Vale Royal was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district with borough statusinCheshire, England. It contained the towns of Northwich, Winsford and Frodsham.
Borough of Vale Royal
Shown within Cheshire
History
• Origin
Northwich Urban District
Winsford Urban District
Northwich Rural District
Runcorn Rural District (part of)
• Created
1 April 1974
• Abolished
31 March 2009
• Succeeded by
Status
13UH
• HQ
The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 covering the area of three former districts and part of a fourth, which were abolished at the same time:[1]
The district took its name from Vale Royal Abbey, formerly one of the largest in England, which was situated near the village of Whitegate near the centre of the district. The name was suggested in 1972 by a joint committee of the previous district councils, on the basis of the historic use of the name for the general area of the new district.[2][3] The district was granted borough status on 5 May 1988, allowing the chairman of the council to take the title of mayor.[4]
In 2006 the Department for Communities and Local Government considered reorganising Cheshire's administrative structure as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England. The decision to merge Vale Royal with the districts of Chester and Ellesmere Port and Neston to create a single unitary authority was announced on 25 July 2007, following a consultation period in which a proposal to create a single Cheshire unitary authority was rejected.[5]
Vale Royal was abolished on 31 March 2009, with the area becoming part of the new unitary authorityofCheshire West and Chester from 1 April 2009.[6]
The district comprised the following civil parishes:
The first elections to the council were held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council from 1974 until its abolition in 2009 was held by the following parties:[7][8]
Party in control
Years
1974–1991
1991–2003
2003–2007
2007–2008
2008–2009
The leaders of the council from 1988 were:
Councillor
Party
From
To
Marie Birkenhead
5 May 1988
Arthur Neil[9]
align=right|5 May 1988
11 May 1989
David Broster[10]
align=right|11 May 1989
10 May 1990
Bernard Burton[11]
align=right|10 May 1990
1991
Arthur Neil[12]
1991
Apr 2000
Bob Mather[13]
Apr 2000
May 2003
Keith Musgrave[14]
May 2003
May 2007
Les Ford
May 2007
31 Mar 2009
The political composition of the council at its abolition in 2009 was:
Party
Councillors
Conservative
26
Labour
17
Liberal Democrat
11
Weaverham Independents
3
Until 1990 the council operated from the various offices it had inherited from its predecessors, being Whitehall in Hartford (from Northwich Rural District Council), the Council House in Northwich (from Northwich Urban District Council), Castle Park HouseinFrodsham (from Runcorn Rural District Council), and Over Hall in Winsford (from Winsford Urban District Council).[15][16] In 1990 the council consolidated its offices into a new purpose-built headquarters called Wyvern House on The Drumber in Winsford.[17] Wyvern House was formally opened by Princess Margaret on 19 July 1991.[18][19] Since the council's abolition in 2009, Wyvern House has been used as one of the offices of its successor, Cheshire West and Chester Council.[20]
Castle By-Election 25 July 1996
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
535
61.9
201
23.3
128
14.8
Majority
334
38.6
864
18.0
Labour hold
Vale Royal By-Election 24 October 1996
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
637
61.9
218
21.2
174
16.9
Majority
419
40.7
1,029
21.0
Labour hold
Davenham and Moulton By-Election 10 April 1997
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
695
42.3
486
29.6
461
28.1
Majority
209
12.7
1,642
33.6
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour
Tarporley By-Election 10 April 1997
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
372
58.3
138
21.6
128
20.1
Majority
234
36.7
638
30.7
Conservative hold
Northwich Witton By-Election 7 June 2001
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
1,413
60.5
456
19.5
320
13.7
146
6.3
Majority
957
41.0
2,335
Labour hold
Kingsley By-Election 25 September 2003
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
364
53.2
+14.3
187
27.3
−29.3
133
19.4
+14.9
Majority
177
25.9
684
40.7
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats
Frodsham South By-Election 4 March 2004
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
263
47.9
−0.6
166
30.2
−1.5
120
21.9
+2.1
Majority
97
17.7
549
31.3
Conservative hold
Lostock and Wincham By-Election 26 August 2004
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
414
46.1
+21.3
274
30.5
−17.8
185
20.6
−6.3
26
2.9
+2.9
Majority
140
15.6
899
26.9
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats
Winsford Swanlow By-Election 20 January 2005
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Brandon Parkey
326
48.9
−20.3
183
27.5
+13.4
157
23.6
+6.9
Majority
143
21.4
666
19.5
Liberal Democrats hold
Winsford Verdin By-Election 20 January 2005
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Peter Gannon
336
56.4
+18.7
188
31.5
−8.6
72
12.1
−12.1
Majority
148
24.9
596
12.0
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour
Leftwich and Kingsmead By-Election 9 February 2006
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Helen Burder
334
36.2
+3.4
Glyn Roberts
296
32.1
+2.5
Kathryn Birtwistle
293
31.7
−5.9
Majority
38
4.1
923
16.0
Labour hold
Leftwich and Kingsmead By-Election 1 May 2008
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Helen Weltman
855
54.8
+24.5
Paul Dolan
383
24.5
−3.4
Glyn Roberts
323
20.7
+3.4
Majority
472
30.2
1,561
Conservative hold
53°15′N 2°36′W / 53.250°N 2.600°W / 53.250; -2.600