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Walsall Council

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Walsall Council
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Anthony Harris,
Conservative
since 20 May 2024[1]
Garry Perry,
Conservative
since 3 June 2024
Emma Bennett
since October 2023[2]
Structure
Seats60 councillors
Political groups
Administration (36)
  Conservative (36)
Other parties (24)
  Labour (14)
  Independent (10)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
First past the post
Last election
2 May 2024
Next election
7 May 2026
Meeting place
Council House, Lichfield Street, Walsall, WS1 1TW
Website
walsall.gov.uk

Walsall Council, formally Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, is the local authority for the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall in the West Midlands, England. The town of Walsall had been a borough from medieval times, which was reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1974 the council has been a metropolitan borough council. It provides the majority of local government services in the borough. The council has been a member of the West Midlands Combined Authority since 2016.

The council has been under Conservative majority control since 2019. The council meets at Walsall Council House and has its main offices at the adjoining Civic Centre.

History

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The town of Walsall was an ancient borough. It also had a mayor from at least 1377. The town's claim to be a borough was not supported by a charter, leading to disputes with the lord of the manor. A formal charter was eventually issued in 1627.[3][4] The borough was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which standardised how most boroughs operated across the country. It was then governed by a body formally called the 'mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Walsall', generally known as the corporation, town council or borough council.[5]

Walsall Guildhall: Seat of local government in Walsall until 1905

When elected county councils were established in 1889, Walsall was considered large enough to provide its own county-level services, and so it became a county borough, independent from the new Staffordshire County Council, whilst remaining part of the geographical county of Staffordshire. The borough was enlarged in 1966 to take in Darlaston and Willenhall.[6]

The modern metropolitan borough and its council were established in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, as one of seven boroughs in the new metropolitan county of the West Midlands. The new borough covered the combined area of the old county borough of Walsall plus the neighbouring Aldridge-Brownhills Urban District.[7] The metropolitan district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor, continuing Walsall's series of mayors dating back to the fourteenth century.[8] The council styles itself Walsall Council rather than its full formal name of Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council.[9]

From 1974 until 1986 the council was a lower-tier authority, with upper-tier functions provided by the West Midlands County Council. The county council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to the county's seven borough councils, including Walsall, with some services provided through joint committees.[10]

Since 2016 the council has been a member of the West Midlands Combined Authority, which has been led by the directly elected Mayor of the West Midlands since 2017. The combined authority provides strategic leadership and co-ordination for certain functions across the county, but Walsall Council continues to be responsible for most local government functions.[11][12]

Governance

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Walsall Council provides metropolitan borough services. Some strategic functions in the area are provided by the West Midlands Combined Authority; the council appoints two of its councillors to sit on the board of the combined authority as Walsall's representatives.[13] There are no civil parishes in the borough.[14]

Political control

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The Conservatives have held a majority of the seats on the council since 2019.

Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[15][16]

Party in control Years
Labour 1974–1976
No overall control 1976–1980
Labour 1980–1982
No overall control 1982–1988
Labour 1988–1992
No overall control 1992–1995
Labour 1995–1996
No overall control 1996–1999
Labour 1999–2000
No overall control 2000–2004
Conservative 2004–2011
No overall control 2011–2019
Conservative 2019–present

Leadership

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The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Walsall. Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2004 have been:[17]

Councillor Party From To
Tom Ansell Conservative pre-2004 May 2007
John O'Hare Conservative 23 May 2007 May 2009
Mike Bird Conservative 20 May 2009 11 Aug 2014
Sean Coughlan Labour 11 Aug 2014 1 Jun 2015
Mike Bird Conservative 1 Jun 2015 25 May 2016
Sean Coughlan[18] Labour 25 May 2016 23 May 2018
Mike Bird[19][20] Conservative 23 May 2018 8 May 2024
Independent 8 May 2024 3 Jun 2024
Garry Perry[21][22] Conservative 3 Jun 2024

Composition

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Following the 2024 election and subsequent changes of allegiance later in May 2024, the composition of the council was:[23]

Party Councillors
Conservative 36
Labour 14
Independent 10
Total 60

Eight of the independent councillors sit together as a group.[24] The next election is due in May 2026.

Premises

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Civic Centre, Darwall Street

The council meets at the Council House on Lichfield Street, which had been completed in 1905 for the old borough council.[25] It replaced the earlier Guildhall on High Street, which had been built in 1867 on a site which had been occupied by the town's guildhall from the fifteenth century.[26] The council's main offices are in the Civic Centre on Darwall Street, which is linked to the Council House by a bridge over Darwall Street.[27]

Elections

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See also: Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2004, the council has comprised 60 councillors representing 20 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) being elected each time for a four-year term of office.[28]

Wards

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The wards are:[28]

Ward name Area (ha)/mi2 Population
(2001 census) 		Population density (people per hectare) Ref.
Aldridge Central and South 1,143 hectares (4.41 sq mi) 12,267 10.73 [29]
Aldridge North and Walsall Wood 784 hectares (3.03 sq mi) 12,874 16.43 [30]
Bentley and Darlaston North 439 hectares (1.69 sq mi) 13,689 31.19 [31]
Birchills Leamore 413 hectares (1.59 sq mi) 13,659 33.05 [32]
Blakenall 353 hectares (1.36 sq mi) 11,950 33.86 [33]
Bloxwich East 369 hectares (1.42 sq mi) 11,072 29.99 [34]
Bloxwich West 388 hectares (1.50 sq mi) 14,816 38.15 [35]
Brownhills 724 hectares (2.80 sq mi) 12,637 17.45 [36]
Darlaston South 334 hectares (1.29 sq mi) 12,252 36.64 [37]
Paddock 546 hectares (2.11 sq mi) 13,073 23.92 [38]
Palfrey 368 hectares (1.42 sq mi) 14,596 39.71 [39]
Pelsall 499 hectares (1.93 sq mi) 10,344 28.74 [40]
Pheasey Park Farm 758 hectares (2.93 sq mi) 10,435 13.76 [41]
Pleck 338 hectares (1.31 sq mi) 10,653 31.53 [42]
Rushall-Shelfield 577 hectares (2.23 sq mi) 11,754 20.37 [43]
Short Heath 380 hectares (1.5 sq mi) 11,435 30.05 [44]
St. Matthew's 353 hectares (1.36 sq mi) 12,214 34.64 [45]
Streetly 750 hectares (2.9 sq mi) 13,251 17.66 [46]
Willenhall North 235 hectares (0.91 sq mi) 12,536 53.41 [47]
Willenhall South 481 hectares (1.86 sq mi) 13,795 28.70 [48]
Total 10,396 hectares (40.14 sq mi) 253,499 24.39 [49]

Notelist

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References

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  1. ^ "Biography of the current Mayor of Walsall". Walsall Council. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Emma Bennett, Chief Executive biography". Walsall Council. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  3. ^ "History of the Mayor". Walsall Council. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  4. ^ Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Appendix 3. 1835. p. 2045. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  5. ^ Municipal Corporations Act. 1835. p. 461. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Walsall Municipal Borough / County Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Local Government Act 1972: Schedule 1", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70 (sch. 1), retrieved 13 June 2024
  8. ^ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Find your local council". gov.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 5 April 2024
  11. ^ "The West Midlands Combined Authority Order 2016", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2016/653, retrieved 11 June 2024
  12. ^ "Understand how your council works". gov.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Contact details WMCA Board". West Midlands Combined Authority. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  16. ^ "England council elections". BBC News Online. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  17. ^ "Council minutes". Walsall Council. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  18. ^ Thandi, Gurdip (17 March 2022). "Shamed ex-Walsall Council leader escapes prison sentence for child sex offences". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  19. ^ Thomas, Emma (8 May 2024). "Council leader suspended by Tories after disciplinary". BBC News. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  20. ^ Thandi, Gurdip (8 May 2024). "Conservative Party suspends Walsall council leader following investigation". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  21. ^ "New Leader for Walsall Council". Walsall Council. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  22. ^ Asokan, Shyamantha (4 June 2024). "Council elects new leader after Tory suspension". BBC News. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  23. ^ "Councillors". Walsall Council. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  24. ^ "Councillors". Walsall Council. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  25. ^ "Walsall Council". Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  26. ^ Historic England. "Guildhall, Goodall Street (Grade II*) (1076399)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  27. ^ Historic England. "Council House, Walsall (1343029)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  28. ^ a b "The Borough of Walsall (Electoral Changes) Order 2003", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2003/2511, retrieved 12 September 2022
  29. ^ "Area: Aldridge Central and South (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  30. ^ "Area: Aldridge North and Walsall Wood (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  31. ^ "Area: Bentley and Darlaston North (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  32. ^ "Area: Birchills Leamore (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  33. ^ "Area: Blakenall (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  34. ^ "Area: Bloxwich East (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  35. ^ "Area: Bloxwich East (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  36. ^ "Area: Brownhills (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  37. ^ "Area: Darlaston South (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  38. ^ "Area: Paddock (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  39. ^ "Area: Palfrey (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  40. ^ "Area: Pelsall (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  41. ^ "Area: Pheasey Park Farm (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  42. ^ "Area: Pleck (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  43. ^ "Area: Rushall – Shelfield (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  44. ^ "Area: Short Heath (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  45. ^ "Area: St. Matthew's (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  46. ^ "Area: Streetly (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  47. ^ "Area: Willenhall North (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  48. ^ "Area: Willenhall South (Ward) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  49. ^ "Area: Walsall (Local Authority) Population Density (UV02)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
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