Lancashire County Council
Encyclopedia
Lancashire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire
, England
. It currently consists of 84 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party
, who won control of the council in the local council elections in June 2009
, ending 28 years of Labour control. The Conservative Party has 51 councillors, versus 17 Labour
councillors, 9 Liberal Democrats, three independents and two Green Party
councillors. The Idle Toad
party and the British National Party
(BNP) each have a single councillor. The election of a BNP candidate in 2009 made her the first ever County Councillor to represent the extreme party.
The Council leader, County Councillor Geoff Driver, chairs a cabinet
of 8 councillors - the others being Albert Atkinson, Tim Ashton, Mike Calvert, Susie Charles, Michael Green, Mark Perks and Val Wilson. The eight cabinet members each have responsibility for particular functions of the council. The Chief Executive is Phil Halsall who was appointed in November 2010 and heads the Council's 40,000-strong workforce.
, covering the administrative county
. It was reconstituted under the Local Government Act 1972
to cover a different territory. In the 1990s, Blackburn with Darwen
and Blackpool
left the area covered by the council.
are held every four years.
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It currently consists of 84 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, who won control of the council in the local council elections in June 2009
Lancashire Council election, 2009
Lancashire County Council held elections on 4 June 2009. The United Kingdom government department Department for Communities and Local Government on the issue of moving the elections to the same date as the European Parliament election, 2009...
, ending 28 years of Labour control. The Conservative Party has 51 councillors, versus 17 Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
councillors, 9 Liberal Democrats, three independents and two Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
councillors. The Idle Toad
Idle Toad
The Idle Toad is a registered English political party, fighting elections in the South Ribble district of Lancashire, England.The party originated in 1997, when Labour Party councillor Tom Sharratt was deselected...
party and the British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
(BNP) each have a single councillor. The election of a BNP candidate in 2009 made her the first ever County Councillor to represent the extreme party.
The Council leader, County Councillor Geoff Driver, chairs a cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
of 8 councillors - the others being Albert Atkinson, Tim Ashton, Mike Calvert, Susie Charles, Michael Green, Mark Perks and Val Wilson. The eight cabinet members each have responsibility for particular functions of the council. The Chief Executive is Phil Halsall who was appointed in November 2010 and heads the Council's 40,000-strong workforce.
History
The council was first set up under 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...
, covering the administrative county
Administrative counties of England
Administrative counties were a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government from 1889 to 1974. They were created by the Local Government Act 1888 as the areas for which county councils were elected. Some large counties were divided into several administrative...
. It was reconstituted under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
to cover a different territory. In the 1990s, Blackburn with Darwen
Blackburn with Darwen
Blackburn with Darwen is a unitary authority area in Lancashire, North West England. It consists of Blackburn, the small town of Darwen to the south of it, and the surrounding countryside.-Formation:...
and Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
left the area covered by the council.
Political makeup
ElectionsLancashire local elections
-Political control:-Council elections:* Lancashire County Council election, 2001* Lancashire County Council election, 2005* Lancashire County Council election, 2009-By-election results:...
are held every four years.
| Election | |Number of councillors elected by each political party | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... | |Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... | |Liberal Democrats | |Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... | |Green Party | |BNP British National Party The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982... | |Idle Toad Idle Toad The Idle Toad is a registered English political party, fighting elections in the South Ribble district of Lancashire, England.The party originated in 1997, when Labour Party councillor Tom Sharratt was deselected... |
|
| 2009 Lancashire Council election, 2009 Lancashire County Council held elections on 4 June 2009. The United Kingdom government department Department for Communities and Local Government on the issue of moving the elections to the same date as the European Parliament election, 2009... |
51 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2005 | 31 | 44 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 | 27 | 44 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Political control
| Election | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 2001 | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1997 | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1993 | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1989 | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1985 | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1981 | No overall control No overall control Within the context of local councils of the United Kingdom, the term No Overall Control refers to a situation in which no single party achieves a majority of seats and is analogous to a hung parliament... |
|
| 1977 | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| 1973 | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |