Breckland District | |
---|---|
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Constituent country | England |
Region | East of England |
Non-metropolitan county | Norfolk |
Status | Non-metropolitan district |
Admin HQ | Dereham |
Incorporated | 1 April 1974 |
Government | |
• Type | Non-metropolitan district council |
• Body | Breckland District Council |
• MPs | George Freeman Liz Truss |
Area | |
• Total | 1,035.1 km2 (399.7 sq mi) |
• Rank | 17th (of 296) |
Population (2021) | |
• Total | 142,164 |
• Rank | 158th (of 296) |
• Density | 140/km2 (360/sq mi) |
Ethnicity (2021) | |
• Ethnic groups | |
Religion (2021) | |
• Religion | List
|
Time zone | UTC0 (GMT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
ONS code | 33UB (ONS) E07000143 (GSS) |
OS grid reference | TG018081 |
Breckland is a local government district in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in Dereham, although the largest town is Thetford. The district also includes the towns of Attleborough, Swaffham and Watton, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas.
The district derives its name from the Breckland landscape region, a gorse-covered sandy heath of south Norfolk and north Suffolk. The term "Breckland" dates back to at least the 13th century.
The neighbouring districts are King's Lynn and West Norfolk, North Norfolk, Broadland, South Norfolk, Mid Suffolk and West Suffolk.
The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering six former districts which were all abolished at the same time: [2]
The new district was named Breckland after the distinctive landscape which covers parts of the area. [3] The name was chosen following a competition organised by the outgoing authorities which invited local schools, organisations and individuals to put forward suggested names. [4]
Breckland Council | |
---|---|
Type | |
Type | |
Leadership | |
Maxine O'Mahony since 2021 [6] | |
Structure | |
Seats | 49 councillors |
Political groups |
|
Elections | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
Meeting place | |
Elizabeth House, Walpole Loke, Dereham, NR19 1EE | |
Website | |
www |
Breckland District Council, which styles itself "Breckland Council", provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Norfolk County Council. The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government. [7] [8]
The council has been under Conservative majority control since 1999.
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: [9]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
No overall control | 1974–1979 | |
Conservative | 1979–1995 | |
No overall control | 1995–1999 | |
Conservative | 1999–present |
The leaders of the council since 1998 have been: [10]
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cliff Jordan [11] | Conservative | 1998 | 2005 | |
William Nunn [12] | Conservative | 2005 | 5 Sep 2013 | |
Michael Wassell [13] [14] | Conservative | 11 Sep 2013 | 31 Mar 2016 | |
William Nunn [15] [16] | Conservative | 31 Mar 2016 | 16 May 2019 | |
Sam Chapman-Allen | Conservative | 16 May 2019 |
Following the 2023 election the composition of the council was: [17]
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Conservative | 30 | |
Labour | 12 | |
Independent | 5 | |
Liberal Democrats | 1 | |
Green | 1 | |
Total | 49 |
The next election is due in 2027.
Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the council has comprised 49 councillors representing 27 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. [18]
Although the UK Youth Parliament is an apolitical organisation, the elections are run in a way similar to that of the Local Elections. The votes come from 11 to 18 year olds and are combined to make the decision of the next, 2 year Member of Youth Parliament. The elections are run at different times across the country with Breckland's typically being in early Spring and bi-annually. [19] [20] [21]
The council has its headquarters at Elizabeth House, a modern office building on the edge of Dereham; the council moved its main offices there in 2003. [22] Prior to that it had been based at the Guildhall on St Withburga Lane in Dereham, which had previously been the offices of Mitford and Launditch Rural District Council, one of the council's predecessors. [23] [24]
The council also maintains an area office at Breckland House on St Nicholas Street in Thetford, which was completed in 1992 and formally opened on 20 May 1993 by Elizabeth II. [25] [26]
The district is entirely divided into 113 civil parishes. The parish councils for Attleborough, Dereham, Swaffham, Thetford and Watton have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council. The parishes are: [27]
Swaffham is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District and English county of Norfolk. It is situated 12 miles east of King's Lynn and 31 miles west of Norwich.
King's Lynn and West Norfolk is a local government district with borough status in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in the town of King's Lynn. The district also includes the towns of Downham Market and Hunstanton, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The population of the district at the 2021 census was 154,325.
Attleborough is a market town and civil parish located on the A11 between Norwich and Thetford in Norfolk, England. The parish is in the district of Breckland and has an area of 21.9 square kilometres (8.5 sq mi).
South West Norfolk is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Liz Truss of the Conservative Party, who briefly served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from September to October 2022.
Mid Norfolk is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by George Freeman, a Conservative.
derham is a market town in the district of Breckland in the English county of Norfolk, about 25 miles (40 km) west-southwest of Norwich and 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Thetford. The annual Wayland Agricultural Show in its west is one of the oldest one-day such shows in England.
Bawdeswell is a small rural village and civil parish in Norfolk, England. At the time of the 2011 census it had a population of 828 and an area of 487 hectares. The village is situated almost in the centre of Norfolk about 14 miles (23 km) northwest of Norwich. For the purposes of local government it falls within the Upper Wensum Ward of Breckland District Council and the Elmham and Mattishall Division of Norfolk County Council. It is on a Roman road that ran east–west between Durobrivae near modern Peterborough and Smallburgh, crossing the Fen Causeway.
Litcham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated some 10 km (6.2 mi) north-east of the town of Swaffham and 40 km (25 mi) west of the city of Norwich. The village is located on the B1145 a route which runs between King's Lynn and Mundesley.
Norfolk County Council in England is elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2005, 84 councillors have been elected from 84 wards.
North Pickenham is a village in the Breckland district of mid-Norfolk, East Anglia, England. It lies three miles from the Georgian market town of Swaffham.
Little Cressingham lies 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south east by road from Great Cressingham, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Watton and 8 miles (13 km) south of Swaffham in the Breckland District of Norfolk. It covers an area of 11.90 km2 (4.59 sq mi) and had a population of 157 in 70 households at the 2001 census It is in the civil parish of Great Cressingham. The village is located on the edge of the Stanford Battle Area.
East Tuddenham is a village in the English county of Norfolk. The village is located 5.6 miles (9.0 km) south-west of Dereham and 9.5 miles (15.3 km) north-west of Norwich and is bisected by the A47 between Birmingham and Lowestoft.
The Norfolk County Council election took place on 4 June 2009, coinciding with local elections for all county councils in England.
The Bury and Thetford, also known as the Crab and Winkle Line, was a railway line in England. It was formed of the Watton and Swaffham Railway, founded in 1866 as an independent venture by the Thetford and Watton Railway Company. Freight services commenced in January 1869, with passenger services in October 1869. The line ran from Thetford, via Watton to a junction with the Lynn and Dereham Railway at Swaffham and was completed in 1875. The extension to Swaffham cost £72,000,
The 2019 Breckland District Council election took place on 2 May 2019 to elect members of Breckland District Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections. The boundaries for this election were the same as those used in 2015.
The 2023 Breckland District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Breckland District Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections. The boundaries for this election were the same as those used in 2015 and 2019.