Tong (population 17,069 -

2001 UK census A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194. The 2001 UK census was organised by the Office for National ...

) is a

ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

within the

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council is the local authority of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. Bradford has had an elected council since 1847, which has been reformed on several occasions. Since 1974 it has been a metr ...

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, named after

Tong village Tong or Tong Village is a village and former civil parish in the City of Bradford metropolitan district, West Yorkshire, England. It is a historic village, and gives its name to the larger Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom, ele ...

which is its oldest settlement. The population at the 2011 Census was 20,608.

Geography

The ward is in the extreme south-east of Bradford District in a green wedge of land between the urban areas of

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 ...

and

Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...

, the centre of the former being to the north-west and the centre of the latter being about to the north-east. Although surrounded by

Green Belt A green belt or greenbelt is a policy, and land-use zone designation used in land-use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wilderness, wild, or agricultural landscape, land surrounding or neighboring urban areas. Similar concepts ...

, most of the settlements nearest to Tong are urban in character, Tong Street being to the west of the village,

Drighlington Drighlington is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan district, West Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the village lies 5 miles (9 km) south-west of ...

to the south,

Gildersome Gildersome is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough 5 miles (7 km) south-west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire, England. Glidersome forms part of the Heavy Woollen District. Location Historic coun ...

, to the south-east and New Farnley to the east (distances from the boundaries of the ward). The rural village of Bankhouse and the Moravian settlement of Fulneck in

Pudsey Pudsey is a market town in the City of Leeds borough in West Yorkshire, England. It is located midway between Bradford city centre and Leeds city centre. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it has a population of 25,393. History T ...

are about to the north of Tong with Cockersdale to the south-east. East Bierley, immediately adjacent in the south, is part of

Kirklees Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. The borough comprises the ten towns of Batley, Birstall, West Yorkshire, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite. It ...

History

The ward was formed from the former civil parish of Tong which in the 19th century included the settlements of

Dudley Hill Dudley Hill is a village in the borough of City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England and is in Tong ward. History There are a few mentions of the name Dudley Hill prior to the Industrial Revolution. Religious history John Wesley (1703– ...

, Tong Street, Westgate Hill, and Holme. The Tong political ward includes the urban areas of

, and the council estates of

Bierley, West Yorkshire Bierley is an area in the Tong (ward), Tong ward of the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. Until 1974 it was in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Geography Bierley housing estate is situated about south-east of the centre of Bradford, ...

Holme Wood Holme Wood or Holmewood is a housing estate in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. Geography and administration Holme Wood is situated off Wakefield Road in the south-east of the City of Bradford and borders Tyersal. It is part of Tong ward. ...

and Sutton which is part of

Tyersal Tyersal is a village east of Bradford and west of Leeds, in the county of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 2,605 according to Bradford Community Statistics Project. The district is split between both Bradford metropolitan boro ...

. These settlements stretch along the main thoroughfare, Tong Street, which is part of the A650 road. To the west of the ward is Woodlands which is part of Oakenshaw and to the very east of the ward is Tong Village on Tong Lane. Tong Village is a small, rural village surrounded by farmers' fields, and home to a historic local cricket club, Tong CC. Coal and ironstone were mined in the area in the 19th and the early 20th centuries, and several mines are recorded. The ward was a former Labour stronghold but, in 2019, the Labour candidate tied with the Green Party candidate Matt Edwards. In 2021, Edwards became the first non-Labour Party councillor in the ward since it was created, with 47% of the vote. In 2022 and 2023 Labour lost both remaining councillors to the Green Party.

Governance

;Councillors Tong is represented on

Bradford Council City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council is the Local government in England, local authority of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. Bradford has had an elected council since 1847, which has been reformed on several occasions. ...

by three

Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...

councillors; Matt Edwards, Celia Hickson and Ursula Sutcliffe indicates seat up for re-election.

References

External links

Council ward profile
(PDF) . {{Bradford Wards of Bradford

Geography

History

Governance

See also

References

External links