View source for Merseyside County Council

{{Short description|Former English council}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox legislature
| name               = Merseyside County Council
| native_name        =
| transcription_name =
| coa_pic            = Arms of the Merseyside Metropolitan County Council.svg
| coa_res            = 150px
| coa_caption        = Coat of arms of the Merseyside County Council
| house_type         = [[County council]] of [[Merseyside]]
| houses             =
| legislature        =
| established        = [[Local Government Act 1972|1 April 1974]]
| preceded_by        =
| succeeded_by       = [[Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council|Knowsley]]<br>[[Liverpool City Council|Liverpool]]<br>[[Sefton Council|Sefton]]<br>[[St Helens Council|St Helens]]<br>[[Wirral Council|Wirral]]
| disbanded          = [[Local Government Act 1985|31 March 1986]]
| leader1_type       = Leader
| leader1            = 
| leader2_type       =
| leader2            =
| members            = 99
| committees         =
| house1             =
| house2             =
| house3             =
| voting_system1     =
| voting_system2     =
| voting_system3     =
| last_election1     = [[1981 Merseyside County Council election|1981]]
| last_election2     =
| last_election3     =
| session_room       = Liverpool Townhall (7684898060).jpg
| session_res        =
| meeting_place      = [[Liverpool Town Hall]]
| website            =
| footnotes          =
}}
'''Merseyside County Council''' (MCC) was, from 1974 to 1986, the upper-tier administrative body for  [[Merseyside]], a [[metropolitan county]] in [[North West England]].

MCC existed for a total of twelve years. It was established on 1 April 1974 by the [[Local Government Act 1972]]. However, along with the other five metropolitan county councils and the [[Greater London Council]] it was abolished on 31 March 1986 by the [[Local Government Act 1985]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://merseysidelieutenancy.weebly.com/merseyside.html|title=The Ceremonial County of Merseyside|publisher=The Merseyside Lieutenancy|access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref>

==Premises==
[[File:Liverpool Echo building 13 March 2013 004 stitch.jpg|thumb|Metropolitan House, 95 Old Hall Street, Liverpool: Council's main offices.]]
The county council had its main administrative offices at [[Post & Echo Building|Metropolitan House]] at 95 Old Hall Street in Liverpool, renting part of the building from its owners, the ''[[Liverpool Echo]]'' and ''[[Liverpool Daily Post|Daily Post]]'' newspaper group. The county council held its meetings at [[Liverpool Town Hall]].<ref name=Evans>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/public-service-management-end-of-the-metropolitan-line-county-councils-face-an-uncertain-future-1540037.html|title=End of the metropolitan line: County councils face an uncertain future |work=The Independent|date=13 August 1992|access-date=6 October 2019|first=Andrew|last=Evans}}</ref>

==Political control==
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council from 1973 until its abolition in 1986 was held by the following parties:
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan=2|Party in control || Years
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || 1973–1977
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} || 1977–1981
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || 1981–1986
|}

===Leadership===
Until 1980, the [[leader of the council]] also held the formal role of chairman of the council. In 1980 the two roles were separated, with the chairmanship becoming largely ceremonial whilst political leadership was provided by the leader of the council.<ref name=split/> The first leader and chairman of the county council, Bill Sefton, had been the last leader of [[Liverpool City Council]] before the 1974 reforms took effect. The leaders of Merseyside County Council were:

{| class=wikitable
! Councillor !! colspan=2|Party !! From !! To
|-
| [[William Sefton, Baron Sefton of Garston|Bill Sefton]] || {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|1 Apr 1974 || align=right|May 1977
|-
| [[Sir Kenneth Thompson, 1st Baronet|Kenneth Thompson]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cook |first1=Norman |title=Night of the new faces |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=27 August 2022 |work=Liverpool Echo |date=6 May 1977 |page=1}}</ref> || {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} || align=right|May 1977 || align=right|Oct 1980
|-
| Neville Goldrein<ref name=split>{{cite news |last1=Craig |first1=Ian |title=Early start for new council chief |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=27 August 2022 |work=Liverpool Echo |date=21 October 1980 |page=3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Craig |first1=Ian |title=Oh, what a lovely war on the street |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=27 August 2022 |work=Liverpool Echo |date=5 May 1981 |page=6}}</ref> || {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} || align=right|Oct 1980 || align=right|May 1981
|-
| Jim Stuart-Cole<ref>{{cite news |last1=Craig |first1=Ian |title=New leader's blueprint for Merseyside |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=27 August 2022 |work=Liverpool Echo |date=8 May 1981 |page=7}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Phelps |first1=Peter |title=County heads for clash over rates |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=27 August 2022 |work=Liverpool Echo |date=8 March 1982 |page=3}}</ref> || {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|May 1981 || align=right|Mar 1982
|-
| Keva Coombes<ref>{{cite news |last1=Garbutt |first1=Nick |title=A step into history: Tears as the county goes into oblivion |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=27 August 2022 |work=Liverpool Echo |date=26 March 1986 |page=8}}</ref><ref name=Evans/> || {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|Mar 1982 || align=right|31 Mar 1986
|}

==Council elections==
* [[1973 Merseyside County Council election]]
* [[1977 Merseyside County Council election]]
* [[1981 Merseyside County Council election]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Local authorities in Merseyside}}
{{Merseyside elections}}
{{Former county councils of England}}

{{Coord|53.415|-2.992|display=title}}

[[Category:History of Merseyside]]
[[Category:Local authorities in Merseyside]]
[[Category:1986 disestablishments in England]]
[[Category:Former county councils of England]]
[[Category:Council elections in Merseyside]]