Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

The town of Stockton-on-Tees was an ancient borough. The borough's date of creation is unknown, but Stockton was being described as a borough by 1283.{{cite book |last1=Page |first1=William |title=A History of the County of Durham, Volume 3 |date=1928 |publisher=Victoria County History |location=London |pages=348–365 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/durham/vol3/pp348-365 |access-date=21 February 2024}} The original borough had a very tightly drawn boundary; by 1835 it was said that the borough only covered a quarter of the urban area.{{cite book |title=Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Appendix 3 |date=1835 |page=1729 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N3FTAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1729 |access-date=21 February 2024}} The borough was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which standardised how many boroughs operated across the country. The borough was then administered by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Stockton", generally known as the corporation, town council or borough council. The boundaries were extended on several occasions, notably in 1852, 1889 and 1913 (in which year it gained Norton and Hartburn).{{cite web |title=Stockton-on-Tees Municipal Borough |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10153876 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=13 August 2022}}

That council was abolished in 1968 and replaced by the short-lived County Borough of Teesside from 1968 to 1974. Under the Local Government Act 1972 a new non-metropolitan district called Stockton-on-Tees was established, with a larger territory than the pre-1968 borough.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|year=1972|chapter=70|act=Local Government Act 1972|accessdate=31 July 2022}}{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|access-date=13 August 2022}}{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=551|access-date=13 August 2022}} County-level services were provided by Cleveland County Council until its abolition in 1996, when Stockton-on-Tees became a unitary authority.

The way this change was implemented was to create a new non-metropolitan county of Stockton-on-Tees covering the same area as the existing borough, but with no separate county council; instead the existing borough council took on county functions, making it a unitary authority.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Cleveland (Structural Change) Order 1995|year=1995|number=187|access-date=11 June 2024}} At the same time, the borough was declared to straddle County Durham (north of the River Tees) and North Yorkshire (south of the river) for ceremonial purposes.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Local Government Changes for England (Miscellaneous Provision) Regulations 1995|year=1995|number=1748|access-date=6 March 2024}}

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the Local Government Act 1972 and subsequent legislation. For the purposes of local government, Stockton-on-Tees is within a non-metropolitan area of England. As a unitary authority, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has the powers and functions of both a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. In its capacity as a district council it is a billing authority collecting Council Tax and business rates, it processes local planning applications, it is responsible for housing, waste collection and environmental health. In its capacity as a county council it is a local education authority, responsible for social services, libraries and waste disposal.{{cite web|url=https://www.cleanhighways.co.uk/legislation/local-government-in-england-a-quick-guide|title=Local Government in England outside London|publisher=Clean Highways|access-date=27 November 2020}}

Since 2016 the council has been a member of the Tees Valley Combined Authority.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Tees Valley Combined Authority Order 2016|year=2016|number=449|access-date=25 February 2024}}

The council has been under no overall control since 2019. Following the 2023 election the Conservatives were the largest party, but a minority Labour administration was able to retain control with the informal support of the two smaller parties, the Thornaby Independent Association and the Ingleby Barwick Independent Society.{{cite news |last1=Lightfoot |first1=Gareth |title=Conservative bid to take over council is defeated in night of drama for Stockton Council |url=https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/conservative-bid-take-over-council-27757210 |access-date=20 February 2024 |work=Teesside Live |date=21 September 2023}}

Political control of the council since its re-establishment in 1974 has been as follows:{{cite web |title=Compositions Calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/composition_calc.html |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=The Elections Centre |publisher=University of Exeter}} (Put "Stockton-on-Tees" in search box to see specific results.){{cite news| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2007/councils/html/ef.stm | title = Stockton-On-Tees | access-date = 26 March 2010 | work = BBC News Online}}

Non-metropolitan district

Unitary authority

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Stockton-on-Tees, with political leadership instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:

Following the 2023 election 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}}

The next election is due in 2027.{{cite web |title=Stockton-on-Tees |url=https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/councils/?council=stockton-on-tees |website=Local Councils |publisher=Thorncliffe |access-date=29 June 2025}}

{{also|Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council elections}}

Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 56 councillors representing 27 wards, with each ward election one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Stockton-on-Tees (Electoral Changes) Order 2023|year=2023|number=1342|access-date=21 February 2024}}

File:Stockton Town Hall, High Street, Stockton (geograph 6216524).jpg, council's meeting place until 2020.]]

Since 2021, full council meetings have been held at Stockton Baptist Church or the conference suite at the town's library.{{cite web |title=Calendar |url=https://moderngov.stockton.gov.uk/mgCalendarAgendaView.aspx?XXR=0&M=5&DD=2021&ACT=Go&WN=5 |website=Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council |access-date=21 February 2024}} Prior to the suspension of in-person meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, full council meetings were generally held at Stockton Town Hall in the High Street, which was built in 1735.{{NHLE|desc=Town Hall, High Street|num=1139975|accessdate=26 November 2020}}

The council's main offices are at Dunedin House on Columbia Drive on the south bank of the River Tees in Thornaby, which had been completed in 1992.{{cite web |title=Planning Application 23/0447/FUL, Application Form |url=https://www.developmentmanagement.stockton.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=RRGURHPK00900 |website=Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council |access-date=21 February 2024}} "The building is currently used as offices, and had been since its completion in January 1992."{{cite news |last1=Metcalfe |first1=Alex |title=New council headquarters for hundreds of workers to begin hosting staff in early 2023 |url=https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/new-council-headquarters-hundreds-workers-24600086 |access-date=21 February 2024 |work=Teesside Live |date=27 July 2022}} The council bought the building in 2021 and converted it to become the council's headquarters, which opened in 2024.{{cite news |last1=Lightfoot |first1=Gareth |title=Stockton to transform its landscape through 2024 |url=https://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/24017304.stockton-transform-landscape-throughout-2024/ |access-date=21 February 2024 |work=Darlington and Stockton Times |date=29 December 2023}} Customer service centres are maintained at the libraries in Stockton, Billingham and Thornaby.{{cite web |title=Contact Customer Services |url=https://www.stockton.gov.uk/contact-customer-services |website=Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council |access-date=29 June 2025}}

File:Stockton Council Offices on Church Road - geograph.org.uk - 487339.jpg

Prior to 2024, the council's main offices were at the Municipal Buildings on Church Road in Stockton, which was purpose-built for the old borough council and opened in 1961.{{cite web |title=Municipal Buildings, Stockton c. 1960s |url=https://picturestocktonarchive.com/2016/01/08/municipal-buildings-stockton-c1960s/ |website=Picture Stockton Archive |date=8 January 2016 |access-date=21 February 2024}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Unitary authorities of England}}

{{Local authorities in County Durham}}

{{Local authorities in North Yorkshire}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Unitary authority councils of England

Category:Local education authorities in England

Category:Local authorities in County Durham

Category:Local authorities in North Yorkshire

Category:Leader and cabinet executives

Category:Billing authorities in England

Category:Politics of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees