Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council is the local authority for the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. The council styles itself Calderdale Council. It is a metropolitan district council, one of five in West Yorkshire and one of 36 in the metropolitan counties of England. It provides the majority of local government services in Calderdale. Since 2014 the council has been a constituent member of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
Arms of Calderdale Council
Coat of arms
Council Logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1974
Leadership
Ashley Evans,
Liberal Democrat
since 17 May 2023
Jane Scullion,
Labour
since 17 May 2023
Robin Tuddenham
since 8 May 2017
Structure
Seats51 councillors
Political groups
Administration (28)
  Labour (28)
Other parties (23)
  Conservative (15)
  Liberal Democrats (6)
  Green (2)
Joint committees
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Length of term
4 years
Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
2024
Meeting place
Halifax Town Hall
Town Hall, Crossley Street, Halifax, HX1 1UJ
Website
www.calderdale.gov.uk

History

The metropolitan district of Calderdale was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the area of eight former districts and part of a ninth, which were all abolished at the same time:[1][2]

The county borough of Halifax had provided all local government services in its area. The other eight districts had been lower-tier authorities with West Riding County Council providing county-level services. The new Calderdale district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[3]

Calderdale was initially a district-level authority, with West Yorkshire County Council providing county-level services. However, the metropolitan county councils, including West Yorkshire County Council, were abolished in 1986 under the Local Government Act 1985. Since 1986 Calderdale Council has therefore been responsible for most local government functions.[4]

The council has been a constituent member of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority since 2014, which has been led by the directly elected Mayor of West Yorkshire since 2021.[5]

Governance

Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since 2019.

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. County-level services were provided by West Yorkshire County Council until its abolition in 1986, when Calderdale became a unitary authority. Political control of the council since 1973 has been held by the following parties:[6]

Party in controlYears
Labour1974–1975
Conservative1975–1980
No overall control1980–1990
Labour1990–1992
No overall control1992–1995
Labour1995–1999
No overall control1999–2000
Conservative2000–2002
No overall control2002–2019
Labour2019–present

Leadership

The role of Mayor of Calderdale is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1999 have been:[7]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Pamela Warhurst Labour19 May 1999
Michael Higgins Labour19 May 19997 May 2000
John Ford Conservative17 May 200017 May 2006
Ann McAllister Conservative17 May 20062008
Stephen Baines Conservative1 Oct 200824 May 2010
Janet Battye Liberal Democrats24 May 201023 May 2012
Tim Swift Labour23 May 201230 Jul 2014
Stephen Baines Conservative30 Jul 201427 May 2015
Tim Swift Labour27 May 201517 May 2023
Jane Scullion Labour17 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was:[8]

PartyCouncillors
Labour28
Conservative15
Liberal Democrats6
Green2
Total 51

The next election is due in 2024.

Premises

The council is based at Halifax Town Hall, which had been built for one of the council's predecessors, the Halifax Borough Council, in 1863.[9][10]

Elections
See also: Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2004 the council has comprised 51 councillors representing 17 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office.[11]

Wards
Wards within Calderdale Council
Calder ValleyHalifax

1. Todmorden
2. Calder
3. Luddendenfoot
4. Ryburn
8. Greetland and Stainland
14. Elland
15. Hipperholme and Lightcliffe
16. Brighouse
17. Rastrick

5. Illingworth and Mixenden
6. Warley
7. Sowerby Bridge
9. Ovenden
10. Park
11. Skircoat
12. Northowram and Shelf
13. Town

Mayor

The mayors since 1974 have been:

Name[12] Years
Ashley Evans 2023–
Angie Gallagher 2022–2023
Chris Pillai 2021–2022
Dot Foster 2019–2021
Marcus Thompson 2018–2019
Ferman Ali 2017–2018
Howard Blagbrough 2016–2017
Lisa Lambert 2015–2016
Pat Allen 2014–2015
Ann Martin 2013–2014
John Hardy 2012–2013
Nader Fekri 2011–2012
Keith Watson 2010–2011
Ann McAllister 2010
Arshad Mahmood 2009–2010
Conrad Winterburn 2008–2009
Martin Peel 2007–2008
Colin Stout 2006–2007
John Williamson 2005–2006
Olwen Jennings 2004–2005
Geraldine Carter 2003–2004
Patrick Phillips 2002–2003
Chris O'Connor 2001–2002
Peter Coles 2000–2001
Graham Hall 1999–2000
Alan Worth 1998–1999
Alan Worth 1997–1998
Susan Tucker 1997
Dawn Neal 1996–1997
Graham Reason 1995–1996
Stephen Pearson 1994–1995
Tony Mazey 1993–1994
Bill Carpenter 1992–1993
Tom McElroy 1991–1992
Joe Tolan 1990–1991
Joe Kneafsey 1989–1990
Albert Berry 1988–1989
Wilfred Sharp 1987–1988
David Fox 1986–1987
Tom Lawler 1985–1986
John Bradley 1984–1985
Kevin Lord 1983–1984
David Shutt 1982–1983
Eric Whitehead 1981–1982
Harry Wilson 1980–1981
Betty Wildsmith 1979–1980
Richard Deadman 1978–1979
Eric Dennett 1977–1978
Mona Mitchell 1976–1977
Kathleen Cawdry 1975–1976
Joe Tolan 1974–1975

References
  1. "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 18 June 2023
  2. "The Metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/137, retrieved 18 June 2023
  3. "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  4. "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 18 June 2023
  5. "The West Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2014". www.legislation.gov.uk.
  6. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  7. "Council minutes". Calderdale Council. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  8. "Local elections 2023: full council results for England". The Guardian. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  9. "Contacts". Calderdale Council. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  10. Historic England. "Town Hall, Crossley Street (Grade 2) (1314024)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  11. "The Borough of Calderdale (Electoral Changes) Order 2003", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2003/3088, retrieved 19 June 2023
  12. Calderdale Votes: 40 years of local democracy. Local Elections Archive Project. Retrieved 20 August 2017.

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