Vale Royal Explained

Borough of Vale Royal
Origin:Northwich Urban District
Winsford Urban District
Northwich Rural District
Runcorn Rural District (part of)
Start:1 April 1974
End:31 March 2009
Map:
Shown within Cheshire
Code:13UH

Vale Royal was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district with borough status in Cheshire, England. It contained the towns of Northwich, Winsford and Frodsham.

History

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 covering the area of three former districts and part of a fourth, which were abolished at the same time:[1]

The district took its name from Vale Royal Abbey, formerly one of the largest in England, which was situated near the village of Whitegate near the centre of the district. The name was suggested in 1972 by a joint committee of the previous district councils, on the basis of the historic use of the name for the general area of the new district.[2] [3] The district was granted borough status on 5 May 1988, allowing the chairman of the council to take the title of mayor.[4]

In 2006 the Department for Communities and Local Government considered reorganising Cheshire's administrative structure as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England. The decision to merge Vale Royal with the districts of Chester and Ellesmere Port and Neston to create a single unitary authority was announced on 25 July 2007, following a consultation period in which a proposal to create a single Cheshire unitary authority was rejected.[5]

Vale Royal was abolished on 31 March 2009, with the area becoming part of the new unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester from 1 April 2009.[6]

Civil parishes

The district comprised the following civil parishes:

Political control

The first elections to the council were held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council from 1974 until its abolition in 2009 was held by the following parties:[7] [8]

Party in controlYears
1974–1991
1991–2003
2003–2007
2007–2008
2008–2009

Leadership

The leaders of the council from 1988 were:

Councillor Party From To
Marie Birkenhead 5 May 1988
Arthur Neil[9] 5 May 1988 11 May 1989
David Broster[10] 11 May 1989 10 May 1990
Bernard Burton[11] 10 May 1990 1991
Arthur Neil[12] 1991 Apr 2000
Bob Mather[13] Apr 2000 May 2003
Keith Musgrave[14] May 2003 May 2007
Les Ford May 2007 31 Mar 2009

Composition

The political composition of the council at its abolition in 2009 was:

PartyCouncillors
Conservative 26
Labour17
Liberal Democrat11
Weaverham Independents3

Premises

Until 1990 the council operated from the various offices it had inherited from its predecessors, being Whitehall in Hartford (from Northwich Rural District Council), the Council House in Northwich (from Northwich Urban District Council), Castle Park House in Frodsham (from Runcorn Rural District Council), and Over Hall in Winsford (from Winsford Urban District Council).[15] [16] In 1990 the council consolidated its offices into a new purpose-built headquarters called Wyvern House on The Drumber in Winsford.[17] Wyvern House was formally opened by Princess Margaret on 19 July 1991.[18] [19] Since the council's abolition in 2009, Wyvern House has been used as one of the offices of its successor, Cheshire West and Chester Council.[20]

Council elections

By-election results

External links

Notes and References

  1. si. The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972. 1972. 2039. 6 September 2022.
  2. News: Vale Royal as new name for District 4? . 6 September 2022 . Crewe Chronicle . 7 December 1972 . 25 . 22 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230922212722/https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ . live .
  3. si. The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973. 1973. 551. 6 September 2022.
  4. Web site: Bulletins of Change 1987–1988 . Database of Local Government Orders . Local Government Boundary Commission for England . 6 September 2022 . 20 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220320002113/https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lgbce/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/17528/change-bulletin-1987-1988.pdf . live .
  5. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/6916055.stm BBC News, 25 July 2007 – County split into two authorities.
  6. Web site: Cheshire (Structural Changes) Order 2008 . 4 April 2009 . 17 May 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090517000027/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080634_en_2#pt2-l1g4 . live .
  7. Web site: Compositions calculator . The Elections Centre . 10 August 2022 . 10 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220810180233/https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/?page_id=3825 . live .
  8. Web site: Teale . Andrew . Local Election Results 2007: Vale Royal . Local Elections Archive Project . 6 September 2022 . 7 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220507165031/https://andrewteale.me.uk/leap/results/2007/150/ . live .
  9. News: 12 May 1988 . Vale Royal's first Labour leader . 11 . Runcorn Weekly News . subscription . 8 August 2023 . Newspaper.com.
  10. News: 17 May 1989 . Labour loses its grasp after mayor change . 27 . Northwich Chronicle . 8 August 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  11. News: 17 May 1990 . Vale Royal elects its officers . 12 . Runcorn Weekly News . 8 August 2023 . . 11 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230811050751/https://www.newspapers.com/article/runcorn-weekly-news-vale-royal-elects-it/129676949/ . live .
  12. News: It's a tough job - but worth it to help people . 6 September 2022 . Warrington Guardian . 28 April 2000.
  13. Web site: Executive Group . Vale Royal Borough Council . 6 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20000602120200/http://www.valeroyal.gov.uk/democracy/modernvr/exec/exec.html . 2 June 2000.
  14. News: Wilson . James . Party ditches council leader . 6 September 2022 . Northwich Guardian . 26 May 2007.
  15. News: Council bid for HQ . 6 September 2022 . Winsford Chronicle . 3 December 1987 . 6 . 22 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230922212722/https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ . live .
  16. Cheshire County Council . London Gazette . 26 May 1989 . 51747 . 6318 . 6 September 2022.
  17. Web site: The Council . Vale Royal Borough Council . 6 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/19990423032654/http://www.valeroyal.gov.uk/council/council.html . 23 April 1999.
  18. News: Vale Royal office opening . 6 September 2022 . Runcorn Weekly News . 11 July 1991 . 12 . 22 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230922212722/https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ . live .
  19. News: Princess of smiles on tour . 6 September 2022 . Crewe Chronicle . 24 July 1991 . 1 . 22 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230922212722/https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ . live .
  20. Web site: Customer service centres . Cheshire West and Chester Council . 6 September 2022 . 6 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220906012755/https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/contact-us/customer-service-centres/wyvern-house . live .
  21. legislation.gov.uk - The District of Vale Royal (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976 . Retrieved on 19 November 2015.
  22. The Macclesfield and Vale Royal (Areas) Order 1982
  23. legislation.gov.uk - The Cheshire (District Boundaries) Order 1988. Retrieved on 6 November 2015.
  24. legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Vale Royal (Electoral Changes) Order 1998 . Retrieved on 4 October 2015.

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