Borough of Fylde | |
---|---|
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Constituent country | England |
Region | North West England |
Ceremonial county | Lancashire |
Founded | 1 April 1974 |
Admin. HQ | Lytham St Annes |
Government | |
• Type | Fylde Borough Council |
• MPs: | Mark Menzies |
Area | |
• Total | 64.0 sq mi (165.8 km2) |
• Rank | 173rd |
Population (2021) [2] | |
• Total | 81,374 |
• Rank | 284th |
• Density | 1,300/sq mi (490/km2) |
Time zone | UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (British Summer Time) |
ONS code | 30UF (ONS) E07000119 (GSS) |
Ethnicity | 97.5% White 1.1% S.Asian [3] |
The Borough of Fylde is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. It covers part of the Fylde plain, after which it is named. The council's headquarters are in St Annes. The borough also contains the towns of Kirkham, Lytham and Wesham and surrounding villages and rural areas.
The neighbouring districts are Blackpool, Wyre, Preston, South Ribble and West Lancashire.
The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of three former districts, which were all abolished at the same time: [4]
The district was named Fylde after the coastal plan. [5] It was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. [6]
The coat of arms of the borough bear the motto of the former Fylde Rural District Council, "Gaudeat Ager" from Psalm 96: 'Let the field (Fylde) be joyful' - "Let Fylde Prosper". The armorial bearings comprise a complete Achievement of Arms, that is - shield, crest and helm and mantling, supporters, badge and motto. They reflect the union of the three local authorities in the area: Lytham St Annes Borough Council, Kirkham Urban District Council and Fylde Rural District Council. [7]
Fylde Council | |
---|---|
Type | |
Type | |
History | |
Founded | 1 April 1974 |
Leadership | |
Allan Oldfield since January 2012 [9] | |
Structure | |
Seats | 37 councillors |
Political groups |
|
Elections | |
First past the post | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
Meeting place | |
Town Hall, South Promenade, Lytham St Annes, FY8 1LW | |
Website | |
new |
Fylde Borough Council, which styles itself "Fylde Council", provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Lancashire County Council. Most of the borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government. [10]
The council has been under Conservative majority control since 2003.
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: [11] [12]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
Conservative | 1974–1991 | |
No overall control | 1991–2003 | |
Conservative | 2003–present |
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Fylde. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2010 have been: [13]
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
David Eaves [14] | Conservative | 2010 | Oct 2014 | |
Sue Fazackerley [15] | Conservative | 1 Dec 2014 | Apr 2020 | |
Karen Buckley | Conservative | 20 Jul 2020 |
Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was: [16]
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Conservative | 19 | |
Independent | 14 | |
Labour | 2 | |
Liberal Democrats | 2 | |
Total | 37 |
The Liberal Democrats and 12 of the 14 independent councillors sit together as the "Independent and Liberal Democrats" group. The other two independents are not aligned to any group. [17] The next election is due in 2027.
Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 37 councillors, representing 17 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. [18]
The council is based at Lytham St Annes Town Hall on South Promenade in St Annes. The building was originally a hotel called Southdown Hydro, but was bought in 1925 to serve as a town hall following the merger of the districts of St Annes and Lytham in 1922 to become Lytham St Annes. [19]
Some council departments, including the planning department and an office of the Registrar, were previously located at the former Fylde Rural District Council offices on Derby Road in Wesham, [20] but in 2007 the council vacated this office. It was then used by the NHS North Lancashire Primary Care Trust until around 2013. The building has since been demolished and replaced by a new housing development. [21]
There are 15 civil parishes in Fylde. The parish councils of Kirkham, Medlar-with-Wesham and St Annes-on-the-Sea have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". [22]
Kirkham is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Fylde in Lancashire, England, midway between Blackpool and Preston and adjacent to the town of Wesham. It owes its existence to Carr Hill upon which it was built and which was the location of a Roman fort. At the census of 2011, it had a population 3,304 plus 3,890, giving a total of 7,194. By the census of 2021 the total had risen to 3,217 plus 4,666, giving a total of 7,883.
Lytham St Annes is a seaside town in the Borough of Fylde in Lancashire, England. It is on the Fylde coast, directly south of Blackpool on the Ribble Estuary. The population of the built-up area at the 2021 census was 42,695. The town is made up of the four areas of Lytham, Ansdell, Fairhaven and St Annes-on-the-Sea.
Fylde is a constituency in Lancashire which is represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Mark Menzies, a Conservative.
Wrea Green is a village in the Fylde borough of Lancashire, England. It lies about 2 miles west of Kirkham. Along with the village of Ribby, it forms the civil parish Ribby-with-Wrea.
Kirkham and Wesham railway station serves the Lancashire towns of Kirkham and Wesham, in England. It is managed by Northern Trains, who operate most of the passenger services that call there.
Freckleton is a village and civil parish on the Fylde coast in Lancashire, England, to the south of Kirkham and east of the seaside resort of Lytham St. Annes. In 2001 the parish had a population of 6,045, reducing to 6,019 at the 2011 Census. The village is near Warton, with its links to BAE Systems. Warton Aerodrome's 1.5 miles (2.4 km) runway is partly within Freckleton's boundary. Freckleton has a parish council, and is part of Fylde Borough, and Fylde constituency.
Weeton-with-Preese is a civil parish in the Borough of Fylde in Lancashire, England, beside the Blackpool to Preston railway line and the M55 motorway, just east of Blackpool and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north west of Kirkham. It contains the village of Weeton.
The Fylde is a coastal plain in western Lancashire, England. It is roughly a 13-mile-long (21-kilometre) square-shaped peninsula, bounded by Morecambe Bay to the north, the Ribble estuary to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, and the foot of the Bowland hills to the east which approximates to a section of the M6 motorway and West Coast Main Line.
Elswick is a rural village and civil parish on the Fylde coast of Lancashire, England. At the 2011 Census, it had a population of 1,079.
Medlar-with-Wesham is a civil parish and an electoral ward on the Fylde in Lancashire, England, which contains the town of Wesham. It lies within the Borough of Fylde, and had a population of 3,245 in 1,294 households recorded in the 2001 census rising to 3,584 in 1,511 households, at the 2021 United Kingdom census.
Inskip-with-Sowerby is a civil parish in the Borough of Wyre, in Lancashire, England. A part of the Fylde, the parish includes the village of Inskip and the hamlets Crossmoor to the west and Sowerby to the east. Also Inskip Moss Side lies about a mile north-west of the village at grid reference SD452391. In 2011 it had a population of 840.
Westby-with-Plumptons is a civil parish in Lancashire, England. The parish is in Fylde district and contains the hamlets of Great Plumpton, Little Plumpton, Lower Ballam, Higher Ballam, Moss Side, Peel, and Westby. At the 2011 census, the parish had a population of 1,205. Westby and Plumpton are mentioned in the Domesday Book, as "Westbi" and "Pluntun".
Treales, Roseacre and Wharles is a civil parish in the Borough of Fylde, Lancashire, England. It had a population of 492 at the 2011 Census. It lies two miles east of Kirkham and includes the villages of Bolton Houses, Moor Side, Roseacre, Treales and Wharles.
St Nicholas Church is in the village of Wrea Green, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Kirkham, the archdeaconry of Lancaster and the diocese of Blackburn. Its benefice is combined with those of St Matthew, Ballam and St Michael, Weeton. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.
Treales, Roseacre and Wharles is a civil parish in the Borough of Fylde, Lancashire, England. It contains six buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England as designated listed buildings, all of which are listed at Grade II. This grade is the lowest of the three gradings given to listed buildings and is applied to "buildings of national importance and special interest". The parish contains small settlements, but is mainly rural. The listed buildings consist of dwellings, a public house, a school, and a converted windmill.
The 2023 Fylde Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect councillors to Fylde Borough Council in Lancashire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.