Warrington - Governance

Governance

Historically part of Lancashire, Warrington was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1847 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. Warrington acquired county borough status upon reaching a population of 50,000 in 1900 and until 1974 was known as the County Borough of Warrington. As part of proposed local government reforms of England, in 1969 the Redcliffe-Maud Report suggested merging Warrington with either Merseyside or Greater Manchester metropolitan counties. Lobbying by the borough council averted this. But, since these county boundary changes were to make Warrington non-contiguous with Lancashire, under the local government reforms of 1974, Warrington, incorporating Lymm Urban District and part of Runcorn Rural District from Cheshire, and part of Warrington Rural District, was made a borough within Cheshire County Council.

On 1 April 1998, Warrington became an independent unitary authority, though it is still served by Cheshire Police and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, and forms part of Cheshire for ceremonial purposes, such as the Lord Lieutenancy. The current borders of Warrington Borough cover the former County Borough of Warrington, Lymm Urban District, Warrington Rural District and part of Golborne Urban District, part of Runcorn Rural District and part of Whiston Rural District.

Warrington has applied unsuccessfully for city status, the most recent attempt being after the opening of the Peace Centre as a "City for Peace".

As of 4 May 2012 the political makeup of the borough council is as follows:

• 2 Liberal Democrat Wards: Appleton; Grappenhall & Thelwall.
• 13 Labour Wards: Bewsey & Whitecross; Birchwood; Burtonwood & Winwick; Fairfield & Howley; Great Sankey South; Latchford East; Orford; Penketh & Cuerdley; Poplars & Hulme; Poulton North; Poulton South; Rixton & Woolston; and Westbrook
• 1 Conservative Ward: Hatton, Stretton & Walton
• 6 "split" Wards:, Culcheth, Glazebury & Croft (2 Conservative, 1 Labour); Great Sankey North (1 Labour, 1 Liberal Democrat); Latchford West (1 Labour, 1 Liberal Democrat); Lymm (2 Liberal Democrat, 1 Conservative); Stockton Heath (1 Labour, 1 Liberal Democrat); and Whittle Hall (2 Labour, 1 Liberal Democrat).

Current councillor party composition after the Warrington Council election, 2012:

By consequence, the council is run by Labour.

At Westminster, Warrington is represented by two MPs. Helen Jones (Labour) represents Warrington North, and David Mowat (Conservative) represents Warrington South.