Bracknell Forest Council, also known as Bracknell Forest Borough Council, is the local authority for Bracknell Forest, a local government district with borough status in Berkshire, England. The council is a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2023. It is based at Time Square in Bracknell.
Bracknell Forest Council | |
|---|---|
 Council logo | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1974 |
| Leadership | |
Susan Halliwell since 2022[2] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 41 councillors |
 | |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | 4 years |
| Elections | |
| Plurality-at-large | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Time Square, Market Street, Bracknell, RG12 1JD | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Governance edit
The council provides both district-level and county-level functions.[3] The whole borough is covered by civil parishes, which form a second tier of local government for their areas.[4]
Political control edit
The council has been under Labour majority control since the 2023 election.
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially acting as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[5][6]
Non-metropolitan district
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 1974–1976 | |
| Conservative | 1976–1995 | |
| Labour | 1995–1997 | |
| Conservative | 1997–1998 | |
Unitary authority
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 1998–2023 | |
| Labour | 2023–present | |
Leadership edit
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Bracknell Forest. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1984 have been:[7]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Ward[8] | Conservative | 1984 | 30 Apr 1992 | |
| Bob Angell[9] | Conservative | 30 Apr 1992 | 7 May 1995 | |
| Austin McCormack | Labour | May 1995 | 13 May 1997 | |
| Paul Bettison | Conservative | 13 May 1997 | 7 May 2023 | |
| Mary Temperton[10] | Labour | 24 May 2023 | ||
Premises edit
The council was originally based at Easthampstead House in Town Square, Bracknell, which had been built in 1970 for its predecessor authority, Easthampstead Rural District Council.[11] In 1997 the council acquired additional office space in a modern building called Time Square on Market Street, Bracknell, with functions split between the two buildings for a time.[12][13] Council meetings continued to be held at Easthampstead House until a new council chamber was created in Time Square in 2018, after which the council vacated Easthampstead House and is now solely based at Time Square.[14]
Elections edit
Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 41 councillors representing 15 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[15]
References edit
- ^ "Council minutes, 24 May 2023". Bracknell Forest Council. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Williams, Grant (23 June 2022). "Bracknell Forest Council announces new chief executive". Bracknell News. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70
- ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ "Bracknell Forest". BBC News Online. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
- ^ "Council minutes". Bracknell Forest Council. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ "A new man in the hot seat". Bracknell Times. 7 May 1992. p. 3. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Angell falls in a night of shocks". Wokingham Times. 11 May 1995. p. 7. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "'History made' at Bracknell Forest Council, says new mayor". Bracknell News. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
- ^ "People and Places". Reading Evening Post. 23 October 1970. p. 13. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ Bracknell Forest Borough Council, planning application 622864 for change of use of offices to local authority use at Time Square, Market Street, Bracknell, granted 8 September 1997.
- ^ Slevin, Jennie (10 April 2014). "Bracknell council services all under one roof after Time Square refurbishment". Berkshire Live. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Council minutes, 23 May 2018" (PDF). Bracknell Forest Council. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "The Bracknell Forest (Electoral Changes) Order 2021", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2021/887, retrieved 9 May 2024