2009, since when Bedford Borough Council has been a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torbay (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1974 onwards

Torbay is a constituency in Devon represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Steve Darling, a Liberal Democrat. He defeated Kevin Foster of the Conservative Party, who had held the seat since 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicester City Council</span> Unitary authority in Leicester, England

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Torbay Council is the local authority for the unitary authority of Torbay in Devon, England. Until 1 April 1998 it was a non-metropolitan district. From 2005 to 2019 it had a directly elected mayor. The council is elected every four years.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Churston Ferrers</span> Village in Devon, England

Churston Ferrers is an area and former civil parish, in the borough of Torbay, Devon, England, situated between the south coast towns of Paignton and Brixham. Today it is administered by local government as the Churston-with-Galmpton ward of the Torbay unitary authority. It contains the coastal village of Churston, the now larger village of Galmpton and the Broadsands area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devon County Council</span> British administrative authority

Devon County Council is the county council administering the non-metropolitan county of Devon, England. The non-metropolitan county is smaller than the ceremonial county; the latter additionally includes Plymouth and Torbay. The population of the non-metropolitan county was estimated at 795,286 in 2018, making it the largest local authority in South West England. The council has been under Conservative majority control since 2009. It is based at County Hall in Exeter.

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References

  1. ↑ "Council minutes, 16 May 2023". Torbay Council. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  2. ↑ "Council formally confirms Anne-Marie Bond as new Chief Executive". Torbay Council. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "Councillors quit Tory party and form new group". BBC News. 26 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  4. ↑ Smith, R. J. D. (1 April 1968). "Torbay Borough starts with a history: Story of the foundation of the new borough". Herald Express. Torquay. p. 1968. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
  6. ↑ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . 28 March 1974. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Council History - Torbay Council". torbay.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 26 December 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  8. ↑ "The Devon (City of Plymouth and Borough of Torbay) Structural Change) Order 1996", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1996/1865, retrieved 3 August 2023
  9. ↑ "Torbay mayor and cabinet system scrapped in referendum". BBC News. 8 May 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority".
  11. ↑ Council, Torbay (17 June 2019). "Outside bodies – Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Panel". Government of the United Kingdom.
  12. ↑ "Torbay Health and Wellbeing Board created | Torquay Herald Express". www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  13. 1 2 Davis, Miles (15 April 2024). "Conservatives win key Torbay Council by-election". BBC News . Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  14. ↑ Davis, Miles (15 April 2024). "Death of 'passionate' Torbay councillor prompts tributes". BBC News . Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  15. ↑ Henderson, Guy (7 June 2024). "Tories back in control of Torbay Council". Radio Exe Devon. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  16. 1 2 Boothroyd, David (29 October 2023). "The home of lost causes and forsaken beliefs". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  17. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  18. ↑ "Torbay". BBC News Online . Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  19. 1 2 "Council minutes". Torbay Council. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  20. ↑ "Torbay Mayor Nick Bye loses local Conservative support". BBC News. 26 November 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  21. ↑ "Gordon Oliver remains Torbay Mayor". ITV News. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  22. ↑ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  23. ↑ "Your councillors". Torbay Council. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  24. ↑ Historic England. "The Town Hall (1208247)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  25. ↑ "Contact us". Torbay Council. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  26. ↑ Oldfield, Edward (28 January 2019). "Rescue plan drawn up to secure future of Oldway Mansion". Devon Live. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  27. ↑ "Transfer of Brixham Town Hall to Brixham Town Council". Torbay Council. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  28. ↑ "The Torbay (Electoral Changes) Order 2018", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2018/740, retrieved 15 August 2023
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