Bedford Borough Council
Bedford Borough Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Laura Church since October 2021 | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 47 (46 councillors plus mayor) |
 | |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | Executive mayor elected every four years Whole council elected every four years |
| Elections | |
| Plurality-at-large | |
| First-past-the-post[1] | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AP | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Bedford Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. The executive of the council is the directly elected mayor of Bedford. It is a member of the East of England Local Government Association.
The council was founded in 1974 as Bedford District Council, being renamed North Bedfordshire Borough Council in 1975. In 1992 it changed its name again to become Bedford Borough Council. Until 2009 it was a lower-tier district council, with county-level services provided by Bedfordshire County Council. On 1 April 2009, the Bedfordshire County Council ceased to exist, at which point Bedford Borough Council became a unitary authority.
Political control[edit]
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 1 April 1974. Political control since 1974 has been as follows:[3][4][5]
Non-metropolitan district
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| No overall control | 1974–1976 | |
| Conservative | 1976–1986 | |
| No overall control | 1986–2009 | |
Unitary authority
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| No overall control | 2009–present | |
Leadership[edit]
Bedford Borough Council is one of a relatively small number of councils in England to have a directly-elected mayor as its political leader, having chosen to move to directly-elected mayors following a referendum in 2002.[6] The mayors of Bedford since 2002 have been:
| Mayor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Branston | Independent | 21 Oct 2002 | 14 Aug 2009 | |
| Dave Hodgson | Liberal Democrats | 19 Oct 2009 | 8 May 2023 | |
| Tom Wootton | Conservative | 9 May 2023 | ||
Composition[edit]
The council comprises 46 councillors plus the elected mayor. Following the 2023 election and a subsequent by-election in June 2023 and change of allegiance in November 2023, the composition of the council is as follows:[7][8]
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 15 | |
| Labour | 13 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 13 | |
| Green | 3 | |
| Independent | 3 | |
| Total | 47 | |
The next election is due to be held in 2027.
Premises[edit]
From 1892 the old Bedford Borough Council was based at the Town Hall in St Paul's Square, which had previously been part of Bedford School, with parts of the building dating back to c. 1550. The town hall passed to the new council on local government reorganisation in 1974. Following the abolition of Bedfordshire County Council in 2009, Bedford Borough Council took over the old County Hall on Cauldwell Street, renaming it Borough Hall.
Arms[edit]
Bedford has been granted two distinct coats of arms. The first is per pale Argent and Gules a fess Azure, and the second Argent an eagle displayed wings inverted and head turned towards the sinister Sable ducally crowned and surmounted by a castle of three tiers Or.[9]
Elections[edit]
Since the last boundary changes in 2023, the council has comprised 46 councillors, elected from 28 wards. Council and mayoral elections are held together every four years.[10]
References[edit]
- ^ "Changes to the voting system for mayoral and PCC elections". www.electoralcommission.org.uk.
- ^ "Your Councillors". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Bedford". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
- ^ "Bedford". BBC News Online. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
- ^ Parker, Simon (22 February 2002). "Bedford wants a mayor". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ "Bedford election result". BBC News. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ Hutchinson, Paul (3 November 2023). "Bedford Borough Councillor resigns from party over Gaza conflict". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- ^ "The Bedford (Electoral Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2022/268, retrieved 11 May 2023
External links[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
