Norfolk County Council

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.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1888|year=1888|chapter=41|access-date=27 August 2023}}

File:Norwich Shirehall - geograph.org.uk - 706583.jpg, 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.{{cite news |title=Norfolk County Council: The first meeting |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=3 December 2023 |work=Eastern Daily Press |date=15 April 1889 |location=Norwich |page=2}} In 1902 it was said that the council consisted "almost entirely of landowners and large farmers."{{cite book|last=Blue|first=Leonard Anderson|title=The relation of the governor to the organization of executive power in the states ...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VKx-AlAKGQsC|year=1902|publisher=University of Pennsylvania.|page=42}}

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.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|access-date=31 May 2023}}

Norfolk County Council provides county-level services. District-level services are provided by the county's seven district councils. The districts are:{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1972|year=1972|chapter=70|access-date=31 May 2023}}{{cite web|title=Understand how your council works|url=https://www.gov.uk/understand-how-your-council-works/types-of-council|website=www.gov.uk|publisher=HM Government|access-date=15 October 2016}}

• Breckland
• Broadland
• Great Yarmouth
• North Norfolk
• Norwich
• King's Lynn and West Norfolk
• South Norfolk

Much of the county is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.{{cite web |title=Election Maps |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=18 November 2023}}

The council has been under Conservative majority control since 2017.

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:{{cite web |title=Compositions calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/?page_id=3825 |website=The Elections Centre | date=4 March 2016 |access-date=10 August 2022}}{{cite web|title=Local Council List - Norfolk|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/local_elections/24.stm|work=Vote 2001 - Local election 2001|publisher=BBC News|access-date=8 May 2013}}

File:W-h-r-ffolkes-1880.jpg

Prior to the 1974 reforms the chairman of the council was also its political leader. The chairmen from 1889 to 1974 were:{{cite web |title=Past Chairmen of Norfolk County Council |url=https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/-/media/norfolk/downloads/what-we-do-and-how-we-work/councillors-meetings-and-elections/civic-dignatories/past-chairmen-of-norfolk-county-council.pdf?la=en |website=Norfolk County Council |access-date=3 December 2023}}

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:{{cite web |title=Council minutes |url=https://norfolkcc.cmis.uk.com/norfolkcc/CalendarofMeetings.aspx |website=Norfolk County Council |access-date=24 June 2022}}

Following the 2021 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to December 2023, the composition of the council was:

Of the five independent councillors, two sit together as the "Independent Group"; the others do not belong to any group.{{cite web |title=Councillors |url=https://norfolkcc.cmis.uk.com/norfolkcc/Councillors/tabid/63/ScreenMode/Party/Default.aspx |website=Norfolk County Council |access-date=3 December 2023}} In February 2025, the government announced that it intended to postpone the elections that were due to take place in May 2025 for a year, to allow for alternative local government structures for the area to be considered.{{cite news |last1=Whannel |first1=Kate |title=Council shake-up sees elections delayed in nine areas |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9qjdex1ed8o |access-date=7 February 2025 |work=BBC News |date=5 February 2025}}

{{also|Norfolk County Council elections}}

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.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The County of Norfolk (Electoral Changes) Order 2005|year=2005|number=173|access-date=3 December 2023}} New division boundaries have been drawn up to take effect from the next elections, likely to be postponed from the scheduled date of May 2025.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Norfolk (Electoral Changes) Order 2021|year=2021|number=1219|access-date=3 December 2023}}

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

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.{{NHLE|desc=Shire House, Norwich|num=1372844|accessdate=13 September 2019}} The building was extended in 1909 with offices for the county council known as the Shirehall Chambers.{{NHLE|desc=Shirehall Chambers|num=1219034|accessdate=22 October 2020}}

{{See also|List of schools in Norfolk}}

The council is in charge of all Nursery, Primary and Secondary state schools throughout Norfolk which are not academies, but not 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/Childrens_services/Schools/index.htm|title=Childrens Services – Schools|publisher=Norfolk County Council|date=7 March 2012}}

The council provides a school finder for parents to find children a school.{{cite web|url=http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/Childrens_services/Schools/NCC018232|title=School Finder|publisher=Norfolk County Council|date=February 2012}} The primary school curriculum is set by the government, and recorded on Directgov.{{cite web|url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Schoolslearninganddevelopment/ExamsTestsAndTheCurriculum/DG_4015959|title=The National Curriculum for five to 11-year olds |date=8 September 2011|publisher=DirectGov (DIRECT.GOV.UK)}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Schoolslearninganddevelopment/ExamsTestsAndTheCurriculum/DG_10013915|title=Your Child's Education|publisher=DirectGov (DIRECT.GOV.UK) |date=7 September 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Schoolslearninganddevelopment/ExamsTestsAndTheCurriculum/DG_10013877|title=The National Curriculum for 11 to 16-year olds |date=8 September 2011|publisher=DirectGov (DIRECT.GOV.UK)}}{{cite web|url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/14To19/Years10And11/DG_10013568|title=Choosing subjects for Years 10 and 11: what's compulsory and what's optional |date=1 April 2012|publisher=DirectGov}}{{cite web|url=http://www.qca.org.uk/|title=Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) |date=21 May 2012|publisher=QCA}}

In Year 9 (sometimes Year 8), children are required to pick their GCSE options for the forecoming year.{{cite web|url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/14To19/Years10And11/DG_10013567|title=Choices in Year 9(/8) |date=1 April 2012|publisher=DirectGov (DIRECT.GOV.UK)}}{{cite web|url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/14To19/Years10And11/DG_10013568|title=Choosing subjects for Years [9] 10 and 11: what's compulsory and what's optional |date=1 April 2012|publisher=DirectGov (DIRECT.GOV.UK)}} In England, a student must take at least two optional choices.

In February 2013, Ofsted inspectors judged that vulnerable children in the county were at risk.{{cite web |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-21552780|title= Vulnerable children in Norfolk 'put at risk', says report|author= |date= 22 February 2013|website= BBC News Online |publisher= BBC| access-date= 24 November 2016 }} Shortly afterwards, the regulator expressed concern about the county's educational provision.{{cite web |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-22523731|title= Norfolk schools' Ofsted report raises 'considerable concern'|author= |date= 14 May 2013|website= BBC News Online |publisher= BBC| access-date= 24 November 2016 }} 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'.{{cite web | title= Direction issued to Norfolk County Council| url= https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/direction-issued-to-norfolk-county-council--3 | last1= Archer |first1= Graham | date= 5 August 2016| website= gov.uk/government/publications/| access-date= 24 November 2016 }} In 2017 after further inspection the rating was raised to 'requires improvement' after considerable progress in the department.

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.

File:Norfolk County Council Bus Stop Sign.jpg

Norfolk County Council is responsible for maintaining Norfolk's {{convert|10000|km}} road networks and bus routes.{{cite web|url=http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/Travel_and_transport/index.htm|title=Travel and Transport|publisher=Norfolk County Council |date=7 January 2012}} They often go into schools and promote road safety to students.{{cite web|url=http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/Travel_and_transport/Road_safety/index.htm|title=Road Safety|publisher=Norfolk County Council |date=29 March 2012}}

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

Norfolk County Council offered grant aid for landscape conservation, submitted to the Director of Planning and Transportation.{{cite web|url=http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/view/NCC058034|title=STANDARD CONDITIONS APPLYING TO OFFERS OF NORFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL GRANT AID FOR LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION|publisher=Norfolk County Council|date=2 April 2009}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://norfolkhistoricbuildingstrust.org.uk/|title=Introduction|publisher=Norfolk Historic Buildings Trust|access-date=21 May 2012}} Similarly, the council has operated the Norfolk Museums Service since 1974.{{Cite web |last= |date=2000-03-01 |title=Norfolk Museums Service |url=https://archaeology.co.uk/join-in/curators/norfolk-landscape-archaeology-norfolk-museums-a-arch-service.htm |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Current Archaeology |language=en-US}} Between 1995 and 2000, the Trust played a major role in restoring the Denver Mill site, at a cost of over £1 million.

• Steffan Aquarone
• Walter Keppel, 9th Earl of Albemarle
• Jack Boddy
• Michael Carttiss
• Judith Chaplin
• Robert Chase
• Michael Chenery of Horsbrugh
• Richard Toby Coke
• Sir Thomas Cook
• Sidney Dye
• George Edwards
• John Garrett
• Paul Hawkins
• Terry Jermy
• Dave Rowntree
• William Benjamin Taylor
• Robert Walpole
• John Wodehouse, 2nd Earl of Kimberley
• Albert Hilton, Baron Hilton of Upton
• Lilias Rider Haggard
• Catherine Rowett{{Cite web |last= |date=2023-07-14 |title=Greens win Norfolk County Council by-election from Tories |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c13r02x8pxeo |access-date=2023-07-15 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.norfolk.gov.uk}}

{{County councils of England}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:County councils of England

Category:Local education authorities in England

Category:Local authorities in Norfolk

Category:Major precepting authorities in England

Category:Leader and cabinet executives