Harlow District Council | |
---|---|
Type | |
Type | |
History | |
Founded | 1 April 1974 |
Leadership | |
Andrew Bramidge since 16 December 2022 [3] | |
Structure | |
Seats | 33 |
Political groups |
|
Elections | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 2024 |
Meeting place | |
Harlow Civic Centre, The Water Gardens, College Square, Harlow, CM20 1WG | |
Website | |
www |
Harlow District Council is the local authority for Harlow in Essex, England. Harlow is a non-metropolitan district, covering just the town of Harlow itself. The council generally styles itself Harlow Council.
The neighbouring districts are Epping Forest District and East Hertfordshire.
Harlow was designated a new town on 25 March 1947. [4] The area for the new town was within the Epping Rural District at the time it was designated, and broadly covered the parishes of Harlow, Latton, Netteswell, Great Parndon, and Little Parndon. As work on the new town got underway the smaller parishes were abolished in stages. On 1 April 1949 Latton was absorbed into Harlow parish and Little Parndon was absorbed into Netteswell parish. On 1 April 1955, the three remaining parishes of Harlow, Great Parndon and Netteswell were merged into a single parish called Harlow, with some adjustments to the boundaries with neighbouring parishes of Epping Upland, Matching, North Weald Bassett, Roydon and Sheering, so as to bring the development area into a single parish. [5] On the same date the enlarged Harlow parish was made an urban district, making it independent from Epping Rural District. [6]
Urban districts were abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. A new non-metropolitan district called Harlow was created covering the same area as the former Harlow Urban District. [7] [8]
Harlow Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Essex County Council. [9] There are no civil parishes in Harlow; the entire district is an unparished area. [10]
The council has been under Conservative control since the 2021 election. [11]
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: [12] [13]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 1974–2002 | |
No overall control | 2002–2008 | |
Conservative | 2008–2012 | |
Labour | 2012–2021 | |
Conservative | 2021–present |
The leaders of the council since 2008 have been: [14]
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Andrew Johnson | Conservative | 2008 | 24 May 2012 | |
Mark Wilkinson | Labour | 24 May 2012 | 12 Jun 2014 | |
Jon Clempner | Labour | 12 Jun 2014 | 11 Jan 2018 | |
Emma Toal | Labour | 1 Feb 2018 | 24 May 2018 | |
Mark Ingall | Labour | 24 May 2018 | 9 May 2021 | |
Andrew Johnson [15] | Conservative | 20 May 2021 | 4 Oct 2021 | |
Russell Perrin [16] | Conservative | 28 Oct 2021 | 25 May 2023 | |
Dan Swords [17] | Conservative | 25 May 2023 |
Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was: [18]
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Conservative | 21 | |
Labour | 12 | |
Total | 33 |
The next election is due in 2024.
The council was initially based at the Town Hall, a tower block on The High in the town centre, which had been completed in 1960 for the old Harlow Urban District Council. [19] In 2004 the council moved to Harlow Civic Centre as part of a wider retail development around the town's Water Gardens. The new building was formally opened in May 2004 by Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester. [20] The old Town Hall was demolished shortly afterwards.
Since the last boundary changes in 2002, 33 councillors have been elected from 11 wards. Elections are held three years out of every four for a third of the council at a time. Election to Essex County Council are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no district council elections. [21]
Welwyn Hatfield is a local government district with borough status in the county of Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Welwyn Garden City. The borough borders Hertsmere, St Albans, North Hertfordshire, East Hertfordshire, Broxbourne, and the London Borough of Enfield.
Harlow is a town and local government district located in the west of Essex, England. Founded as a new town, it is situated on the border with Hertfordshire, Harlow occupies a large area of land on the south bank of the upper Stort Valley, which has been made navigable through other towns and features a canal section near its watermill.
Castle Point is a local government district with borough status in south Essex, England, lying around 30 miles (48 km) east of London. The borough comprises the towns of South Benfleet, Hadleigh and Thundersley on the mainland, and the adjoining Canvey Island in the Thames Estuary, which is connected to the mainland by bridges.
Uttlesford is a local government district in Essex, England. Its council is based in the town of Saffron Walden. The district also includes the town of Great Dunmow and numerous villages, including Stansted Mountfitchet, Takeley, Elsenham, Thaxted, and Newport. The district covers a largely rural area in the north-west of Essex. London Stansted Airport lies within the district.
Tendring District is a local government district in north-east Essex, England. Its council is based in Clacton-on-Sea, the largest town. Other towns are Brightlingsea, Harwich, Frinton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze.
The Borough of Broxbourne is a local government district with borough status in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Cheshunt. Other settlements in the borough include Broxbourne, Hoddesdon and Waltham Cross. The eastern boundary of the district is the River Lea. The borough covers 20 square miles (52 km2) in south east Hertfordshire, and had an estimated population of 99,000 in 2021.
East Hertfordshire is one of ten local government districts in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Hertford, the county town of Hertfordshire. The largest town in the district is Bishop's Stortford, and the other main towns are Ware, Buntingford and Sawbridgeworth. At the 2011 Census, the population of the district was 137,687. By area it is the largest of the ten local government districts in Hertfordshire. The district borders North Hertfordshire, Stevenage, Welwyn Hatfield and Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, and Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford in Essex.
Braintree District is a local government district in Essex, England. The district is named after the town of Braintree, where the council is based. The district also includes the towns of Halstead and Witham and surrounding rural areas.
The City of Colchester is a local government district with city status in Essex, England, named after its main settlement, Colchester. The district also includes the towns of West Mersea and Wivenhoe and the surrounding rural areas stretching from Dedham Vale on the Suffolk border in the north to Mersea Island in the Colne Estuary in the south.
Epping Forest District is a local government district in Essex, England. It is named after the ancient woodland of Epping Forest, a large part of which lies within the district. The district covers northeastern parts of the urban area of London, including the suburban towns of Epping, Loughton, Waltham Abbey, Chigwell, and Buckhurst Hill, as well as rural areas beyond it. The district is situated in the west of the county, bordering north-eastern Greater London.
The Borough of Basildon is a local government district with borough status in Essex, England. It is named after its largest town, Basildon, where the council is based. The borough also includes the towns of Billericay and Wickford and surrounding rural areas.
Rochford is a local government district in Essex, England. It is named after one of its main settlements, Rochford, where the council is based. The largest town in the district is Rayleigh. Other places in the district include Hockley, Ashingdon, Great Wakering, Canewdon and Hullbridge.
The City of Chelmsford is a local government district with borough and city status in Essex, England. It is named after its main settlement, Chelmsford, which is also the county town of Essex. As well as the settlement of Chelmsford itself, the district also includes the surrounding rural area and the town of South Woodham Ferrers.
The Borough of Brentwood is a local government district with borough status in Essex, England. The borough is named after its main town of Brentwood, where the council is based; it includes several villages and the surrounding rural area.
Mansfield District is a local government district in Nottinghamshire, England. It is named after the town of Mansfield, where the council is based. The district also contains Mansfield Woodhouse and Warsop.
Epping and Ongar Rural District was a rural district in the county of Essex, England from 1955 to 1974.
Epping is a market town and civil parish in the Epping Forest District of Essex, England. Part of the metropolitan and urban area of London, it is 17 miles (30 km) north-east of Charing Cross. It is surrounded by the northern end of Epping Forest, and on a ridge of land between the River Roding and River Lea valleys.
The 1996 Harlow District Council election took place on 2 May 1996 to elect members of Harlow District Council in Essex, England. This was on the same day as other local elections. The Labour Party retained control of the council, which it had held continuously since the council's creation in 1973.
The 2023 Harlow District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Harlow District Council in Essex, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England. One third of the council was up for election.