Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

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Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Arms of Knowsley Council
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Ken McGlashan,
Labour
since 17 May 2024[1]
Graham Morgan,
Labour
since 18 May 2018
Mike Harden
since 30 October 2014
Structure
Seats45 councillors[2]
Knowsley Council composition
Political groups
Administration (31)
  Labour (31)
Other parties (14)
  Green (7)
  Independent (4)
  Liberal Democrats (3)
Joint committees
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
Elections
Last election
2 May 2024
Next election
7 May 2026
Meeting place
Municipal Buildings, Archway Road, Huyton, Liverpool, L36 9UX
Website
knowsley.gov.uk

Knowsley Council, or Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in Merseyside, England. It is a metropolitan borough council and provides the majority of local government services in the borough. The council has been a member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority since 2014.

The council has been under Labour majority control since its creation in 1974. It is based at the Municipal Buildings in Huyton.

History[edit]

The metropolitan borough of Knowsley and its council were created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the whole area of three former districts and parts of another two, all of which were abolished at the same time:

The area was transferred from Lancashire to become one of the five districts in the new metropolitan county of Merseyside. The first election to the new council was held in 1973. For its first year the council acted as a shadow authority alongside the area's outgoing authorities. The new metropolitan district and its council formally came into being on 1 April 1974, at which point the old districts and their councils were abolished.[4]

The metropolitan district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[5] The council styles itself Knowsley Council rather than its full formal name of Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council.[6]

From 1974 until 1986 the council was a lower-tier authority, with upper-tier functions provided by Merseyside County Council. The county council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to Merseyside's five borough councils, including Knowsley, with some services provided through joint committees.[7]

Since 2014 the council has been a member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, which has been led by the directly elected Mayor of the Liverpool City Region since 2017. The combined authority provides strategic leadership and co-ordination for certain functions across the region, but Knowsley Council continues to be responsible for most local government functions.[8][9]

Governance[edit]

Knowsley Council provides metropolitan borough services. Some strategic functions in the area are provided by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority; the leader of Knowsley Council sits on the combined authority as Knowsley's representative.[10] Parts of the borough are covered by civil parishes, which form an additional tier of local government for their areas.[11]

Political control[edit]

The council has been under Labour majority control since its creation in 1974.[12][13]

Party in control Years
Labour 1974–present

Leadership[edit]

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Knowsley. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The first leader, David Tempest, was formerly leader of Kirkby Urban District Council, one of Knowsley's predecessors.[14] The leaders of Knowsley since 1974 have been:[15]

Councillor Party From To
David Tempest[16] Labour Apr 1974 May 1975
Peter Longworth[17] Labour May 1975 May 1978
Jim Lloyd Labour May 1978 May 1987
Jim Keight[18] Labour May 1987 4 May 2003
Ron Round Labour 21 May 2003 22 May 2015
Andy Moorhead Labour 22 May 2015 May 2018
Graham Morgan Labour 18 May 2018

Composition[edit]

Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was:[19]

Party Councillors
Labour 31
Green 7
Independent 4
Liberal Democrats 3
Total 45

The next election is due in May 2026.

Elections[edit]

See also: Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2016, the council has comprised 45 councillors representing 15 wards, each electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office.[20]

Premises[edit]

The council's main offices and meeting place are at the Municipal Buildings in Archway Road in Huyton.[21] The building was completed in 1963 as the headquarters of Huyton-with-Roby Urban District Council, one of Knowsley's predecessor authorities.[22][23][24][25]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Simonswood was subsequently transferred back to Lancashire in 1994.[3]
  1. ^ Jessett, Elliot (17 May 2024). "Applause breaks out for new Mayor after emotional tribute". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Your councillors". Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council.
  3. ^ "The Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside (County and Metropolitan Borough Boundaries) Order 1993", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1993/691, retrieved 6 June 2024
  4. ^ "Local Government Act 1972: Schedule 1", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70 (sch. 1), retrieved 30 May 2024
  5. ^ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Find your local council". gov.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 5 April 2024
  8. ^ "The Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral Combined Authority Order 2014", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2014/865, retrieved 5 June 2024
  9. ^ "Understand how your council works". gov.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Committee details". Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Knowsley". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
  14. ^ "It is 'Labour only' in this semi-rural ward". Liverpool Echo. 27 September 1972. p. 9. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Council minutes". Knowsley Council. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  16. ^ "Council face court fight over rates". Liverpool Echo. 10 July 1974. p. 5. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  17. ^ "Knowsley is third council to change Labour leader". Liverpool Echo. 12 May 1978. p. 7. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  18. ^ "Knowsley mods on the march!". Liverpool Echo. 12 May 1987. p. 28. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  19. ^ "Local elections 2024: full mayoral and council results for England". The Guardian. 4 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  20. ^ "The Knowsley (Electoral Changes) Order 2015", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2015/2036, retrieved 6 June 2024
  21. ^ "Council Meeting" (PDF). Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  22. ^ "Work on new Huyton Town Centre begun: Council Offices first". Liverpool Echo. 9 May 1962. p. 7. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  23. ^ "Gift to council and Huyton members also get plaques". Liverpool Echo. 6 November 1963. p. 9. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  24. ^ "St Michael's Church Conservation Area Appraisal" (PDF). p. 13. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  25. ^ "Huyton". Historic Liverpool. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
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