North Somerset

{{Short description|District in England}}

{{For|the Parliament constituency covering a smaller area|North Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)}}

{{redirect|Woodspring|the former constituency|Woodspring (UK Parliament constituency)}}

{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = North Somerset

| official_name =

| other_name =

| native_name =

| nickname =

| settlement_type = Unitary authority

| total_type =

| motto =

| image_skyline =

| imagesize =

| image_caption = Logo

| image_flag =

| flag_size =

| image_seal =

| seal_size =

| image_shield =

| shield_size =

| image_blank_emblem = North Somerset Council.svg

| blank_emblem_type =

| blank_emblem_size = 150px

| image_map = North Somerset UK locator map.svg

| mapsize =

| map_caption = North Somerset within Somerset

| image_map1 =

| mapsize1 =

| map_caption1 =

| image_dot_map =

| dot_mapsize =

| dot_map_caption =

| dot_x =

| dot_y =

| pushpin_map =

| pushpin_label_position =

| pushpin_map_caption =

| pushpin_mapsize =

| coordinates =

| subdivision_type = Sovereign state

| subdivision_name = United Kingdom

| subdivision_type1 = Constituent country

| subdivision_name1 = England

| subdivision_type2 = Region

| subdivision_name2 = South West England

| subdivision_type3 = Ceremonial county

| subdivision_name3 = Somerset

| subdivision_type4 = Admin HQ

| subdivision_name4 = Weston-super-Mare

| seat_type =

| seat =

| parts_type =

| parts_style =

| parts =

| p1 =

| p2 =

| government_footnotes =

| government_type = Unitary authority

| leader_title = Governing body

| leader_name = North Somerset Council

| leader_title2 = MPs:{{cite web |title=MPs and Constituencies |url=https://n-somerset.gov.uk/council-democracy/councillors-committees/mps-constituencies |publisher=North Somerset Council |access-date=9 August 2024}}

| leader_name2 = Dan Aldridge (Labour, Weston-super-Mare constituency)
Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour, North Somerset constituency)

| established_title = Area first created

| established_date = 1 April 1974

| area_magnitude =

| unit_pref =

| area_footnotes =

| area_total_km2 = 374.68

| area_land_km2 =

| area_water_km2 =

| area_total_sq_mi =

| area_land_sq_mi =

| area_water_sq_mi =

| area_water_percent =

| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_m =

| elevation_ft =

| elevation_max_m =

| elevation_max_ft =

| elevation_min_m =

| elevation_min_ft =

| population_as_of = {{English statistics year}}

| population_footnotes = {{United Kingdom district population citation|England}}

| population_note =

| population_total = {{English district population|GSS = E06000024}} (List of English districts by population)

| demographics_type1 = Ethnicity (2021)

| demographics1_footnotes = {{NOMIS2021|id=E06000024|title=North Somerset Local Authority|access-date=5 January 2024}}

| demographics1_title1 = Ethnic groups

| demographics1_info1 =

{{Collapsible list

| 95.7% White

| 1.7% Mixed

| 1.5% Asian

| 0.6% other

| 0.5% Black

}}

| demographics_type2 = Religion (2021)

| demographics2_footnotes =

| demographics2_title1 = Religion

| demographics2_info1 =

{{Collapsible list

| 46.6% Christianity

| 45.3% no religion

| 7.5% other

| 0.6% Islam

}}

| population_density_km2 =

| population_density_sq_mi =

| timezone = GMT

| utc_offset = 0

| timezone_DST = BST

| utc_offset_DST = +1

| coor_pinpoint =

| iso_code = GB-NSM

| website = {{URL|https://n-somerset.gov.uk}}

| footnotes =

| established_title1 = Unitary status

| established_date1 = 1 April 1996

}}

{{geoGroup}}

North Somerset is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. The council is based in Weston-super-Mare, the area's largest town. The district also contains the towns of Clevedon, Nailsea and Portishead, along with a number of villages and surrounding rural areas. Some southern parts of the district fall within the Mendip Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The district was formed in 1974 as the Woodspring district of the county of Avon. Avon was abolished in 1996, when the district was renamed North Somerset and its council took on county-level functions from the abolished county council.

The district is on the coast, facing the Bristol Channel to the west. The neighbouring districts are Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and Somerset.

History

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering four former districts and part of a fifth, which were all abolished at the same time:{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan District (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|access-date=17 November 2023}}

File:Woodspring Priory, Priory Church.JPG, which gave its name to the district as created in 1974.]]

The whole area had been part of Somerset prior to the 1974 reforms, but was transferred to the new county of Avon. The new district was named Woodspring after Woodspring Priory, an isolated medieval church near the coast in the parish of Kewstoke, north of Weston-super-Mare.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=551|access-date=31 May 2023}}

Following the Banham Review, the county of Avon was abolished in 1996, with the area being divided into unitary authorities responsible for both district and county-level functions. Woodspring became one of the unitary authorities, and the government gave the district the new name "North West Somerset" as part of the reforms.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Avon (Structural Change) Order 1995|year=1995|number=493|access-date=14 December 2023}} The area was also transferred back to Somerset for the ceremonial purposes of lieutenancy and shrievalty.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Lieutenancies Act 1997|year=1997|chapter=23|access-date=14 December 2023}}

In July 1995 the council resolved to change the name to "North Somerset" with effect from when the reforms came into effect on 1 April 1996. Some years later the government identified that the council's decision to rename in 1995 may not have been technically valid, and so in 2005 the council passed another resolution formally changing the name to put the matter beyond doubt.{{Cite web |url=http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/cairo/docs/doc10395.htm |title=Report to the Executive |date=14 June 2005 |access-date=9 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405103659/http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/cairo/docs/doc10395.htm |archive-date=5 April 2012 }}{{Cite web |url=http://apps.n-somerset.gov.uk/cairo/docs/doc10520.htm |title=Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council |date=28 June 2005 |access-date=22 August 2016}}

Governance

{{main|North Somerset Council}}

North Somerset Council provides both county-level and district-level services. The whole area is also covered by civil parishes, which form a second tier of local government.{{cite web |title=Election Maps |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=12 December 2023}}

The area comprises the parliamentary constituencies of Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset.

Settlements

Places of interest

North Somerset's natural environment and coastal towns attract visitors from nearby cities. Notable geographical features include:

Notable religious sites include Woodspring Priory.

Parishes

class="wikitable sortable"
class="unsortable" | Image

! Name

! Status

! Population

! Former local authority

! class="unsortable" | Coordinates

! class="unsortable" | Refs

File:Holy Trinity Church, Abbots Leigh - geograph.org.uk - 1051693.jpgAbbots LeighCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 799Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.46
2.65|type:city_region:GB|name=Abbots Leigh}}{{cite web|title=2011 Census Profile|url=http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Environment/Planning_policy_and-research/researchandmonitoring/Documents/North%20Somerset%20Small%20area%20geography%20profiles%20tool.xls|publisher=North Somerset Council|access-date=4 January 2014|format=Excel|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104204530/http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Environment/Planning_policy_and-research/researchandmonitoring/Documents/North%20Somerset%20Small%20area%20geography%20profiles%20tool.xls|archive-date=4 January 2014|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|title=Long Ashton RD|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10107763|work=A vision of Britain Through Time|publisher=University of Portsmouth|access-date=4 January 2014}}
File:Backwell sign.jpgBackwellCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 4,589Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.41
2.73|type:city_region:GB|name=Backwell}}
File:Banwellcastle.jpgBanwellCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 2,919Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.32
2.86|type:city_region:GB|name=Banwell}}{{cite web|title=Axbridge RD|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10025515|work=A vision of Britain Through Time|publisher=University of Portsmouth|access-date=4 January 2014}}
File:Barrow Gurney - millpond at Lower Barrow Mill - geograph.org.uk - 94265.jpgBarrow GurneyCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 349Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.40
2.67|type:city_region:GB|name=Barrow Gurney}}
File:Blagdon church and lake.jpgBlagdonCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 1,116Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.33
2.72|type:city_region:GB|name=Blagdon}}
File:Bleadonchurch.jpgBleadonCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 1,079Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.31
2.94|type:city_region:GB|name=Bleadon}}
File:Brockley ploughing match in 1991.jpgBrockleyCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 277Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.39
2.76|type:city_region:GB|name=Brockley, Somerset}}
File:Burrignton church.jpgBurringtonCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 464Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.33
2.74|type:city_region:GB|name=Burrington, Somerset}}
File:Butcombechurch.jpgButcombeCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 218Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.35
2.69|type:city_region:GB|name=Butcombe}}
File:Churchillsomerset.JPGChurchillCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 2,235Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.33
2.79|type:city_region:GB|name=Churchill, Somerset}}
File:Clapton Court - geograph.org.uk - 697226.jpgClapton in GordanoCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 348Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.46
2.75|type:city_region:GB|name=Clapton in Gordano}}
File:Holy Trinity Church Cleeve.jpgCleeveCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 902Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.39
2.77|type:city_region:GB|name=Cleeve, Somerset}}
File:ClevedonPier.jpgClevedonTownstyle="text-align:center;" | 21,281Clevedon Urban District{{coord|51.43
2.85|type:city_region:GB|name=Clevedon}}{{cite web|title=Clevedon UD|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10166676|work=A vision of Britain Through Time|publisher=University of Portsmouth|access-date=4 January 2014}}
File:Congresbury.jpgCongresburyCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 3,497Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.37
2.81|type:city_region:GB|name=Congresbury}}
File:Dundry-fairlawns.JPGDundryCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 829Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.39
2.64|type:city_region:GB|name=Dundry}}
File:Eig_sign.pngEaston in GordanoCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 4,828Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.48
2.69|type:city_region:GB|name=Easton in Gordano}}
File:Flax Bourton church in 2004.jpgFlax BourtonCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 715Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.42
2.71|type:city_region:GB|name=Flax Bourton}}
File:Hutton War Memorial.jpgHuttonCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 2,582Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.32
2.93|type:city_region:GB|name=Hutton, Somerset}}
File:Kenn church.jpgKennCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 431Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.42
2.84|type:city_region:GB|name=Kenn, Somerset}}
File:Woodspringpriory.jpgKewstokeCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 1,690Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.37
2.96|type:city_region:GB|name=Kewstoke}}
File:The Triangle Kingston Seymour.jpgKingston SeymourCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 388Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.39
2.86|type:city_region:GB|name=Kingston Seymour}}
100pxLockingCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 2,756Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.33
2.91|type:city_region:GB|name=Locking, North Somerset}}
File:Long Ashton Church and Angel.jpgLong AshtonCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 6,044Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.43
2.65|type:city_region:GB|name=Long Ashton}}
File:Loxton.jpgLoxtonCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 192Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.29
2.89|type:city_region:GB|name=Loxton, North Somerset}}
File:Nailsea and Backwell.JPGNailseaTownstyle="text-align:center;" | 15,630Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.43
2.76|type:city_region:GB|name=Nailsea}}
File:Portbury church.jpgPortburyCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 827Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.47
2.72|type:city_region:GB|name=Portbury}}
File:Portishead xNaishHill 2.jpgPortisheadTownstyle="text-align:center;" | 23,699Portishead Urban District
Long Ashton Rural District
{{coord|51.48
2.77|type:city_region:GB|name=Portishead and North Weston}}
File:Puxton church.jpgPuxtonCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 359Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.37
2.85|type:city_region:GB|name=Puxton}}
File:WSM St Georges News.jpgSt GeorgesCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 3,379Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.36
2.90|type:city_region:GB|name=St. Georges, North Somerset}}
File:Tickenham church.jpgTickenhamCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 910Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.44
2.80|type:city_region:GB|name=Tickenham}}
File:Walton in Gordano junction.jpgWalton in GordanoCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 273Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.45
2.83|type:city_region:GB|name=Walton in Gordano}}
File:Weston in Gordano church.jpgWeston in GordanoCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 301Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.46
2.79|type:city_region:GB|name=Weston in Gordano}}
File:Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier.jpgWeston super MareTownstyle="text-align:center;" | 76,143Axbridge Rural District
Weston super Mare Municipal Borough
{{coord|51.35
2.97|type:city_region:GB|name=Weston-super-Mare}}
File:Wick St Lawrence.jpgWick St LawrenceCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 1,331Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.38
2.91|type:city_region:GB|name=Wick St. Lawrence}}
File:Prince of Waterloo Winford.jpgWinfordCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 2,153Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.38
2.66|type:city_region:GB|name=Winford}}
File:Winscombe Woodborough Road.jpgWinscombe and SandfordCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 4,546Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.31
2.83|type:city_region:GB|name=Winscombe and Sandford}}
File:WraxallAllSaintsChurch.jpgWraxall and FailandCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 2,302Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.44
2.73|type:city_region:GB|name=Wraxall and Failand}}
File:Wringtonhighstreet.jpgWringtonCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 2,633Axbridge Rural District{{coord|51.36
2.76|type:city_region:GB|name=Wrington}}
File:YattonPrecinct.jpgYattonCivil parishstyle="text-align:center;" | 7,552Long Ashton Rural District{{coord|51.39
2.83|type:city_region:GB|name=Yatton}}

Economy

North Somerset's economy is traditionally based on agriculture, including sheep raised for wool on the Mendip Hills and dairy farming in the valleys. This is celebrated at the annual North Somerset Show. During the Georgian era tourism became a significant economic sector in the coastal towns, most notably Weston-super-Mare which grew from a small village to a large resort town. Though tourism declined in the mid to late-20th century, in common with most British coastal resorts, this sector of the economy has stabilised.

In the 19th century the major port city of Bristol found that modern ships had outgrown the narrow river approach and the Port of Bristol company began seeking locations for new docks on the coast. The first of these was Portishead Dock, which handled coal from South Wales, though this too has seen shipping outgrow its facilities. The newer Royal Portbury Dock is noted for the large volume of car imports.

This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of North and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire at current basic prices (pp. 240–253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.

{{cite web | url= http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf | access-date=3 June 2007 | work= National Statistics | title= Regional Gross Value Added | date= 21 December 2005 }}

class="wikitable"
Year || Regional gross value added{{ref|fn_4|1}} || Agriculture{{ref|fn_1|2}} || Industry{{ref|fn_2|3}} || Services{{ref|fn_3|4}}
19955,9161251,9193,872
20008,788862,3736,330
200310,854672,8737,914

{{note|fn_4|1}} Components may not sum to totals due to rounding

{{note|fn_1|2}} includes hunting and forestry

{{note|fn_2|3}} includes energy and construction

{{note|fn_3|4}} includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured

Demographics

class="wikitable floatright" style="margin-left: 1em; width: 30em;"

!colspan="6"|North Somerset compared

UK census 2001 || North Somerset UA{{cite web |url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadDatasetList.do?a=3&b=3567717&c=Somerset&d=180&e=16&g=399691&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1197490290431&enc=1&altAreaId=276835 |title=Key Figures for 2001 Census: Census Area Statistics: Area: North Somerset |author=United Kingdom Census 2001 |publisher=statistics.gov.uk |year=2001 |access-date=12 December 2007}} || South West England{{cite web |url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadDatasetList.do?a=3&b=3567719&c=Somerset&d=180&e=16&g=397814&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1197489822531&enc=1&altAreaId=276833 |title=Key Figures for 2001 Census: Census Area Statistics: Area: Bath and North East Somerset |author=United Kingdom Census 2001 |publisher=statistics.gov.uk |year=2001 |access-date=12 December 2007}} || England
Total population188,5644,928,43449,138,831
Foreign born9.5%9.4%9.2%
White97.1%97.7%91%
Asian1.7%0.7%4.6%
Black0.9%0.4%2.3%
Christian75.0%74.0%72%
Muslim0.2%0.5%3.1%
Hindu0.1%0.2%1.1%
No religion16.6%16.8%15%
Over 75 years old9.9%9.3%7.5%
Unemployed2.1%2.6%3.3%

North Somerset covers an area of around {{convert|145|sqmi|km2}} and has a resident population of 193,000 (1.4% BME) living in 85,000 households.{{cite web |url=http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/cairo/docs/doc13855.htm |title=Local Area Agreement for North Somerset 2007–2010 |access-date=30 December 2007 |work=North Somerset Partnership |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607104318/http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/cairo/docs/doc13855.htm |archive-date=7 June 2011 }}

The population of North Somerset has doubled since the 1950s and is predicted to rise by 6,184 or 3.0% to 2011 and by 17% to 2026. Whilst the proportion of people in North Somerset who are under 45 is lower than the national average, population growth is predicted to be strongest in the 2034 age group. Conversely North Somerset has a 4.2% higher percentage of older people (60+ female, 65+ male) than the rest of England and Wales. This disparity increases with age with the percentage of the population over 75 years almost 30% higher than the national average, resulting in a relatively aged population.{{cite web |url=http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/470DEC89-8988-4AB3-BA99-CE8952FB6CCB/0/document_20070912_CultureLeisureAndTourismTopicPaper.pdf |title=Culture, Leisure and Tourism and Topic Paper |access-date=30 December 2007 |work=North Somerset Core Strategy document. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208010155/http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/470DEC89-8988-4AB3-BA99-CE8952FB6CCB/0/document_20070912_CultureLeisureAndTourismTopicPaper.pdf |archive-date=8 February 2012 }}

In 2001 there were 134,132 people of working age living in North Somerset and 91,767 were in employment; an economic activity rate of 68.4%. This is very close to the economic activity rate of the West of England sub-region which was 68.8% in the 2001 census.

The 2001 census stated that 1.38% of North Somerset residents identified themselves as belonging to a visible ethnic group and a further 1.27% identified themselves as 'white other'.{{cite web |url=http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/F10D5B92-8A7C-400C-B5E4-5B7B47DE8BD0/0/document_20070301_RaceEqualityScheme200710.doc |title=North Somerset Council Race Equality Scheme 2007–2010 |access-date=30 December 2007 |format=Word |publisher=North Somerset Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029182601/http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/F10D5B92-8A7C-400C-B5E4-5B7B47DE8BD0/0/document_20070301_RaceEqualityScheme200710.doc |archive-date=29 October 2007 }}

class="wikitable" style="clear:both;"

| colspan="14" style="text-align:center;"|Population since 1801A Vision of Britain through Time

Year

|1801

|1851

|1901

|1911

|1921

|1931

|1941

|1951

|1961

|1971

|1981

|1991

|2001

Population North Somerset{{cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_table_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TPop&u_id=10168442&c_id=10001043&add=N|title=North Somerset: Total Population |access-date=13 December 2007 |work=A Vision of Britain Through Time |publisher=Great Britain Historical GIS Project }}

|16,670

|33,774

|60,066

|68,410

|75,276

|82,833

|91,967

|102,119

|119,509

|139,924

|160,353

|179,865

|188,556

Education

{{See also|List of schools in North Somerset}}

{{As of|2023}}, North Somerset Council is associated with 72 primary schools and 18 secondary schools.{{Cite web |title=North Somerset schools and admissions data |url=https://admissionsday.co.uk/area/north-somerset |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=admissionsday.co.uk}}{{Cite web |title=Find your local school |url=https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/schools-learning/local-schools/find-your-local-school |access-date=2023-04-02 |publisher=North Somerset Council |language=en}} There are also four independent (private) schools in the area.{{Cite web |title=School updates: Independent schools |url=https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/community-safety-crime/emergency-management/emergency-closures/school-updates/independent-schools |access-date=2023-04-02 |publisher=North Somerset Council |language=en}}

Weston College is the main provider of further education in the area. University Centre Weston offers higher education courses in conjunction with Bath Spa University and the University of the West of England.

See also

References

{{Reflist}}