Blackpool Council
Arms of Blackpool Borough Council
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Kath Benson,
Labour
since 18 May 2022[1]
Lynn Williams,
Labour
since 20 July 2020[2]
Neil Jack
since 21 July 2011[3]
Structure
Seats42 councillors[4]
Political groups
Administration (28)
  Labour (28)
Opposition (14)
  Conservative (14)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
Plurality-at-large[a]
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
2027
Meeting place
Facade of Blackpool Town Hall
Town Hall, Talbot Square, Blackpool, FY1 1GB
Website
www.blackpool.gov.uk

Blackpool Council is the local authority of the Borough of Blackpool, Lancashire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a county council and district council combined.

History

From 1889 to 1974, Blackpool was a county borough, independent from any county council.[5] Under the Local Government Act 1972 Blackpool was reconstituted as a non-metropolitan district, with Lancashire County Council providing county-level services.[6] Blackpool became a unitary authority on 1 April 1998, regaining its independence from Lancashire County Council.[7]

Political control

The first election to the reformed borough council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[8][9]

Non-metropolitan district

Party in control Years
Conservative 1974–1987
No overall control 1987–1991
Labour 1991–1998

Unitary authority

Party in control Years
Labour 1998–2007
Conservative 2007–2011
Labour 2011–2021
No overall control 2021–2023
Labour 2023–present

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Blackpool. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1991 have been:[10]

Councillor Party From To
Ivan Taylor[11] Labour 1991 5 Jun 2000
George Bancroft[12] Labour 12 Jul 2000 11 Jul 2001
Roy Fisher[13] Labour Aug 2001 6 May 2007
Peter Callow Conservative 21 May 2007 23 May 2011
Simon Blackburn Labour 23 May 2011 Jun 2020
Lynn Williams Labour 20 Jul 2020

Composition

Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council is:[14]

Party Councillors
Labour 28
Conservative 14
Total 42

The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

See also: Blackpool Borough Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 42 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing two councillors. The whole council is elected together every four years.[15]

Premises

The council is based at Blackpool Town Hall on Talbot Square. The building was built in 1900.[16]

Notes

  1. ^ First-past-the-post used in by-elections.

References

  1. ^ "Council minutes, 18 May 2022" (PDF). Blackpool Council. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Council minutes, 20 July 2020" (PDF). Blackpool Council. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Chief executive changes in Blackpool and West Lancashire". Inside Media. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Blackpool Council political make-up".
  5. ^ "Blackpool Municipal Borough / County Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  6. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 23 August 2022
  7. ^ "The Lancashire (Boroughs of Blackburn and Blackpool) (Structural Change) Order 1996", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1996/1868, retrieved 22 August 2022
  8. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  9. ^ "Blackpool". BBC News Online. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
  10. ^ "Council minutes". Blackpool Council. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Labour 'ship' now rudderless - Tory". Lancashire Telegraph. 9 June 2000. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Blackpool mourns leader". Lancashire Telegraph. 13 July 2001. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Borough chief to retire early". Lancashire Telegraph. 1 August 2001. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Local elections 2023: full council results for England". The Guardian. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  15. ^ "The Blackpool (Electoral Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2022/1373, retrieved 20 May 2023
  16. ^ Historic England. "Town Hall, Blackpool (1205893)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
Categories