Blackpool Council

Last updated

Blackpool Council
Coat of arms of Blackpool Borough Council.png
Blackpool Council.svg
Type
Type
Leadership
Peter Hunter,
Labour
since 15 May 2024 [1]
Lynn Williams,
Labour
since 20 July 2020 [2]
Neil Jack
since 21 July 2011 [3]
Structure
Seats42 councillors [4]
Political groups
Administration (27)
  Labour (28)
Opposition (15)
  Conservative (14)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
Plurality-at-large [lower-alpha 1]
Last election
 4 May 2023
Next election
6 May 2027
Motto
Progress
Meeting place
Blackpool Town Hall - DSC07226.JPG
Town Hall, Talbot Square, Blackpool, FY1 1GB
Website
blackpool.gov.uk

Blackpool Council is the local authority of the Borough of Blackpool, Lancashire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a county council and district council combined.

Contents

History

Blackpool's first elected local authority was the Layton with Warbreck Local Board, established in 1851 and named after the historic township that included the nascent town of Blackpool. [5] The board was renamed the Blackpool Local Board in 1868. [6] In 1876 the district was elevated to become a municipal borough, governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Blackpool", but generally known as the corporation or town council. [7]

From 1904 to 1974, Blackpool was a county borough, independent from Lancashire County Council. [8] Under the Local Government Act 1972 Blackpool was reconstituted as a non-metropolitan district, with the county council providing services to the town again. [9] Blackpool became a unitary authority on 1 April 1998, regaining its independence from Lancashire County Council. [10]

Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since the 2023 election.

The first election to the council as reformed by the Local Government Act 1972 was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: [11] [12]

Non-metropolitan district

Party in controlYears
Conservative 1974–1987
No overall control 1987–1991
Labour 1991–1998

Unitary authority

Party in controlYears
Labour 1998–2007
Conservative 2007–2011
Labour 2011–2021
No overall control 2021–2023
Labour 2023–present

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Blackpool. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1991 have been: [13]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Ivan Taylor [14] Labour 19915 Jun 2000
George Bancroft [15] Labour 12 Jul 200011 Jul 2001
Roy Fisher [16] Labour Aug 20016 May 2007
Peter Callow Conservative 21 May 200723 May 2011
Simon Blackburn Labour 23 May 2011Jun 2020
Lynn Williams Labour 20 Jul 2020

Composition

Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was as follows: [17]

PartyCouncillors
Labour 28
Conservative 14
Total42

The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 42 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing two councillors. The whole council is elected together every four years. [18] The wards are listed at List of electoral wards in Lancashire#Blackpool.

Premises

The council is based at Blackpool Town Hall on Talbot Square. The building was built in 1900. [19]

Notes

  1. ↑ First-past-the-post used in by-elections.

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References

  1. ↑ Parkinson, Shelagh (15 May 2024). "I'm honoured to be Mayor of the country's number one seaside town Blackpool". The Gazette. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  2. ↑ "Council minutes, 20 July 2020" (PDF). Blackpool Council. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  3. ↑ "Chief executive changes in Blackpool and West Lancashire". Inside Media. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Blackpool Council political make-up".
  5. ↑ "No. 21259". The London Gazette . 4 November 1851. p. 2869.
  6. ↑ Cunningham Glen, W. (1869). The Law relating to Public Health and Local Government. London: Butterworths. p. 746. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  7. ↑ Farrer, William; Brownbill, J. (1912). A History of the County of Lancaster. London: Victoria County History. pp. 247–251. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  8. ↑ "Lancashire Record Office: What's in it for Blackpool?" (PDF). Lancashire County Council. November 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  9. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 23 August 2022
  10. ↑ "The Lancashire (Boroughs of Blackburn and Blackpool) (Structural Change) Order 1996", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1996/1868, retrieved 22 August 2022
  11. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  12. ↑ "Blackpool". BBC News Online . Retrieved 26 September 2009.
  13. ↑ "Council minutes". Blackpool Council. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  14. ↑ "Labour 'ship' now rudderless - Tory". Lancashire Telegraph. 9 June 2000. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  15. ↑ "Blackpool mourns leader". Lancashire Telegraph. 13 July 2001. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  16. ↑ "Borough chief to retire early". Lancashire Telegraph. 1 August 2001. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  17. ↑ "Local elections 2023: full council results for England". The Guardian. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  18. ↑ "The Blackpool (Electoral Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2022/1373, retrieved 20 May 2023
  19. ↑ Historic England. "Town Hall, Blackpool (1205893)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 20 May 2023.
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