Sefton Council
Type
Type	Metropolitan district
Leadership
Mayor	June Burns, Labour since 16 May 2023[1]
Leader	Ian Maher, Labour since 21 May 2015[2]
Chief Executive	Philip Porter since July 2023
Structure
Seats	66 councillors[3]
Political groups	Administration (51)   Labour (51) Other parties (15)   Liberal Democrats (9)   Conservative (5)   Independent (1)
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	4 May 2023
Next election	2 May 2024
Meeting place
Bootle Town Hall
Website
www.sefton.gov.uk

Sefton Council is the governing body for the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in the county of Merseyside, north-western 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]

History

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

The council consists of sixty-six councillors, three for each of the borough's twenty-two wards which are as listed:

Political composition

Elections are held by thirds, in three of every four years, except when by-elections are held.^[5] As of the elections held on 4 May 2023, the political composition is as follows:

The Labour Group gained 5 seats at the elections and the Liberal Democrat Group gained 1 seat as a result of Councillor Sinclair D'Albuquerque joining them on 13 May 2023.

Previously, Councillors Terry Jones (Ainsdale Ward) and D'Albuquerque (Cambridge Ward) had left the Conservative Group on 13 May 2022 and formed what they then called “The Southport Councillor Group”. In May 2023, Terry Jones did not seek re-election and Sinclair D'Albuquerque joined the Liberal Democrat Group.

The Labour Party has held a majority of the seats on the Council since May 2012. Ian Maher, a Labour councillor, has been leader of the council since 2015.^[2] The next Council elections are due in May 2024.

Premises

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]