Widnes - Governance

Governance

From Saxon times Widnes was part of the hundred of West Derby in Lancashire. Modern local government in the town of Widnes commenced with the creation of the Widnes Local Board in 1865, prior to which the town had been part of the administrative district of Prescot. In 1892 the town received a Charter of Incorporation giving it borough status. In 1974, as part of the Local Government Act 1972, Widnes Borough Council was abolished and its territory amalgamated with Runcorn to form the borough of Halton. This became a district council of Cheshire, the outcome of local representation to avoid becoming part of the proposed Metropolitan County of Merseyside. In 1998 the borough of Halton became a unitary authority. However, in 2009 the council agreed to becoming part of the arrangements with the five Merseyside County's constituent metropolitan district councils as 'Liverpool City Region', in effect reversing its opposition to integration in the 1970s; its UA status is the same as that of the MDCs.

In 1885 Widnes became a parliamentary constituency and elected its first Member of Parliament. Widnes is now in the European parliamentary constituency of North West England. The UK parliamentary constituency is Halton and the current Member of Parliament is Derek Twigg. The local authority is the borough of Halton and the town is divided into nine electoral wards.