Norfolk County Council

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Use British English Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Script error: No such module "Infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Norfolk County Council is the upper-tier local authority for Norfolk, England. Below it there are seven second-tier district councils: Breckland, Broadland, Great Yarmouth, North Norfolk, Norwich, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, and South Norfolk.

The council has been under Conservative majority control since 2017. It is based at County Hall, Norwich.

History

Elected county councils were created in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888, taking over many administrative functions that had previously been performed by unelected magistrates at the quarter sessions. The boroughs of Norwich and Great Yarmouth were both considered large enough to provide their own county-level services, so they became county boroughs, independent from the county council. The county council was elected by and provided services to the remainder of the county outside those two boroughs, which area was termed the administrative county.[1]

File:Norwich Shirehall - geograph.org.uk - 706583.jpg
Shirehall, Market Avenue, Norwich: Council's meeting place 1889–1968

The first elections were held in January 1889, and the council formally came into being on 1 April 1889. The council held its first official meeting on 13 April 1889 at the Shirehall in Norwich, the courthouse which had been the meeting place of the quarter sessions which preceded the county council. The first chairman was Robert Gurdon, who was the Member of Parliament for the Mid Norfolk constituency and a member of the Liberal Unionist Party.[2] In 1902 it was said that the council consisted "almost entirely of landowners and large farmers."[3]

Local government was reformed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, which made Norfolk a non-metropolitan county. As part of the 1974 reforms the county council gained responsibility for the two former county boroughs of Norwich and Great Yarmouth. The lower tier of local government was rearranged at the same time, with the county's numerous boroughs, urban districts and rural districts reorganised into seven non-metropolitan districts.[4]

Governance

Norfolk County Council provides county-level services. District-level services are provided by the county's seven district councils. The districts are:[5][6]

Much of the county is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[7]

Political control

The council has been under Conservative majority control since 2017.

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:[8][9]

Party in control Years
Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 1974–1993
Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 1993–2001
Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 2001–2013
Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 2013–2017
Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 2017–present

Leadership

File:W-h-r-ffolkes-1880.jpg
Sir William Ffolkes, chairman 1902–1912

Prior to the 1974 reforms, the chairman of the council was also its political leader. The chairmen from 1889 to 1974 were:[10]

Councillor Party From To
Robert Gurdon[11] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 1 Apr 1889 5 Apr 1902
William ffolkes[12] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 5 Apr 1902 6 Apr 1912
John Sancroft Holmes[13][14] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 6 Apr 1912 10 Apr 1920
Ailwyn Fellowes[15][16] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 10 Apr 1920 23 Sep 1924
Russell Colman[17][18] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 14 Mar 1925 4 Jan 1941
Henry Upcher[19] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 5 Apr 1941 1 Apr 1950
Bartle Edwards[20] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 1 Apr 1950 2 Apr 1966
Douglas Sanderson[21] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 2 Apr 1966 11 Mar 1969
John Hayden[22][23] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 12 Apr 1969 31 Mar 1974

Since 1974 the chair has been a more ceremonial role, with political leadership provided instead by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:

Councillor Party From To
Ian Coutts[24] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 1 Apr 1974 1979
Michael Chaplin[25][26] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 1979 May 1981
John Alston[27] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 1981 1987
Peter Rollin[28][29] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 1987 15 May 1989
John Alston[29][27] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 15 May 1989 1993
Celia Cameron[30] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 1993 2001
Alison King[31] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". Jun 2001 Mar 2006
Shaun Murphy[32] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". Mar 2006 2 Apr 2007
Daniel Cox[33][34] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 2 Apr 2007 Oct 2010
Derrick Murphy[35][36] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 11 Oct 2010 9 Jan 2013
Bill Borrett[37][38] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 25 Feb 2013 13 May 2013
George Nobbs[39][40] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 24 May 2013 9 May 2016
Cliff Jordan[41][42][43] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 9 May 2016 18 May 2018
Andrew Proctor[44][45] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 1 Jun 2018 2023
Kay Mason Billig[46] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 9 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2021 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to May 2025, the composition of the council was:[47]

Party Councillors
Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 53
Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 10
Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 9
Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 4
Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 2
Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 6
Total 84

Of the six independent councillors, three form the "Independent Progressive Group" and three form the "Independent Group".[48][49]

Elections

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". Since the last boundary changes in 2005 Norfolk has been divided into 84 electoral divisions, each electing one councillor. Elections are held every four years.[50] New division boundaries have been drawn up to take effect from the next elections.[51]

The elections that had been due to take place in May 2025 were postponed for a year, to allow for alternative local government structures for the area to be considered.[52][47]

Premises

The council is based at County Hall on Martineau Lane in Norwich. The building was purpose-built for the council and opened in 1968.

File:-2018-06-21 Shirehall Chamber, Norwich, Norfolk.jpg
Shirehall Chambers

Prior to 1968 the council had been based at the Shirehall on Market Avenue in Norwich, which had been built in 1823 as a courthouse within the grounds of Norwich Castle.[53] The building was extended in 1909 with offices for the county council known as the Shirehall Chambers.[54]

Education

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The council is in charge of all nursery, primary and secondary state schools throughout Norfolk (except for academies), but not in charge of tertiary education. There are three nursery schools, 359 primary schools, 35 secondary schools, one all-through school, one free school, one short stay school and 11 special schools.[55]

The council provides a school finder for parents to find children a school.[56] The primary school curriculum is set by the government, and recorded on Directgov.[57] The secondary (high) school curriculum is set by the government, and recorded on Directgov. There are compulsory subjects which are needed to be followed in Norfolk and England.[58][59][60][61]

In Year 9 (sometimes Year 8), children are required to pick their GCSE options for the forecoming year.[58][60][61][62][63] In England, a student must take at least two optional choices.[60][63]

In February 2013, Ofsted inspectors judged that vulnerable children in the county were at risk.[64] Shortly afterwards, the regulator expressed concern about the county's educational provision.[65] Three years later, in August 2016, Ofsted found that Norfolk County Council had still failed to address the regulator's earlier judgements (in February and August 2013, respectively) that the council's arrangements for the protection of children and for services for looked-after children were "inadequate".[66] In 2017 after further inspection the rating was raised to 'requires improvement' after considerable progress in the department.

Health and social care

The council is responsible for coordinating and managing the adult social care of the population of Norfolk. This work was overseen by the Adult Social Care Committee based at County Hall. However, in May 2019 the committee was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Prevention.

Since 2012 the Health and Wellbeing Board for Norfolk and Waveney has been responsible for public health in the county. The board has been chaired by Cllr. Bill Borrett since 2017; it comprises representatives from most NHS bodies such as the five Clinical Commissioning Groups and the three Norfolk Acute Hospitals as well as Norfolk and Waveney's County and District Councils.

See Healthcare in Norfolk for the details of the different NHS bodies charged with delivering health in the county.

Transportation

File:Norfolk County Council Bus Stop Sign.jpg
A bus stop sign managed by Norfolk County Council

Norfolk County Council is responsible for maintaining Norfolk's Script error: No such module "convert". road networks and bus routes.[67] They often go into schools and promote road safety to students.[68]

Conservation

File:Norfolk County Council - geograph.org.uk - 611553.jpg
Norfolk County Council public footpath signpost

Norfolk County Council offered grant aid for landscape conservation, submitted to the Director of Planning and Transportation.[69] Many historic buildings in the county are protected by the Norfolk Historic Buildings Trust, established in 1977, which is under the guidance of the county council.[70] Similarly, the council has operated the Norfolk Museums Service since 1974.[71] Between 1995 and 2000, the Trust played a major role in restoring Denver Windmill, at a cost of over £1 million.[69]

Notable members

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
  5. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". (Put "Norfolk" in search box to see specific results.)
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  46. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  47. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  48. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  49. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  50. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
  51. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
  52. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  53. ↑ Template:NHLE
  54. ↑ Template:NHLE
  55. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  56. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  57. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  58. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  59. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  60. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  61. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  62. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  63. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  64. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  65. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  66. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  67. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  68. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  69. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  70. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  71. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  72. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

External links

  • Script error: No such module "Official website".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Script error: No such module "Navbox".

Script error: No such module "Authority control".

Retrieved from "http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=Norfolk_County_Council&oldid=6758258"