The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, as a non-metropolitan district covering the territory of six former districts, which were abolished at the same time, plus a single parish from a seventh district:[2]
The new district was given the name Hyndburn, taken from the River Hyndburn which passes through the district.[3] The new district was awarded borough status on the day that it came into being, allowing the chairman of the council to take the title of mayor.[4]
In 2007, the council proposed changing the name from Hyndburn to "Accrington and Districts", to aid recognition of the borough by those not familiar with the area.[5] After a public consultation, the change of name did not go ahead.[6]
In March 2010, Hyndburn Borough Council was voted the 10th best council in The Times "Best Public Sector Places to Work".[9] The borough also made it to The Times Best Companies Guide.
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:[10][11]
Since the last boundary changes in 2002 the council has comprised 35 councillors representing 16 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with roughly a third of the council elected each time for a four year term of office. Lancashire County Council elections are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no borough council elections.[15]
Premises
Scaitcliffe House, Accrington
The council's main offices are at Scaitcliffe House on Ormerod Street in Accrington, being part of a converted textile mill. The council moved there in 2002.[16] Full council meetings are usually held at Accrington Town Hall.[17]
The percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more GCSEs at grades A*-C has increased from 43.7% in 2001 up to 75.9% in 2011. Absences dropped from 12,052 in 2006 to 9,545 in 2011, mainly due to schools competing.[19]
Geography
The district is polycentric and is located between the larger settlements of Blackburn and Burnley. It is linked to both areas by the M65 motorway and the East Lancashire railway line.
The borough had a population of 80,734 at the 2011 census.[1] Much of the borough forms part of the Accrington/Rossendale Built-up area as defined by the Office for National Statistics, which covers the borough and parts of the neighbouring borough of Rossendale. The Acrrington/Rossendale built-up area extends from the town of Accrington to Rawtenstall and Bacup, taking in parts of the boroughs of Hyndburn and Rossendale. The Accrington/Rossendale built-up area was recorded at having a population of 125,059 at the 2011 census.[20]
The role of mayor is usually held by a different councillor each year. They chair meetings of the full council and are expected to be politically impartial during their term of office, but they do get an additional casting vote in the event of a tie. The mayors since 1974 have been:[22]
