Breckland District

Breckland District was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the municipal borough of Thetford, East Dereham Urban District, Swaffham Urban District, Wayland Rural District, Mitford and Launditch Rural District, and Swaffham Rural District.

Swaffham, the fourth-largest settlement in the district

The Council consists of 49 Councillors elected every four years, the last election being May 2019.

It is currently controlled by the Conservative Party who won 37 of the 49 seats on the council at the last election.

Leader of the Council

The Leader since May 2019 is Sam Chapman-Allen (Conservative) (Forest Ward).

The Deputy Leader since May 2023 is Sarah Suggitt (Conservative) (All Saints and Wayland Ward)

UK Youth Parliament

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.

The current Member of Youth Parliament for Breckland is Jake Dorman MYP.[2][3][4]

Watton, the fifth-largest settlement in the district

The council is entirely parished, and is made up of 113 civil parishes. At the time of the 2001 census, the district had an area of 1,305 km² (504 sq mi), with a population of 121,418 in 50,715 households.[5]

The council contains the following civil parishes:

• Ashill, Attleborough
• Banham, Bawdeswell, Beachamwell, Beeston with Bittering,[6] Beetley, Besthorpe, Billingford, Bintree, Blo' Norton, Bradenham, Brettenham, Bridgham, Brisley, Bylaugh
• Carbrooke, Caston, Cockley Cley, Colkirk, Cranwich, Cranworth, Croxton
• Didlington, Dereham
• East Tuddenham, Elsing
• Foulden, Foxley, Fransham
• Garboldisham, Garvestone, Gateley, Gooderstone, Great Cressingham, Great Dunham, Great Ellingham, Great Hockham, Gressenhall, Griston, Guist
• Hardingham, Harling, Hilborough, Hockering, Hoe, Holme Hale, Horningtoft
• Ickburgh
• Kempstone, Kenninghall, Kilverstone
• Lexham, Litcham, Little Cressingham, Little Dunham, Little Ellingham, Longham, Lynford, Lyng
• Mattishall, Merton, Mileham, Mundford
• Narborough, Narford, Necton, New Buckenham, Newton by Castle Acre, North Elmham, North Lopham, North Pickenham, North Tuddenham
• Old Buckenham, Ovington, Oxborough
• Quidenham
• Riddlesworth, Rocklands, Rockland St Peter, Roudham and Larling, Rougham
• Saham Toney, Scarning, Scoulton, Shipdham, Shropham, Snetterton, South Acre, South Lopham, South Pickenham, Sparham, Sporle with Palgrave, Stanfield, Stanford, Stow Bedon, Sturston, Swaffham, Swanton Morley,
• Thetford, Thompson, Tittleshall, Tottington, Twyford
• Watton, Weasenham All Saints, Weasenham St. Peter, Weeting-with-Broomhill, Wellingham, Wendling, Whinburgh and Westfield, Whissonsett, Wretham
• Yaxham

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Breckland District.

• Diss Express - website of local newspaper covering part of district

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