Borough of Waverley
Borough of Waverley | |
---|---|
Latin: Town and countryside in unity) | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Constituent country | England |
Region | South East England |
Non-metropolitan county | Surrey |
Status | Non-metropolitan district |
Admin HQ | Godalming |
Incorporated | 1 April 1974 |
Government | |
• Type | Non-metropolitan district council |
• Body | Waverley Borough Council |
• Leadership | Leader & Cabinet |
• MPs | Jeremy Hunt Angela Richardson |
Area | |
• Total | 133.3 sq mi (345.2 km2) |
• Rank | 104th (of 296) |
Population (2021) | |
• Total | 128,878 |
• Rank | 182nd (of 296) |
• Density | 970/sq mi (370/km2) |
Ethnicity (2021) | |
• Ethnic groups | |
Religion (2021) | |
• Religion | List
|
UTC+1 (BSTa) | |
ONS code | 43UL (ONS) E07000216 (GSS) |
OS grid reference | SU9660743750 |
The Borough of Waverley is a
The neighbouring districts are Guildford, Mole Valley, Horsham, Chichester, East Hampshire, Hart and Rushmoor.
History
The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The new district covered the area of four former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[3][4]
- Farnham Urban District
- Municipal Borough
- Haslemere Urban District
- Hambledon Rural District
The new district was named after
For the first six years of its existence, the council was based outside the district at the former Hambledon Rural District Council's offices at Bury Fields in Guildford.[6] In April 1980, the council moved to purpose-built headquarters at The Burys in Godalming, behind Godalming Borough Hall.[7][8] The district was awarded borough status on 21 February 1984, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[9][10]
Governance
Waverley Borough Council | ||
---|---|---|
Chief Executive | Tom Horwood since December 2017[11] | |
Structure | ||
Seats | 50 councillors | |
Political groups |
| |
Elections | ||
First past the post | ||
Last election | 4 May 2023 | |
Next election | 2027 | |
Meeting place | ||
Council Offices, The Burys, Godalming, GU7 1HR | ||
Website | ||
www |
Waverley Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Surrey County Council. The whole borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[12]
Political control
The council has been under
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[13]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
No overall control | 1974–1976 | |
Conservative | 1976–1991 | |
No overall control | 1991–1995 | |
Liberal Democrats | 1995–1999 | |
Conservative | 1999–2003 | |
Liberal Democrats | 2003–2004 | |
No overall control | 2004–2007 | |
Conservative | 2007–2019 | |
No overall control | 2019–present |
Leadership
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Waverley. Political leadership is instead provided by the
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chris Slyfield | Liberal Democrats | 2003 | 2005 | |
Gillian Ferguson | Liberal Democrats | 2005 | May 2007 | |
Richard Gates | Conservative | May 2007 | 11 May 2010 | |
Robert Knowles | Conservative | 11 May 2010 | 10 May 2016 | |
Julia Potts | Conservative | 10 May 2016 | 21 May 2019 | |
John Ward | Farnham Residents |
21 May 2019 | 27 Apr 2021 | |
Paul Follows | Liberal Democrats | 27 Apr 2021 |
Composition
Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was:[15]
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | 22 | |
Farnham Residents |
13 | |
Conservative | 10 | |
Labour | 2 | |
Independent | 2 | |
Green | 1 | |
Total | 50 |
The next election is due in 2027.
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 50 councillors representing 24 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[16]
Geography
Waverley's landscape is influenced by its position within the landform of the
Blackheath Common, in the north of the borough, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, as is the Devil's Punch Bowl in the south of the district.
Demography
A Legatum Prosperity Index published by the Legatum Institute in October 2016 showed Waverley as the most prosperous council area in the United Kingdom.[18]
Twinning
- Mayen-Koblenz in Germany dates from 1977.[19]
Civil parishes
Waverley is entirely divided into
See also
References
- ^ Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "Waverley (Local Authority): Key Figures for 2011 Census". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "Waverley welds historic towns in a new unity". Surrey Advertiser. No. 12950. 1 April 1974. p. S2.
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ Heritage Appraisal, Forum Heritage Services, November 2017, page 6 (accompanies Guildford planning application 17/P/O2341), "Buryfields House was constructed as offices for the Hambledon Rural District Council by architects Crossmaker and Armstrong in 1938."
- ^ "Waverley moves house". Surrey Advertiser. No. 14357. 14 March 1980. p. 1.
- ^ "Timeline from 1837". Godalming Museum. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ Harlow, Amanda (6 January 1984). "Borough plan approved by the Queen". Surrey Advertiser. No. 14609. p. 1.
- ^ "Waverley collects its borough charter". Surrey Advertiser. No. 14615. 17 February 1984. p. 5.
- ^ "WBC appoints new chief exec to £124k post". Farnham Herald. 30 December 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "Council minutes". Waverley Borough Council. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
- ^ "The Waverley (Electoral Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2022/1136, retrieved 5 July 2023
- 2001 census) Retrieved 2015-03-27.
- ^ Braiden, Gerry (13 October 2016). "Scots authority named amongst UK's top 10 most prosperous – as neighbouring city props up table". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
- ^ Waverley twinning info Archived October 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Surrey County Council". Archived from the original on 3 September 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2013.