Ribble Valley Borough Council
Ribble Valley Borough Council | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1974 |
| Leadership | |
Marshal Scott since April 2009[2] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 40 councillors |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
| First past the post | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Council Offices, Church Walk, Clitheroe, BB7 2RA | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Ribble Valley Borough Council provides district-level services for Ribble Valley, in Lancashire, in North West England. County-level services are provided by Lancashire County Council. The whole borough is covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[3]
Political control
The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being led by a Conservative minority administration.[4][5]
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:[6][7]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 1974–1995 | |
| No overall control | 1995–2003 | |
| Conservative | 2003–2023 | |
| No overall control | 2023–present | |
Leadership
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Ribble Valley. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1999 have been:[8]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Redpath[9] | Conservative | 1999 | 2002 | |
| Chris Holtom | Conservative | 2002 | 6 May 2007 | |
| Michael Ranson | Conservative | 15 May 2007 | 14 May 2013 | |
| Stuart Hirst | Conservative | 14 May 2013 | 9 May 2017 | |
| Ken Hind[10] | Conservative | 9 May 2017 | 20 Dec 2018 | |
| Stephen Atkinson | Conservative | 15 Jan 2019 | ||
Composition
Following the 2023 election and subsequent changes of allegiance and by-elections up to July 2024, the composition of the council was:[11][12][13]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 17 | |
| Labour | 9 | |
| Independent | 7 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 5 | |
| Green | 2 | |
| Total | 40 | |
Two of the independent councillors (both former Liberal Democrats) sit with the Greens as the 'Green and Progressive Liberal Group'.[14] The next election is due in 2027.
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 40 councillors representing 26 wards, with each ward electing one or two councillors. Elections are held every four years.[15]
Premises
The council is based at the Council Offices on Church Walk in Clitheroe, which was purpose-built for the council in 1980.[16][17] The council chamber is in an adjoining building at 13 Church Street, which had been offices of the old Clitheroe Borough Council prior to the 1974 reforms.[18]
References
- ^ "Council minutes, 14 May 2024". Ribble Valley Borough Council. 14 May 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ Briggs, Ben (18 December 2008). "Burnley man appointed Ribble Valley Council chief". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ Jacobs, Bill (11 May 2023). "Battered Ribble Valley Tories seek to keep power as a minority". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "Council minutes, 23 May 2023". Ribble Valley Borough Council. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ "Ribble Valley". BBC News Online. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
- ^ "Council minutes". Ribble Valley Borough Council. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ "Sudden death of former leader". Lancashire Telegraph. 8 March 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ "Tory leader Ken Hind stands down as council leader". Burnley Express. 21 Dec 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
- ^ Boothroyd, David (13 October 2023). "Cheltenham still enraged by bureaucracy". Local Councils. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "Ribble Valley". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "Councillors". Ribble Valley Borough Council. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "The Ribble Valley (Electoral Changes) Order 2017", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2017/1267, retrieved 15 October 2023
- ^ "No. 48120". The London Gazette. 6 March 1980. p. 3585.
- ^ "No. 48273". The London Gazette. 7 August 1980. p. 11223.
- ^ "Council offices and meetings". Ribble Valley Borough Council. Retrieved 15 October 2023.