Wirral Council
Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council, or simply Wirral Council, is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is a metropolitan district council, one of five in Merseyside and one of 36 in the metropolitan counties of England, and provides the majority of local government services in Wirral. It is a constituent council of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.[3]
Wirral Council | |
---|---|
Type | |
Type | |
Leadership | |
Civic Mayor of Wirral | |
Leader of the Council | |
Deputy Leader | Cllr Anita Leech, Labour |
Leader of the Opposition | |
Chief executive | Paul Satoor |
Structure | |
Seats | 66 councillors[2] |
Political groups |
|
Joint committees | Liverpool City Region Combined Authority |
Length of term | 4 years |
Elections | |
First-past-the-post | |
First election | 10 May 1973 |
Last election | 2 May 2019 |
Next election | 6 May 2021 |
Meeting place | |
Wallasey Town Hall, Wallasey | |
Website | |
www.wirral.gov.uk |
History
The current local authority was first elected in 1973, a year before formally coming into its powers and prior to the creation of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral on 1 April 1974. The council gained borough status, entitling it to be known as Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
Timeline
- 1973 First election.
- 1974 Metropolitan borough of Wirral established.
- 1975 Conservatives take control of council.
- 1986 Council falls under No Overall Control.
- 1991 Labour take control of the council for the first time.
- 1992 Council falls under No Overall Control.
- 1995 Labour take control of the council.
- 2002 Council falls under No Overall Control.
- 2005/06 Cllr Hilary Jones (Hoylake and Meols) becomes UKIP's first (and last) representation on the council. Elected as a Conservative (later resigning the whip in 2004).
- 2008 Last Liberal Democrat gain until 2019.
- 2011 Liberal Democrat leader, and then Deputy Leader of the council, Simon Holbrook loses his Prenton seat to Labour's Paul Doughty after 12 years as a councillor.
- 2012 Labour take control of the council.
- 2013 Last Conservative Gain in Leasowe and Moreton East by-election (lost in the following years election).
- 2014 Greens make first gain in Wirral with Pat Cleary ousting Labour's, then cabinet member for the environment, Brian Kenny in their traditionally safe seat of Birkenhead and Tranmere.
- 2015 Last Labour gain.
- 2019 Council falls under No Overall Control, first net gain for the Liberal Democrats since 2008.
Council leadership
Leader of the Council and Cabinet
Office(s) | Party | Councillor | Current Portfolio | Entered cabinet | Ward | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leader of the Council; Overall strategic direction of Council |
Labour | Pat Hackett | 14 May 2019 | 14 May 2019 | New Brighton | [4] | |
Deputy Leader of the Council; The Local Plan | Labour | Anita Leech | 14 May 2019 | 15 August 2018 | Leasowe and Moreton East | [5] | |
Adult care, health and wellbeing | Labour | Chris Jones | 14 May 2019 | ? | Seacombe | [6] | |
Children, families and education | Labour | Tom Usher | 14 May 2019 | 14 May 2019 | Liscard | [7] | |
Community Services | Labour | Julie McManus | 14 May 2019 | 14 May 2019 | Bidston and St James | [8] | |
Environment and climate change | Labour | Elizabeth Grey | 14 May 2019 | 14 May 2019 | Bidston and St James | [9] | |
Finance and Resources | Labour | Janette Williamson | 15 May 2018 | ? | Liscard | [10] | |
Housing and Planning | Labour | Stuart Whittingham | 14 May 2019 | ? | Upton | [11] | |
Regeneration and Growth | Labour | Tony Jones | 14 May 2019 | 14 May 2019 | New Brighton | [12] | |
Culture and Tourism | Labour | Christine Spriggs | 14 May 2019 | 14 May 2019 | New Brighton | [13] | |
Source: Wirral Council[14] |
Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Cabinet
Role(s) | Party | Councillor | Term start | Ward | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leader of the Opposition, Leader of Conservative Group |
Conservative | Ian Lewis | 8 May 2017 | Wallasey | [15] | |
Deputy Leader of Conservative Group | Conservative | Lesley Rennie | ? | Wallasey | [16] | |
Environment | Conservative | Adam Sykes | ? | Clatterbridge | [17] |
Mayor of Wirral
The Mayor of Wirral (or Civic Mayor of Wirral) is a ceremonial post elected annually, along with a deputy, by Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.[18] The role of the mayor includes chairing council meetings, representing the Borough at civic functions, supporting local charities and conferring Honorary Freemen and Aldermen.
The incumbent mayor and deputy mayor are Tony Smith and George Davies.[19]
Wards and councillors
Each ward is represented by three councillors.[20]
Parliamentary constituency | Ward | Councillor | Party | Term of office | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Birkenhead | Bidston and St James | Liz Grey | Labour | 2018–22 | |
Brian Kenny | Labour | 2019–23 | |||
Julie McManus | Labour | 2016–20 | |||
Birkenhead and Tranmere | Pat Cleary | Green | 2018–22 | ||
Steve Hayes | Independent [n 2] | 2019–23 | |||
Jean Stapleton | Labour | 2016–20 | |||
Claughton | Gillian Wood | Labour | 2018–22 | ||
Steve Foulkes | Labour | 2019–23 | |||
George Davies | Labour | 2016–20 | |||
Oxton | Allan Brame | Liberal Democrats | 2018–22 | ||
Andy Corkhill | Liberal Democrats | 2019–23 | |||
Stuart Kelly | Liberal Democrats | 2016–20 | |||
Prenton | Samantha Frost | Labour | 2018–22 | ||
Chris Cooke | Green | 2019–23 | |||
Tony Norbury | Labour | 2016–20 | |||
Rock Ferry | Moira McLaughlin | Independent [n 3] | 2018–22 | ||
Yvonne Nolan | Labour | 2019–23 | |||
Vacant | – [n 4] | – | |||
Wallasey | Leasowe and Moreton East | Sharon Jones | Labour | 2018–22 | |
Karl Greaney | Labour | 2019–23 | |||
Anita Leech | Labour | 2016–20 | |||
Liscard | Janette Williamson | Labour | 2018–22 | ||
Sarah Spoor | Labour | 2019–23 | |||
Thomas Usher | Labour | 2016–20 | |||
Moreton West and Saughall Massie | Bruce Berry | Conservative | 2018–22 | ||
Steve Williams | Conservative | 2019–23 | |||
Vacant | – [n 5] | – | |||
New Brighton | Christine Spriggs | Labour | 2018–22 | ||
Vacant | – [n 6] | – | |||
Tony Jones | Labour | 2016–20 | |||
Seacombe | Adrian Jones | Labour | 2018–22 | ||
Chris Jones | Labour | 2019–23 | |||
Paul Stuart | Labour | 2016–20 | |||
Wallasey | Lesley Rennie | Conservative | 2018–22 | ||
Paul Hayes | Conservative | 2019–23 | |||
Ian Lewis | Conservative | 2016–20 | |||
Wirral South | Bebington | Tony Cottier | Labour | 2018–22 | |
Jerry Williams | Labour | 2019–23 | |||
Christina Muspratt | Labour | 2016–20 | |||
Bromborough | Irene Williams | Labour | 2018–22 | ||
Joe Walsh | Labour | 2019–23 | |||
Jo Bird | Labour Co-op | 2018–20 | |||
Clatterbridge | Mary Jordon | Conservative | 2018–22 | ||
Helen Cameron | Conservative | 2019–23 | |||
Cherry Povall JP | Conservative | 2016–20 | |||
Eastham | Chris Carubia | Liberal Democrats | 2018–22 | ||
Dave Mitchell | Liberal Democrats | 2019–23 | |||
Phil Gilchrist | Liberal Democrats | 2016–20 | |||
Heswall | Les Rowlands | Conservative | 2018–22 | ||
Andrew Hodson | Conservative | 2019–23 | |||
Kathy Hodson | Conservative | 2016–20 | |||
Wirral West | Greasby, Frankby and Irby | Wendy Clements | Conservative | 2018–22 | |
David Burgess-Joyce | Conservative | 2019–23 | |||
Tom Anderson | Conservative | 2016–20 | |||
Hoylake and Meols | Tony Cox | Conservative | 2018–22 | ||
Alison Wright | Conservative | 2019–23 | |||
Andrew Gardner | Conservative | 2018–20 | |||
Pensby and Thingwall | Kate Cannon | Labour | 2018–22 | ||
Mike Collins | Conservative | 2019–23 | |||
Michael Sullivan | Independent [n 7] | 2016–20 | |||
Upton | Stuart Whittingham | Labour | 2018–22 | ||
Tony Smith | Labour | 2019–23 | |||
Jean Robinson | Labour | 2018–20 | |||
West Kirby and Thurstaston | Jeff Green | Conservative | 2018–22 | ||
Jenny Johnson | Conservative | 2019–23 | |||
Vacant | – [n 8] | – | |||
Political makeup
Only four parties have won seats to Council: Conservative, Green, Labour and Liberal Democrat (and its predecessors). All other political representation has come via changes in affiliation.
Year | Con | Green | Lab | Lib Dem | Other | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1973 | 29 | 0 | 24 | 13 | 0 | [27] |
1974 | 29 | 0 | 24 | 13 | 0 | |
1975 | 36 | 0 | 21 | 9 | 0 | |
37 | 0 | 21 | 8 | 0 | ||
1976 | 42 | 0 | 18 | 6 | 0 | |
1977 | 42 | 0 | 18 | 6 | 0 | |
1978 | 45 | 0 | 16 | 5 | 0 | |
1979 | 40 | 0 | 20 | 6 | 0 | |
1980 | 37 | 0 | 23 | 6 | 0 | |
1981 | 37 | 0 | 23 | 6 | 0 | |
1982 | 35 | 0 | 25 | 6 | 0 | |
1983 | 34 | 0 | 24 | 8 | 0 | |
1984 | 34 | 0 | 24 | 8 | 0 | |
1985 | 34 | 0 | 24 | 8 | 0 | |
1986 | 30 | 0 | 26 | 10 | 0 | |
1987 | 29 | 0 | 27 | 10 | 0 | |
1988 | 24 | 0 | 32 | 10 | 0 | |
24 | 0 | 29 | 10 | 3 | ||
1989 | 24 | 0 | 29 | 10 | 3 | |
1990 | 23 | 0 | 33 | 7 | 3 | |
23 | 0 | 33 | 8 | 2 | ||
1991 | 24 | 0 | 34 | 7 | 1 | |
1992 | 29 | 0 | 31 | 6 | 0 | |
1993 | 29 | 0 | 31 | 6 | 0 | |
1994 | 30 | 0 | 30 | 6 | 0 | |
28 | 0 | 30 | 8 | 0 | ||
1995 | 22 | 0 | 36 | 8 | 0 | |
1996 | 16 | 0 | 41 | 9 | 0 | |
1997 | 16 | 0 | 41 | 9 | 0 | |
1998 | 16 | 0 | 41 | 8 | 1 | |
16 | 0 | 42 | 8 | 0 | [28] | |
1999 | 17 | 0 | 39 | 10 | 0 | [27] |
2000 | 20 | 0 | 34 | 12 | 0 | |
2001 | 20 | 0 | 34 | 12 | 0 | |
20 | 0 | 33 | 12 | 1 | [29] | |
2002 | 20 | 0 | 32 | 12 | 2 | |
20 | 0 | 31 | 14 | 1 | [30] | |
2003 | 23 | 0 | 26 | 16 | 1 | [31] |
2004 | 21 | 0 | 26 | 19 | 0 | [32] |
20 | 0 | 26 | 19 | 1 | [33] | |
2005 | 21 | 0 | 26 | 18 | 1 | [34] |
2006 | 21 | 0 | 26 | 19 | 0 | [35] |
2007 | 21 | 0 | 25 | 20 | 0 | [36] |
21 | 0 | 25 | 19 | 1 | [37] | |
20 | 0 | 25 | 19 | 2 | [38] | |
2008 | 24 | 0 | 21 | 20 | 1 | [39] |
2009 | 25 | 0 | 20 | 20 | 1 | [40] |
2010 | 27 | 0 | 24 | 15 | 0 | [41] |
2011 | 27 | 0 | 29 | 10 | 0 | [42] |
27 | 0 | 30 | 9 | 0 | [43] | |
2012 | 22 | 0 | 37 | 7 | 0 | [44] |
2013 | 23 | 0 | 36 | 7 | 0 | [45] |
22 | 0 | 37 | 7 | 0 | [46] | |
22 | 0 | 37 | 6 | 1 | [47] | |
2014 | 21 | 1 | 38 | 6 | 0 | [48] |
2015 | 21 | 1 | 39 | 5 | 0 | [49] |
2016 | 21 | 1 | 38 | 5 | 1 | [50] |
21 | 1 | 39 | 5 | 0 | [51] | |
2017 | 21 | 1 | 39 | 5 | 0 | |
2018 | 21 | 1 | 39 | 5 | 0 | [52] |
21 | 1 | 38 | 5 | 1 | [25] | |
21 | 1 | 37 | 5 | 2 | [53] | |
2019 | 21 | 1 | 36 | 5 | 3 | [54] |
21 | 1 | 35 | 5 | 4 | [55] | |
21 | 1 | 34 | 5 | 5 | [56] | |
22 | 3 | 32 | 6 | 3 | [57] | |
2020 | 22 | 2 | 32 | 6 | 4 | [58] |
Leaders
Leaders and control
Since the first election to the council in 1973 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:[59]
Portrait | Name | Years | Control | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bill Whitehurst | 1973–1974 | No Overall Control | |||
Malcolm Thornton | 1974–1975 | ||||
1975–1977 | Conservative | ||||
Harry Deverill | 1977–1980 | ||||
David Fletcher | 1980–1985 | ||||
John Hale | 1985–1986 | ||||
1986 (May – Oct) | No Overall Control | ||||
Hung | 1986–1990 | ||||
Yvonne Nolan | 1990–1991 | ||||
George Clark | 1991–1992 | Labour | |||
Hung | 1992–1995 | No Overall Control | |||
Dave Jackson | 1995–2000 | Labour | |||
Steve Foulkes | 2000–2002 | ||||
2002–2010 | No Overall Control | ||||
Jeff Green | 2010–2011 | ||||
Steve Foulkes | 2011–2012 | ||||
Jeff Green | 2012 (Feb – May) | ||||
Phil Davies | 2012–2019 | Labour | |||
Pat Hackett | 2019–2020 | No Overall Control | |||
Janette Williamson | 2020 to present | ||||
Party leaders
Year | Con | Green | Lab | Lib Dem | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1973 | Bill Whitehurst | Not Represented | Bill Wells | Gruff Evans | ||||
1974 | ||||||||
Malcolm Thornton | ||||||||
1977 | ||||||||
Harry Deverill | Gordon Lindsay | |||||||
1978 | ||||||||
Richard Kimberley | ||||||||
1979 | ||||||||
Roy Perkins | ||||||||
1980 | ||||||||
David Fletcher | Andrew Smith | |||||||
1983 | ||||||||
George Clark | ||||||||
1985 | ||||||||
John Hale | ||||||||
1986 | ||||||||
Peter Corcoran | ||||||||
1988 | ||||||||
Ed Cunniffe | ||||||||
1990 | ||||||||
Gordon Lindsay | ||||||||
Yvonne Nolan | ||||||||
1991 | ||||||||
George Clark | ||||||||
1992 | ||||||||
Dave Jackson | ||||||||
1993 | ||||||||
Phil Gilchrist | ||||||||
2000 | ||||||||
Steve Foulkes | ||||||||
2001 | ||||||||
Stuart Kelly | ||||||||
2002 | ||||||||
Jeff Green | ||||||||
2007 | ||||||||
Simon Holbrook | ||||||||
2011 | ||||||||
Tom Harney | ||||||||
2012 | ||||||||
Phil Davies | ||||||||
2013 | ||||||||
Phil Gilchrist | ||||||||
2014 | ||||||||
Pat Cleary | ||||||||
2017 | ||||||||
Ian Lewis | ||||||||
2019 | ||||||||
Pat Hackett | ||||||||
2020 | ||||||||
Janette Williamson | ||||||||
Jeff Green | ||||||||
2021 | ||||||||
Notes
- Formerly 2 Conservative, 1 Labour and 1 Independent seat.
- Resigned from the Green Party in August 2020.
- Resigned the Labour whip in October 2018.[21]
- Independent councillor Bill Davies resigned his seat on 7 September 2020.[22] His seat will be filled at the next local election.
- Conservative councillor Chris Blakeley died on 15 January 2020.[23] His seat will be filled at the next local election.
- Labour councillor Pat Hackett resigned his seat on 30 September 2020.[24] His seat will be filled at the next local election.
- Resigned the Labour whip in August 2018.[25]
- Conservative councillor Geoffrey Watt died on 24 September 2020.[26] His seat will be filled at the next local election.
References
- "Jeff Green is Wirral Conservatives new leader". Wirral West and Wirral South Conservatives. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
- https://www.wirral.gov.uk/councillors-and-committees/councillors
- "Proposal to establish a combined authority for Greater Merseyside" (PDF). Department for Communities and Local Government. November 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- "Councillor Pat Hackett". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- "Councillor Anita Leech". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- "Councillor Chris Jones". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- "Councillor Thomas Usher". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- "Councillor Julie McManus". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- "Councillor Liz Grey". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- "Councillor Janette Williamson". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- "Councillor Stuart Whittingham". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- "Councillor Tony Jones". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- "Councillor Christine Spriggs". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- "Cabinet members 2019-20". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- "Councillor Ian Lewis". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
- "Councillor Lesley Rennie". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
- "Councillor Adam Sykes". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
- "Mayor of Wirral". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- Brace, John. "Cllr Geoffrey Watt elected Mayor of Wirral for 2018-19". Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- "Your Councillors by Ward". www.wirral.gov.uk. Wirral Council. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- "Senior Labour politician quits party after 40 years citing 'absolute aggression' from a 'hard-left clique'". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
- Satoor, Paul (7 September 2020). "Notice of vacancy in the office of Councillor for the Rock Ferry Ward". Wirral Council. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- Morgan, George (16 January 2020). "Heartfelt tributes follow the death of Wirral councillor Chris Blakeley". Wirral Globe. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- Satoor, Paul (30 September 2020). "Notice of vacancy in the office of Councillor for the New Brighton Ward" (PDF). Wirral Council. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
- "Wirral councillor quits party blaming hard left 'parasites'". Labour Uncut. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
- "Geoffrey Watt". Wirral Globe. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
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- "Lib Dem councillor switches sides". Wirral Globe. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- "Second councillor quits". Wirral Globe. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- "Local Election - 02 May 2002". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
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- "'No respect for mayor'". Wirral Globe.
- "Why I jumped ship to join the Tories". Wirral Globe.
- "Local Election - 4 May 2006". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- "Local Election - 03 May 2007". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- "Councillors also have a 'third duty'".
- "Another one bites the dust". Wirral Globe.
- "Election Result for 1 May 2008 2002". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- "BREAKING NEWS: Labour councillor Denis Knowles quits and joins Tories at Wallasey Town Hall". Wirral Globe.
- "Election Result for 6 May 2010". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- "Election Result for 5 May 2011". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- "Wirral Lib Dem Steve Niblock defects to Labour Party". BBC News.
- "Election Result for 3 May 2012". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- "Conservative victory in Wirral by-elections". Wirral Globe.
- "UPDATED: Labour victory in Wirral Council by-election". Wirral Globe.
- "Wirral councillor Mark Johnson quits Liberal Democrat Party". Liverpool Echo.
- "Election Result for 22 May 2014". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- "Election Result for 7 May 2015". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- "Seven things to talk about after the Wirral local elections". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- "Election results by party, Local election - Thursday, 5th May 2016". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
- "Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council Election 2018 Results". BBC News.
- "Senior Labour politician quits party after 40 years citing 'absolute aggression' of 'hard-left clique'". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
- Houghton, Tom (12 February 2019). "Yet ANOTHER top Labour politician quits party - blaming 'hard-left' takeover". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- Houghton, Tom (18 March 2019). "Labour Councillor of more than 30 years latest to quit party and slam 'hard-left' takeover". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
- Houghton, Tom (10 April 2019). "Wirral politician booted out of Labour after campaigning for rival party". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
- "Composition of Wirral Council following the local elections on Thursday 2 May 2019". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. 3 May 2019. Archived from the original on 23 June 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- "Councillors". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- "Wirral". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2009.