Sefton Council
Sefton Council is the governing body for the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in the ceremonial county of Merseyside, in North West England. The council was under no overall control from the 1980s until 2012 when the Labour Party took control. It is a constituent council of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.[4]
Sefton Council | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Mayor | |
Chief Executive | Philip Porter since July 2023 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 66 councillors[3] |
Political groups |
|
Joint committees | Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority and Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner |
| Elections | |
Last election | 2 May 2024 |
Next election | May 2026 |
| Meeting place | |
| Bootle Town Hall | |
| Website | |
| www | |
History edit
Sefton Council was established on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 which created a two-tier system of local government in the United Kingdom. It was initially a metropolitan district of the metropolitan county of Merseyside and then became a metropolitan borough on 17 April 1975 following the grant of a Royal Charter.
Following the Local Government Act 1985, The Merseyside County Council was abolished on 31 March 1986 and its functions were devolved to the five metropolitan borough councils of Merseyside and joint-boards. As a result, Sefton Council is a unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Merseyside, which is served by the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside.
Sefton Council is not directly responsible for transport, waste-disposal and emergency services. These are administered by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner which have their own legislative powers. Sefton Council appoints members of the Council to represent the Council on those bodies. Details of the Council representatives can be accessed via: https://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/mgListOutsideBodies.aspx?bcr=1
Wards edit
The council consists of sixty-six councillors, three for each of the borough's twenty-two wards which are as listed:
Political composition edit
Elections are held by thirds, in three of every four years, except when by-elections are held.[5] As of May 2024, the political composition is as follows:
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 49 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 9 | |
| Conservative | 4 | |
| Independent | 2 | |
| Green | 1 | |
| Total | 65 | |
There is currently one vacancy in the St Oswald Ward with a by-election to be held on a date to be determined.
In the most recent local election, the Labour Party gained 1 seat from the Conservative Party in the Harington Ward and 1 seat from the Lydiate and Maghull Community Independents in the Park Ward. The Labour Party also lost one seat to the Green Party in the Church Ward. This is the first time the Green Party have won a seat on Sefton Council.
In April 2024, prior to the local elections, Councillors Natasha Carlin and Sean Halsall had left the Labour Group and became Independent Members in no political group.
The Labour Party has held a majority of the seats on the Council since May 2012. Ian Maher, a Labour councillor, had been leader of the council since 2015.[2] He stepped down on 18 January 2024 and was replaced by Marion Atkinson, a fellow Labour councillor.The next Council elections are due in May 2026.
Premises edit
The council meets at both Southport Town Hall and Bootle Town Hall, each of which was inherited from one of the council's predecessor authorities. Full council meetings are usually held alternately at Southport and Bootle.[6]
References edit
- ^ "Council minutes, 16 May 2023" (PDF). Sefton Council. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Council minutes, 21 May 2015" (PDF). Sefton Council. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ^ "Your Council". Sefton Council.
- ^ "Proposal to establish a combined authority for Greater Merseyside" (PDF). Department for Communities and Local Government. November 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "Councillors, Meetings, Decisions". Sefton Council. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ "Council agendas and minutes". Sefton Council. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
External links edit
- Sefton Council
- Southport Conservative Party
- Sefton Central Conservative Party
- Southport Liberal Democrats