St Helens Council, also known as St Helens Borough Council and St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council, is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens in Merseyside, England. It is a metropolitan district council, one of five in Merseyside and one of 36 in the metropolitan counties of England, and provides the majority of local government services in St Helens. It is a constituent council of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.[1]
St Helens Council | |
---|---|
All out elections every four years | |
Type | |
Type | |
History | |
Founded | 1 April 1974 |
Leadership | |
Kath O'Dwyer | |
Structure | |
Seats | 48 councillors |
Political groups |
|
Joint committees | Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority Merseyside Police and Crime Panel |
Elections | |
Multiple member first-past-the-post | |
Last election | 5 May 2022 |
Next election | 2026 |
Meeting place | |
Town Hall, Corporation Street, St Helens, WA10 1HF | |
Website | |
www |
From 1889 to 1974 the town of St Helens was a county borough, independent of any county council.[2] Under the Local Government Act 1972 it had its territory enlarged and became a metropolitan borough, with Merseyside County Council providing county-level services. Following the abolition of the county council in 1986 St Helens Council became responsible for all local government-services.
The first election to the reconstituted borough council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its revised powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[3][4]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 1974–2004 | |
No overall control | 2004–2010 | |
Labour | 2010–present |
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in St Helens, usually being held by a different councillor each year. Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:[5]
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Len Williams | Labour | 1974 | May 1978 | |
Gerald Baxter[6] | Labour | May 1978 | 1983 | |
Brian Green[7][8] | Labour | May 1983 | 1985 | |
Marie Rimmer[9][10] | Labour | 1985 | 21 Apr 1993 | |
Dave Watts[11][12] | Labour | May 1993 | May 1997 | |
Mike Doyle[13][14] | Labour | 1997 | 1999 | |
Marie Rimmer | Labour | 1999 | 2006 | |
Brian Spencer | Liberal Democrats | 2006 | 19 May 2010 | |
Marie Rimmer | Labour | 19 May 2010 | 15 May 2013 | |
Barrie Grunewald | Labour | 15 May 2013 | 18 Apr 2018 | |
Derek Long | Labour | 18 Apr 2018 | 22 May 2019 | |
David Baines | Labour | 22 May 2019 |
Following the 2022 election, the composition of the council was as follows:[15]
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 29 | |
Independent | 7 | |
Green | 6 | |
Liberal Democrats | 4 | |
Conservative | 2 | |
Total | 48 |
Of the independent councillors, three sit together as "The Independents" group, two form the "Newton-le-Willows Independents" group and the other two do not belong to any group. The next election is due in 2026.
The council is based at St Helens Town Hall on Corporation Street, overlooking Victoria Square in the town centre. The building was built in 1876 for the old borough council.[16]
Since the last boundary changes in 2022, 48 councillors have been elected from 18 wards, with elections held every four years.[17]