Ribble Valley

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the whole area of four former districts and parts of another three, which were abolished at the same time:{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|accessdate=22 August 2022}}

• Blackburn Rural District (north of Arley Brook, rest went to Blackburn)
• Bowland Rural District
• Burnley Rural District (parishes of Read and Sabden only, rest split between Burnley, Hyndburn and Pendle)
• Clitheroe Municipal Borough
• Clitheroe Rural District
• Longridge Urban District
• Preston Rural District (parishes of Dutton, Hothersall and Ribchester only, rest split between Preston and South Ribble)

The new district was named Ribble Valley after the River Ribble which flows through the area.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=551|accessdate=22 August 2022}} The new district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.{{cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1974/mar/28/district-councils-and-boroughs#S5CV0871P0_19740328_CWA_145|title=District Councils and Boroughs|date=28 March 1974|work=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)|access-date=16 January 2012}}

The Bowland Rural District had been in the West Riding of Yorkshire prior to the reforms, whereas the other parts had all been in Lancashire. The council was granted a coat of arms in 1975, which includes both the Red Rose of Lancaster and White Rose of York, referencing the two historic counties.{{cite web |title=North West Region |url=http://www.civicheraldry.co.uk/north_west.html |website=Civic Heraldry |access-date=15 October 2023}}

The parish of Simonstone was transferred from Burnley to Ribble Valley in 1987.{{cite web |url=https://www.lgbce.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/12014/505-ribble-valley,-hyndburn,-burnley-and-pendle.pdf |title=Local Government Boundary Commission For England Report No. 5O5 |publisher=Local Government Boundary Commission For England |date=October 1985 |access-date=13 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118200729/http://www.lgbce.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/12014/505-ribble-valley,-hyndburn,-burnley-and-pendle.pdf |archive-date=18 November 2015 |url-status=dead }}

{{Infobox legislature

| name = Ribble Valley Borough Council

| coa_pic =

| coa_res =

| coa_alt =

| coa_caption =

| logo_pic = Ribble Valley Borough Council logo.svg

| logo_res = 250px

| logo_alt =

| logo_caption =

| house_type = Non-metropolitan district

| foundation = 1 April 1974

| leader1_type = Mayor

| leader1 = Louise Edge

| election1 = 14 May 2024{{cite web |title=Council minutes, 14 May 2024 |url=https://democracy.ribblevalley.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=147&MId=522 |website=Ribble Valley Borough Council | date=14 May 2024 |access-date=11 July 2024}}

| party1 =
Conservative

| leader2_type = Leader

| leader2 = Stephen Atkinson

| party2 =
Conservative

| election2 = 15 January 2019

| leader3_type = Chief Executive

| leader3 = Marshal Scott

| party3 =

| election3 = April 2009{{cite news |last1=Briggs |first1=Ben |title=Burnley man appointed Ribble Valley Council chief |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/3987924.burnley-man-appointed-ribble-valley-council-chief/ |access-date=15 October 2023 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |date=18 December 2008}}

| seats = 40 councillors

| structure1 = Ribble Valley Council June 2024.svg

| structure1_res = 250

| structure1_alt = Ribble Valley Council composition, as of June 2024

| political_groups1 =

;Administration (17)

: {{Color box|{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Conservative (17)

;Other parties (23)

: {{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Labour (9)

: {{Color box|{{party color|Independent politician}}|border=darkgray}} Independent (7)

: {{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Liberal Democrat (5)}}

: {{Color box|{{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}|border=darkgray}} Green (2)

| voting_system1 = First past the post

| last_election1 = 4 May 2023

| next_election1 = 6 May 2027

| motto =

| session_room = Ribble Valley Borough Council 03.JPG

| session_res =

| session_alt =

| meeting_place = Council Offices, Church Walk, Clitheroe, BB7{{nbsp}}2RA

| website = {{URL|www.ribblevalley.gov.uk}}

| constitution =

| footnotes =

}}

Ribble Valley Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Lancashire County Council. The whole borough is covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1972|year=1972|chapter=70|access-date=31 May 2023}}

The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being led by a Conservative minority administration.{{cite news |last1=Jacobs |first1=Bill |title=Battered Ribble Valley Tories seek to keep power as a minority |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/23515186.battered-ribble-valley-tories-seek-keep-power-minority/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |date=11 May 2023}}{{cite web |title=Council minutes, 23 May 2023 |url=https://democracy.ribblevalley.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=147&MId=409&Ver=4 |website=Ribble Valley Borough Council | date=23 May 2023 |access-date=15 October 2023}}

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 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=20 August 2022}}{{cite news| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2007/councils/html/30ul.stm | title = Ribble Valley | access-date = 2009-11-08 | work = BBC News Online}}

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Ribble Valley. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1999 have been:{{cite web |title=Council minutes |url=https://www.ribblevalley.gov.uk/council-meetings/meeting-agendas-reports-minutes |website=Ribble Valley Borough Council |access-date=23 August 2022}}

Following the 2023 election and subsequent changes of allegiance and by-elections up to July 2024, the composition of the council was:{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2023/may/04/elections-2023-results-live-local-council-england#le-full-results|title=Local elections 2023: live council results for England|work=The Guardian}}{{cite news |last1=Boothroyd |first1=David |title=Cheltenham still enraged by bureaucracy |url=https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/2023/10/cheltenham-still-enraged-by-bureaucracy/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=Local Councils |date=13 October 2023}}{{cite web |title=Ribble Valley |url=https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/councils/?council=ribble_valley |website=Local Councils |publisher=Thorncliffe |access-date=11 July 2024}}

Two of the independent councillors (both former Liberal Democrats) sit with the Greens as the 'Green and Progressive Liberal Group'.{{cite web |title=Councillors |url=https://www.ribblevalley.gov.uk/councillors?ward=&party=8&filterList=Go |website=Ribble Valley Borough Council |access-date=11 July 2024}} The next election is due in 2027.

{{see also|Ribble Valley local elections}}

Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 40 councillors representing 26 wards, with each ward electing one or two councillors. Elections are held every four years.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Ribble Valley (Electoral Changes) Order 2017|year=2017|number=1267|access-date=15 October 2023}}

The council is based at the Council Offices on Church Walk in Clitheroe, which was purpose-built for the council in 1980.{{London Gazette|issue=48120|page=3585|date=6 March 1980}}{{London Gazette|issue=48273|page=11223|date=7 August 1980}} The council chamber is in an adjoining building at 13 Church Street, which had been offices of the old Clitheroe Borough Council prior to the 1974 reforms.{{cite web |title=Council offices and meetings |url=https://www.ribblevalley.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/council-offices-meetings |website=Ribble Valley Borough Council |access-date=15 October 2023}}

See {{section link|List of schools in Lancashire|Ribble Valley}}

• Bowland High School, Grindleton
• Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
• Longridge High School
• Ribblesdale High School, Clitheroe
• St Augustine's RC High School, Billington
• St Cecilia's RC High School, Longridge

• Hillside Specialist School, Longridge

• Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall, Hurst Green (preparatory)
• Moorland School, Clitheroe
• Oakhill School, Whalley
• Stonyhurst College, Hurst Green

• Alston Hall, Longridge

• Clitheroe FC

Longridge Town FC

Ribble Valley Radio was a community radio station based in Clitheroe, part of the new, third sector of local radio licensed by OFCOM.[http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710144436/http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ |date=2009-07-10 }} ofcom.org.uk The project was launched in September 2004. The radio station helped six local residents into paid work within the radio sector in just three years and trained more than 100 volunteers to present and produce their own radio shows. The project was not supported by the Borough Council, which caused controversy in the area, and local newspaper theClitheroe Advertiser and Times' held a poll which returned the result that 94% agreed that the Ribble Valley Borough Council were wrong not to fund the project and assist its long-term success. Many letters appeared in support of the project and damning the "short sighted" decision of the council. The whole episode brought excellent publicity and boosted the radio station's listening figures by 400%.

MP Nigel Evans was a staunch supporter and tabled an Early Day Motion at Parliament EDM 979[http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=32699&SESSION=885 http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=32699&SESSION=885] edmi.parliament.uk calling for "better resources and funding" for Ribble Valley Radio and the new and emerging sector. None of this was sufficient to save the station and on 14 October 2007 Ribble Valley Radio closed, because it was unable to gain sufficient funding to apply for a licence.[http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/2007/10/18/1033682.html Radio station closes due to funding problems] {{webarchive|url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20080223083815/http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/2007/10/18/1033682.html |date=2008-02-23 }}

A new group, known as Ribble FM,{{cite web|date=16 May 2020|url=http://www.ribblefm.com |title=Home |publisher=Ribble FM |access-date=2020-05-16}} was formed in 2011 with the aim of applying for a community radio licence in the third round of licensing by Ofcom. Ribble FM was set up by The Bee founder Roy Martin and includes local directors and trustees.

{{Location map+|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley

|caption={{center|Towns, villages and hills in the Borough of Ribble Valley        {{legend inline|#e9ffd9|Forest of Bowland AONB|outline=silver}}}}

|float=center

|width=600

|places =

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.871|long=-2.392|label=Clitheroe|marksize=12|label_size=100}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.832|long=-2.604|label=Longridge|marksize=12|label_size=100|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.785|long=-2.560|label=Balderstone|label_size=85|position=left}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.840|long=-2.402|label=Barrow|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.885|long=-2.463|label=Bashall Eaves|label_size=85|position=left}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.816|long=-2.422|label=;  Billington|label_size=85|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.941|long=-2.329|label=Bolton by Bowland|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.823|long=-2.454|label=Brockhall Village|label_size=85|position=top}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.893|long=-2.355|label=Chatburn|label_size=85|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.885|long=-2.573|label=Chipping|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.797|long=-2.494|label=Clayton-le-Dale|label_size=85|position=left}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.818|long=-2.473|label=Dinckley|label_size=85|position=left}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.893|long=-2.327|label=Downham|label_size=85|position=right}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.946|long=-2.520|label=Dunsop Bridge|label_size=85|position=right}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.932|long=-2.265|label=Gisburn|label_size=85|position=right}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.846|long=-2.435|label=Great Mitton|label_size=85|position=right}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.906|long=-2.368|label=Grindleton|label_size=85|position=right}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.948|long=-2.221|label=Horton|label_size=85|position=left}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.836|long=-2.480|label=Hurst Green|label_size=85|position=left}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.801|long=-2.453|label=Langho|label_size=85|position=right}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.774|long=-2.528|label=Mellor|label_size=85|position=right}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.775|long=-2.547|label=Mellor Brook|label_size=85|position=left}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.960|long=-2.245|label=Newsholme|label_size=85|position=right}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.948|long=-2.462|label=Newton-in-Bowland|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.781|long=-2.538|label=Osbaldeston|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.963|long=-2.261|label=Paythorne|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.851|long=-2.371|label=Pendleton|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.806|long=-2.355|label=Read|label_size=85|position=left}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.813|long=-2.532|label=Ribchester|label_size=92|position=left|marksize=10}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.908|long=-2.295|label=Rimington|label_size=85|position=right}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.833|long=-2.336|label=Sabden|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.791|long=-2.486|label=Salesbury|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.914|long=-2.341|label=Sawley|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.806|long=-2.343|label=Simonstone|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.968|long=-2.436|label=Slaidburn|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.8471|long=-2.4713|label=Stonyhurst|label_size=85|position=top}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=54.000|long=-2.354|label=Tosside|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.891|long=-2.415|label=Waddington|label_size=85|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.895|long=-2.388|label=West Bradford, Lancashire|label_size=85|position=top}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.821|long=-2.407|label=Whalley|label_size=92|position=right|marksize=10}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.913|long=-2.524|label=Whitewell|label_size=85|position=left}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.784|long=-2.476|label=Wilpshire|label_size=85|position=right}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.996|long=-2.414|label=Stocks Reservoir|label_size=85|position=left|mark=Clear pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.934|long=-2.412|label=Easington Fell|label_size=85|position=right|mark=Green Fire.svg}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.919|long=-2.615|label=Fair Snape Fell|label_size=85|position=left|mark=Green Fire.svg}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.957|long=-2.645|label=Hawthornthwaite Fell|label_size=85|position=right|mark=Green Fire.svg}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.864|long=-2.519|label=Longridge Fell|label_size=85|position=left|mark=Green Fire.svg}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.899|long=-2.617|label=Parlick|label_size=85|position=left|mark=Green Fire.svg}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=53.868|long=-2.300|label=Pendle Hill|label_size=85|position=right|mark=Green Fire.svg}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=54.023|long=-2.500|label=White Hill|label_size=85|position=right|mark=Green Fire.svg}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom Borough of Ribble Valley|lat=54.017|long=-2.566|label=Wolfhole Crag|label_size=85|position=left|mark=Green Fire.svg}}

}}

File:Borough of Ribble Valley parishes map.svg

The whole borough is covered by civil parishes. The parish councils for Clitheroe and Longridge have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council".{{cite web |title=Information on Town and Parish Councils |url=https://www.ribblevalley.gov.uk/county-town-parish-councils/information-town-parish-councils |website=Ribble Valley Borough Council |access-date=15 October 2023}}

{{Div col|colwidth=12em}}

1. Aighton, Bailey and Chaigley
2. Balderstone
3. Bashall Eaves
4. Billington and Langho
5. Bolton-by-Bowland
6. Bowland Forest High
7. Bowland Forest Low
8. Bowland-with-Leagram
9. Chatburn
10. Chipping
11. Clayton-le-Dale
12. Clitheroe
13. Dinckley
14. Downham
15. Dutton
16. Easington
17. Gisburn
18. Gisburn Forest
19. Great Mitton
20. Grindleton
21. Horton
22. Hothersall
23. Little Mitton
24. Longridge
25. Mearley
26. Mellor
27. Middop
28. Newsholme
29. Newton
30. Osbaldeston
31. Paythorne
32. Pendleton
33. Ramsgreave
34. Read
35. Ribchester
36. Rimington
37. Sabden
38. Salesbury
39. Sawley
40. Simonstone
41. Slaidburn
42. Thornley-with-Wheatley
43. Twiston
44. Waddington
45. West Bradford
46. Whalley
47. Wilpshire
48. Wiswell
49. Worston

{{Div col end}}

Although Ribble Valley is the largest area of Lancashire, it also has the smallest population. The economy of Ribble Valley is mainly rural in nature, with a high proportion of jobs being in the private sector, due to BAE there is a bigger sway towards manufacturing jobs and less of a service economy when compared to the rest of Lancashire presumably due to the size of the authority and the dispersed nature of settlements. The authority also has the highest proportion of remote workers in Lancashire.{{cite web | url=http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/web/?siteid=6233&pageid=39638&e=e#Economy | title=District Profile – Ribble Valley | publisher=Lancashire County Council | access-date=2014-10-03 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006085154/http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/web/?siteid=6233&pageid=39638&e=e#Economy | archive-date=2014-10-06 | url-status=dead }}

• BAE Systems and Spirit AeroSystems at Samlesbury Aerodrome

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of Ribble Valley.

{{Expand list|date=May 2022}}

• The 14th/20th King's Hussars: 24 August 1992.{{cite web |title=Cavalry regiment parades through Leyland |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/3943090.cavalry-regiment-parades-through-leyland/ |website=The Lancashire Telegraph |date=2 December 2008 |access-date=16 May 2022 |language=en}}
• The King's Royal Hussars: 2 December 1992.{{cite news |title=King's Royal Hussars homecoming parade in Leyland |work=BBC News |date=10 November 2012 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-20281797 |access-date=16 May 2022 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Flag waving public line the route for Freedom parade |url=https://www.lep.co.uk/news/flag-waving-public-line-route-freedom-parade-669894 |website=The Lancashire Evening Post |access-date=16 May 2022 |language=en}}
• The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment: 10 March 2011.{{cite news |title=Duke of Lancaster's Regiment's freedom of Ribble Valley |work=BBC News |date=10 March 2011 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-12697363 |access-date=16 May 2022 |language=en}}

{{reflist}}

{{Borough of Ribble Valley}}

{{Borough of Ribble Valley buildings}}

{{Borough of Ribble Valley culture}}

{{NW England}}

{{Lancashire}}

Category:Non-metropolitan districts of Lancashire

Category:Boroughs in England