Wirral_Metropolitan_Borough_Council

Wirral Council

Wirral Council

Local authority in England

Wirral Council (or Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in full) is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. Wirral is a metropolitan borough, one of five in Merseyside, and provides the majority of local government services in Wirral. The council is a constituent member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Quick Facts Type, Leadership ...

History

The metropolitan district of Wirral was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the area of five former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[5][6]

The two county boroughs, Birkenhead and Wallasey, had provided all local government services in their areas. The other three districts had been lower-tier authorities with Cheshire County Council providing county-level services. The new Wirral district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[7]

Wirral was initially a district-level authority, with Merseyside County Council providing county-level services. However, the metropolitan county councils, including Merseyside County Council, were abolished in 1986 under the Local Government Act 1985. Since 1986 Wirral Council has therefore been responsible for most local government functions.[8]

The council has been a constituent member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority since 2014, which has been led by the directly-elected Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region since 2017.[9]

Political control

The council has been under no overall control since 2019, being led by a Labour minority administration.

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:[10][11]

More information Party in Control, Years ...

Leadership

The role of Mayor of Wirral (also termed the "Civic Mayor" to distinguish it from the Metro Mayor) is largely ceremonial. They represent the borough at civic functions, support local charities and chair council meetings. They are expected to be politically impartial whilst they hold the post, although they do get a casting vote in the event of a tie.[12]

Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1973 have been:[13]

More information Councillor, Image ...

Composition

Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was:[16]

More information Party, Councillors ...

The next election is due in 2027.

Premises

The council is based at Birkenhead Town Hall, completed in 1887 for the former Birkenhead Borough Council.[17] The council had been based at Wallasey Town Hall until 2023.

Elections

See also: Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2004, the council has comprised 66 councillors representing 22 wards, with each ward electing three councillors.[18] The whole council is elected together every four years from 2023 onwards, having previously been elected a third of the council at a time.[19]

Wards and councillors

Each ward is represented by three councillors.[20]

More information Parliamentary constituency, Ward ...

Political makeup

Only four parties have won seats to Council: Conservative, Green, Labour and Liberal Democrat (and its predecessors). All other political representation has come via changes in affiliation.

More information Year, Con ...

Party leaders

More information Year, Con ...

Notes

  1. [n 1]
    Expelled from the Labour Party in November 2021.[21] Joined Green Party in March 2022.[22]

References

  1. [1]
    "Cllr Jerry Williams takes the chains of office as Wirral's new Mayor for 2023–24". Wirral View. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  2. [2]
    "Wirral Council leader deposed by her deputy in dramatic coup". 10 May 2023.
  3. [3]
    "Council minutes, 23 October 2019". Wirral Council. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  4. [4]
    "Councillors". www.wirral.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  5. [5]
    "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 18 June 2023
  6. [6]
    "The Metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/137, retrieved 18 June 2023
  7. [7]
    "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  8. [8]
    "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 18 June 2023
  9. [9]
    "Proposal to establish a combined authority for Greater Merseyside" (PDF). Department for Communities and Local Government. November 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  10. [10]
    "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  11. [11]
    "Wirral". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
  12. [12]
    "Mayor of Wirral". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  13. [13]
    "Council minutes". Wirral Council. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  14. [14]
    Manning, Craig (29 September 2020). "Wirral Council appoints first female leader in 30 years". Wirral Globe. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  15. [15]
    Barnes, Edward (24 May 2023). "Tensions erupt as Wirral Council elects new leader". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  16. [16]
    "Local elections 2023: full council results for England". The Guardian. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  17. [17]
    "Council offices". Wirral Council. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  18. [18]
    "The Borough of Wirral (Electoral Changes) Order 2003", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2003/1980, retrieved 18 June 2023
  19. [19]
    Morgan, George (21 March 2022). "Five things we learnt from crucial Wirral Council meeting". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  20. [20]
    "Your Councillors by Ward". www.wirral.gov.uk. Wirral Council. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  21. [21]
    BBC News (22 November 2021). "Wirral councillor Jo Bird expelled by Labour party over banned group". BBC News. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  22. [22]
    "Former Labour Councillor Jo Bird Joins Green Party". Wirral Green Party. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  23. [23]
    "Council compositions". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  24. [24]
    "Lib Dem councillor switches sides". Wirral Globe. 17 June 1998. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  25. [25]
    "Second councillor quits". Wirral Globe. 12 February 2002. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  26. [26]
    "Local Election - 02 May 2002". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  27. [27]
    "Local Election - 01 May 2003". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  28. [28]
    "Local Election - 10 June 2004". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  29. [29]
    "'No respect for mayor'". Wirral Globe.
  30. [30]
    "Why I jumped ship to join the Tories". Wirral Globe.
  31. [31]
    "Local Election - 4 May 2006". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  32. [32]
    "Local Election - 03 May 2007". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  33. [33]
    "Councillors also have a 'third duty'".
  34. [34]
    "Another one bites the dust". Wirral Globe.
  35. [35]
    "Election Result for 1 May 2008 2002". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  36. [36]
    "BREAKING NEWS: Labour councillor Denis Knowles quits and joins Tories at Wallasey Town Hall". Wirral Globe.
  37. [37]
    "Election Result for 6 May 2010". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  38. [38]
    "Election Result for 5 May 2011". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  39. [39]
    "Wirral Lib Dem Steve Niblock defects to Labour Party". BBC News.
  40. [40]
    "Election Result for 3 May 2012". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  41. [41]
    "Conservative victory in Wirral by-elections". Wirral Globe.
  42. [42]
    "UPDATED: Labour victory in Wirral Council by-election". Wirral Globe.
  43. [43]
    "Wirral councillor Mark Johnson quits Liberal Democrat Party". Liverpool Echo.
  44. [44]
    "Election Result for 22 May 2014". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  45. [45]
    "Election Result for 7 May 2015". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  46. [46]
    "Seven things to talk about after the Wirral local elections". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  47. [47]
    "Election results by party, Local election - Thursday, 5th May 2016". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. 5 May 2016.
  48. [48]
    "Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council Election 2018 Results". BBC News.
  49. [49]
    "Wirral councillor quits party blaming hard left 'parasites'". Labour Uncut. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  50. [50]
    "Senior Labour politician quits party after 40 years citing 'absolute aggression' of 'hard-left clique'". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  51. [51]
    Houghton, Tom (12 February 2019). "Yet ANOTHER top Labour politician quits party - blaming 'hard-left' takeover". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  52. [52]
    Houghton, Tom (18 March 2019). "Labour Councillor of more than 30 years latest to quit party and slam 'hard-left' takeover". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  53. [53]
    Houghton, Tom (10 April 2019). "Wirral politician booted out of Labour after campaigning for rival party". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  54. [54]
    "Composition of Wirral Council following the local elections on Thursday 2 May 2019". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. 3 May 2019. Archived from the original on 23 June 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  55. [55]
    "Councillors". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  56. [56]
    "Councillors". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  57. [57]
    "Councillors". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  58. [58]
    "Councillors". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  59. [59]
    "Councillors". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  60. [60]
    "Your Councillors". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  61. [61]
    Barnes, Edward (5 April 2023). "Local elections 2023: All the candidates you can vote for in Wirral". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  62. [62]
    "Your Councillors". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  63. [63]
    "Your Councillors". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  64. [64]
    "Local election - Thursday, 4th May 2023". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Wirral_Metropolitan_Borough_Council, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.