Cheshire West and Chester Council
Cheshire West and Chester Council is the local authority of Cheshire West and Chester. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It provides a full range of local government services including Council Tax billing, libraries, social services, processing planning applications, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority. The council was first elected on 1 May 2008, a year before coming into its legal powers on 1 April 2009. After an election in May 2019, no party holds overall control.[5]
Cheshire West and Chester Council | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 2009 |
| Preceded by | Cheshire County Council District councils:
|
| Leadership | |
Chairman | |
Chief Executive | Andrew Lewis[1] |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 70[4] |
Political groups |
|
| Committees | 13 (excluding the cabinet) |
Joint committees | Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership Cheshire Fire Authority Cheshire Police and Crime Panel Shared Services Joint Committee (with Cheshire East Council) |
| Elections | |
| First past the post (single-member wards) Plurality-at-large (multi-member wards) | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
| Wyvern House, The Drumber, Winsford, CW7 1AH The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Powers and functions
The local authority derives its powers and functions from the Local Government Act 1972 and subsequent legislation. It has a 'general power of competence' as described in the Localism Act 2011, i.e. it is permitted to act in any manner whatsoever which is not unlawful. For the purposes of local government, Cheshire West and Chester is one of the fifty-five unitary authorities in England. This means that is the only principal authority in its territorial jurisdiction, and it has the statutory powers and functions of both a non-metropolitan county and a non-metropolitan district council. The only exceptions to this are the fire and police services, which are still provided on a Cheshire-wide basis by joint boards composed of elected councillors and are funded by a Council Tax precept. Conversely, it is unnecessary for Cheshire West and Chester Council to set a precept for itself as it is also a billing authority.
Premises
When created in 2009, the council inherited several administrative buildings from its predecessors, notably including Chester Town Hall and the adjoining offices at The Forum from Chester City Council, the Council Offices at 4 Civic Way in Ellesmere Port from Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council, and Wyvern House on The Drumber in Winsford from Vale Royal Borough Council. The abolished Cheshire County Council's former headquarters at County Hall passed jointly to both Cheshire West and Chester Council and its neighbour Cheshire East Council. County Hall was sold to the University of Chester in 2010, and Cheshire West and Chester Council moved its main offices to a new building called HQ Chester at 58 Nicholas Street in Chester, whilst retaining the other buildings as local offices and additional accommodation.[6][7][8][9]
The HQ Chester building did not contain a council chamber, and most full council meetings were held at Wyvern House in Winsford, except the annual council meeting which was usually held at Chester Town Hall. Committee meetings were held at various venues. This pattern continued until March 2020 when in-person meetings were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the resumption of in-person meetings in May 2021, most committee meetings have been held at Ellesmere Port Library, whilst larger venues have been hired for full council meetings.[10] In 2022 the council moved its main offices to a new building called The Portal on Wellington Road in Ellesmere Port (opposite the library), and vacated most of the space it had formerly occupied at HQ Chester.[11]
Political control
Since the 2019 election the council has been under no overall control, with Louise Gittins of Labour serving as leader of the council. The next election is due in 2023.
| Election | Conservative | Independent | Green Party | Labour | Liberal Democrats | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 55 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 72 | |||||
| 2011 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 75 | |||||
| 2015 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 75 | |||||
| 2019 | 28 | 4 | 1 | 35 | 2 | 70 | |||||
| 2023 | 23 | 5 | 2 | 39 | 1 | 70 | |||||
| Current | 23 | 6 | 2 | 38 | 1 | ||||||
Cabinet
| Position | Councillor | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Leader of the Council, including Wellbeing, Culture, Leisure, Heritage and Greenspace | Louise Gittins | Labour |
| Deputy Leader of the Council, including Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport | Karen Shore | |
| Children and Families | Nicole Meardon | |
| Democracy, Workforce and Localities | Paul Donovan | |
| Housing, Regeneration and Growth | Richard Beacham | |
| Adult Social Care and Public Health | Val Armstrong | |
| Finance and Legal | Carol Gahan |
Source:[12]
Councillors
| Ward | Councillor | Council profile | Year first elected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacon | Carol Gahan | Profile | 2015 | |
| Sheila Little | Profile | 2019 | ||
| Alan Smith | Profile | 2023 | ||
| Central and Grange | Robert Bisset | Profile | 2015 | |
| Karen Shore | Profile | 2015 | ||
| Chester City and The Garden Quarter | Paul Chamberlain | Profile | 2023 | |
| Katrina Kerr | Profile | 2023 | ||
| Ben Walker | Profile | 2023 | ||
| Christleton and Huntington | Stuart Parker MBE | Profile | 2008 | |
| Mark Williams | Profile | 2008 | ||
| Davenham, Moulton and Kingsmead | Dan Marr | Profile | 2023 | |
| Gaynor Sinar | Profile | 2011[a] | ||
| Farndon | Adrian Waddelove | Profile | 2023 | |
| Frodsham | Michael Garvey | Profile | 2023 | |
| Lucy Sumner | Profile | 2023 | ||
| Gowy Rural | Graham Heatley | Profile | 2011[b] | |
| Margaret Parker | Profile | 2011 | ||
| Great Boughton | Steve Collings | Profile | 2019 | |
| Elizabeth MacGlashan | Profile | 2023 | ||
| Handbridge Park | Matt Carter | Profile | 2023 | |
| Razia Daniels | Profile | 2008 | ||
| Hartford and Greenbank | Martin Loftus | Profile | 2023 | |
| Patricia Parkes | Profile | 2015 | ||
| Helsby | Chris Copeman | Profile | 2023 | |
| Lache | Alex Tate | Profile | 2008[c] | |
| Ledsham and Manor | Christine Warner | Profile | 2019 | |
| Peter Wheeler | Profile | 2019 | ||
| Little Neston | Louise Gittins | Profile | 2011 | |
| Malpas | Rachel Williams | Profile | 2019 | |
| Marbury | Lynn Gibbon | Profile | 2015 | |
| Phil Marshall | Profile | 2019 | ||
| Norman Wright | Profile | 2008 | ||
| Neston | Keith Millar | Profile | 2021 | |
| Netherpool | Katie Kendrick | Profile | 2023 | |
| Newton and Hoole | Richard Beacham | Profile | 2015 | |
| Adam Langan | Profile | 2019 | ||
| Gill Watson | Profile | 2015 | ||
| Northwich Leftwich | Andrew Cooper | Profile | 2019 | |
| Northwich Winnington and Castle | Felicity Davies | Profile | 2023 | |
| Arthur Neil | Profile | 2023 | ||
| Northwich Witton | Sam Naylor | Profile | 2014 | |
| Parkgate | Martin Barker | Profile | 2015 | |
| Rudheath | Olwyn Dean | Profile | 2023 | |
| Sandstone | Hugo Deynem | Profile | 2008 | |
| Saughall and Mollington | Simon Eardley | Profile | 2019 | |
| Shakerley | Mark Stocks | Profile | 2008 | |
| Strawberry | Gareth Gould | Profile | 2019 | |
| Sutton Villages | Paul Donovan | Profile | 2008 | |
| Caroline Ellis | Profile | 2023 | ||
| Tarporley | Charles Hardy | Profile | 2023 | |
| Tarvin and Kelsall | Tom Cooper | Profile | 2023 | |
| Ted Lush | Profile | 2023 | ||
| Tattenhall | Mike Jones | Profile | 2008 | |
| Upton | Sherin Akhtar | Profile | 2023 | |
| Matt Bryan | Profile | 2015 | ||
| Weaver and Cuddington | Gillian Edwards | Profile | 2019 | |
| Phil Rimmer | Profile | 2023 | ||
| Lynn Stocks | Profile | 2023 | ||
| Westminster | Lisa Denson | Profile | 2019 | |
| Whitby Groves | Jimmy Shannon | Profile | 2023 | |
| Whitby Park | John Roach | Profile | 2023 | |
| Willaston and Thornton | Myles Hogg | Profile | 2008 | |
| Winsford Dene | Mandy Clare | Profile | 2019 | |
| Winsford Gravel | Martin Beveridge | Profile | 2023 | |
| Winsford Over and Verdin | Stuart Bingham | Profile | 2023 | |
| Tommy Blackmore | Profile | 2011 | ||
| Gina Lewis | Profile | 2019 | ||
| Winsford Swanlow | Simon Boone | Profile | 2023 | |
| Winsford Wharton | Nathan Pardoe | Profile | 2019 | |
| Wolverham | Michael Edwardson | Profile | 2018 | |
| Conservative Green Independent Labour Liberal Democrats | ||||
Notes
References
- ^ "Chief Executive and Directors". www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk. Cheshire West and Chester Council. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "Council minutes, 21 May 2019" (PDF). Cheshire West and Chester Council. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
- ^ "Council, 18 May 2023" (PDF). www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk. Cheshire West and Chester Council. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "Your Councillors". 21 April 2022.
- ^ Phil McCann (22 May 2019). "Cheshire East Council elects first Labour leader". BBC. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
- ^ Holmes, David (23 September 2010). "Cheshire West and Chester Council HQ is 21st century workplace". Cheshire Live. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
- ^ "Chester West & Chester Council to sell County Hall to University of Chester and move into HQ building". Cheshire Live. 17 August 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
- ^ Holmes, David (3 March 2011). "Cheshire's County Hall sale 'rushed', says auditor, but was still value for money". Cheshire Live. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
- ^ "Customer service centres". Cheshire West and Chester Council. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
- ^ "Council minutes". Cheshire West and Chester Council. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
- ^ Porter, Gary (5 April 2022). "New Cheshire West and Chester Council HQ in Ellesmere Port to open in May". Cheshire Live. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ "New Cheshire West and Chester Council leader promises 'stronger communities'". Northwich Guardian. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
- ^ "Your Councillors". www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk. Cheshire West and Chester Council. Retrieved 9 May 2023.