Mid Bedfordshire District

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Mid Bedfordshire
Mid Bedfordshire within non-metropolitan Bedfordshire post 1998
Area
 • 1974 124,423 acres (503.52 km2)[1]
Population
 • 1973 94,750[1]
 • 1992 110,110[2]
 • 2007 118,200
History
 • Created 1974
 • Abolished 2009
 • Succeeded by Central Bedfordshire
Status Non-metropolitan district
ONS code 09UC
Government Mid Bedfordshire District Council
Logo of Mid Bedfordshire District Council
Subdivisions
 • Type Civil parishes

Mid Bedfordshire was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district in Bedfordshire, England.

Creation

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 as part of a general reorganisation of local authorities in England and Wales carried out under the Local Government Act 1972. Mid Bedfordshire was formed by the amalgamation of five districts:[1]

Civil parishes

The district comprised the following civil parishes:[3]

Elections and political control

The first election to Mid Bedfordshire District Council took place on 7 June 1973, with the 49 councillors elected forming a shadow authority until 1 April 1974.[1] Following ward boundary changes, the number of councillors was increased to 53 in 1976. Elections for the whole council were then held in 1979 and every four years thereafter. In 2003 the wards were again redrawn, with the size of the council remaining at 53.[3] The final election took place in 2007, with councillors staying in office until the abolition of the council in 2009.

The first council elected had a large majority of independent councillors.[4] Gains by the Conservatives in 1976 meant that the council was under no control, although independents remained the largest group.[5] In 1979 Conservatives gained a majority, which they held for sixteen years.[6] In 1995 there was a large swing against the unpopular government of John Major, and the Labour Party gained 17 seats to achieve parity with the Conservatives. The council also included Liberal Democrats and Independents.[7] In 1999 the Conservatives regained control, which they held until the council's abolition.[8]

Year Conservative Labour Liberal/
Liberal Democrat
Independent Green Party Control
1973[4] 17 13 8 7 0 Independent
1976[5] 19 3 1 26 0 No overall control
1979[6] 36 10 6 3 0 Conservative gain from NOC
1983[9] 26 7 0 20 0 Conservative hold
1987[10] 42 2 3 6 0 Conservative hold
1991[11] 40 3 3 7 0 Conservative hold
1995[7] 21 21 5 6 0 No overall control
1999[8] 34 7 6 6 0 Conservative gain from NOC
2003 †[12] 38 1 9 5 0 Conservative hold
2007[13] 38 0 11 3 1 Conservative hold

† New ward boundaries

Abolition

In 2006 the Department for Communities and Local Government considered reorganising Bedfordshire's administrative structure as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England. On 6 March 2008 it was announced that Mid Bedfordshire would merge with the neighboutring district of South Bedfordshire to form a new unitary authority called Central Bedfordshire. The new council was formed on 1 April 2009 although its initial members were not elected until 4 June 2009.[14]

References

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  2. OPCS Key Population and Statistics 1992
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  14. Unitary solution confirmed for Bedfordshire – New flagship unitary councils approved for Cheshire – Corporate – Communities and Local Government

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