Bridgnorth District

Bridgnorth District
Bridgnorth District
	Council Offices, Westgate, Bridgnorth
	; Shown within Shropshire non-metropolitan county;
History
• Origin	Bridgnorth Rural District; Much Wenlock Municipal Borough; Shifnal Rural District (part)
• Created	1 April 1974
• Abolished	31 March 2009
• Succeeded by	Shropshire
Status	District
ONS code	39UB
Government	Bridgnorth District Council
• HQ	Bridgnorth

Bridgnorth District was a local government district in Shropshire, England, from 1974 to 2009. Its council was based in the town of Bridgnorth. The district also included the towns of Much Wenlock, Shifnal and Broseley and the villages of Albrighton and Sheriffhales, as well as RAF Cosford.

History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972. The district covered the former Bridgnorth Rural District, and nearly all of the Shifnal Rural District, excluding a small part of Shifnal parish within the area of Telford New Town, which went to Wrekin district.^[1] The former municipal boroughs of Much Wenlock and Bridgnorth had been converted into rural boroughs in 1966 and 1967 respectively, making them part of Bridgnorth Rural District whilst retaining some of their civic dignities such as the right to appoint a mayor.^[2]

The new district created in 1974 was administered by Bridgnorth District Council until abolition on 31 March 2009. From 1 April 2009 the area was administered by the new Shropshire unitary authority created as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England.

Energy policy

In May 2006, a report commissioned by British Gas [1] showed that housing in the district of Bridgnorth produced the 12th highest average carbon emissions in the country at 7,176 kg of carbon dioxide per dwelling.

Political control

The first elections to the council were held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority until coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council from 1974 until its abolition in 2009 was held by the following parties:^[3]

Party in control		Years
	Independent	1973–2003
	No overall control	2003–2009

Leadership

The last leader of the council was Elizabeth Yeomans, an independent.

Councillor	Party		From	To
Elizabeth Yeomans^[4]		Independent		31 Mar 2009

Elections

1973 Bridgnorth District Council election
1976 Bridgnorth District Council election
1979 Bridgnorth District Council election (New ward boundaries)^[5]
1983 Bridgnorth District Council election
1987 Bridgnorth District Council election
1991 Bridgnorth District Council election (District boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same)^[6]
1995 Bridgnorth District Council election
1999 Bridgnorth District Council election
2003 Bridgnorth District Council election (New ward boundaries)^[7]
2007 Bridgnorth District Council election

By-election results

Harrington By-Election 31 July 1997
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	126	51.9	+5.0
	Conservative	117	48.2	+48.2
Majority		9	3.7
Turnout		243	21.4
	Liberal Democrats gain from Independent	Swing

Sheriffhales By-Election 20 June 2002
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	171	60.4	+60.4
	Independent	112	39.6	−16.6
Majority		59	20.8
Turnout		283	14.0
	Conservative gain from Independent	Swing

Ditton Priors By-Election 14 July 2005
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	295	62.5	+11.9
	Liberal Democrats	177	37.5	+37.5
Majority		118	25.0
Turnout		472	36.0
	Conservative hold	Swing

References

^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 18 September 2022
^ "Bridgnorth Rural District". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
^ "Delight as relief road opens". Shropshire Star. 9 March 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
^ The District of Bridgnorth (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976
^ legislation.gov.uk - The Hereford and Worcester and Shropshire (County Boundaries) Order 1991. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
^ legislation.gov.uk - The District of Bridgnorth (Electoral Changes) Order 2000. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.

52°32′03″N 2°25′06″W / 52.53417°N 2.41833°W / 52.53417; -2.41833

[1] "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 18 September 2022

[2] "Bridgnorth Rural District". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 18 September 2022.

[electionscentre-3] "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.

[4] "Delight as relief road opens". Shropshire Star. 9 March 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2022.

[5] The District of Bridgnorth (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976

[6] slation.gov.uk - The Hereford and Worcester and Shropshire (County Boundaries) Order 1991. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.

[7] slation.gov.uk - The District of Bridgnorth (Electoral Changes) Order 2000. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.

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v t e Council elections in Shropshire
Shropshire Council	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025
Telford and Wrekin Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1997 2000 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Bridgnorth District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 Abolished
North Shropshire District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 Abolished
Oswestry Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 Abolished
Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council	1973 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 Abolished
South Shropshire District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 Abolished
See also: Wards Boundary changes