Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council, also known as Calderdale Council, is the

local authority Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such a ...

for the

Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale Calderdale () is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, which had a population of 211,439. It takes its name from the River Calder, and dale, a word for valley. The name Calderdale usually refers to the borough through which the up ...

West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a Metropolitan counties of England, metropolitan and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and east, South Yorkshire and De ...

, England. It is a

metropolitan borough council A metropolitan borough (or metropolitan district) is a type of local government district in England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts within metropol ...

and provides the majority of local government services in the borough. Since 2014 the council has been a constituent member of the

West Yorkshire Combined Authority The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) is the combined authority for West Yorkshire in England. It was established by statutory instrument under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 on 1 April 2014. It is a ...

. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2019. It is based at

Halifax Town Hall Halifax Town Hall is a grade II* listed, 19th century town hall in the town of Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. It is notable for its design and interiors by Charles Barry and his son, Edward Middleton Barry, and for its sculptures by John ...

History

The metropolitan district of Calderdale was created on 1 April 1974 under the

Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...

. It covered the area of eight former districts and part of a ninth, which were all abolished at the same time: * Brighouse Municipal Borough * Elland Urban District * Halifax County Borough * Hebden Royd Urban District * Hepton Rural District * Queensbury and Shelf Urban District ( Shelf part only, Queensbury went to

Bradford Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...

) * Ripponden Urban District * Sowerby Bridge Urban District * Todmorden Municipal Borough The county borough of Halifax had provided all local government services in its area. The other eight districts had been lower-tier authorities with West Riding County Council providing county-level services. The new Calderdale district was awarded

borough status Borough status is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the council or inhabitants of the district. In Scotland, si ...

from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. Calderdale was initially a district-level authority, with

West Yorkshire County Council West Yorkshire County Council (WYCC) – also known as West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council (WYMCC) – was the top-tier local government administrative body for West Yorkshire from 1974 to 1986. A strategic authority, with responsibilitie ...

providing county-level services. However, the

metropolitan county Metropolitan counties are a Subdivisions of England, subdivision of England which were originally used for Local government in England, local government. There are six metropolitan counties: Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyn ...

councils, including West Yorkshire County Council, were abolished in 1986 under the

Local Government Act 1985 The Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51) is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. Its main effect was to abolish the six county councils of the metropolitan county, metropolitan counties that had been set up by the Local Government Act 1972, ...

. Since 1986 Calderdale Council has therefore been responsible for most local government functions. The council has been a constituent member of the

since 2014, which has been led by the directly elected Mayor of West Yorkshire since 2021.

Governance

Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since 2019. 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. County-level services were provided by

until its abolition in 1986, when Calderdale became a unitary authority. Political control of the council since 1973 has been held by the following parties:

Leadership

The role of Mayor of Calderdale is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the

leader of the council Leadership, is defined as the ability of an individual, group, or organization to "", influence, or guide other individuals, teams, or organizations. "Leadership" is a contested term. Specialist literature debates various viewpoints on the co ...

. The leaders since 1999 have been:

Composition

Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council is: The next election is due in 2026.

Premises

The council is based at

, which had been built for one of the council's predecessors, the Halifax Borough Council, in 1863.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2004 the council has comprised 51

councillor A councillor, alternatively councilman, councilwoman, councilperson, or council member, is someone who sits on, votes in, or is a member of, a council. This is typically an elected representative of an electoral district in a municipal or re ...

s representing 17 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office.

Wards

Mayor

The mayors since 1974 have been:

References

External links

{{Metropolitan districts of England Metropolitan district councils of England Local authorities in West Yorkshire Leader and cabinet executives Local education authorities in England Billing authorities in England 1974 establishments in England