Uttlesford

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as one of 14 districts within Essex. The new district covered the area of three former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|access-date=31 May 2023}}

• Dunmow Rural District
• Saffron Walden Municipal Borough
• Saffron Walden Rural District

The new district was named after the ancient hundred of Uttlesford, which had covered much of the area.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=551|access-date=31 May 2023}}

The hundred had been named after a ford on the London Road (now the B1383, formerly the A11) at Wendens Ambo, since replaced by a bridge. The ford appears to derive its name from "Udel's ford". The stream at the ford is sometimes informally called the River Uttle as a back-formation from the name of the ford.{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51369 |title=A Topographical Dictionary of England|author=Samuel Lewis|author-link=Samuel Lewis (publisher)|publisher=Institute of Historical Research |date=1848 |access-date=4 December 2012 }}[https://opendomesday.org/hundred/uttlesford/ Open Domesday: Hundred of Uttlesford.] Accessed 6 January 2022.{{Cite web|url=http://www.recordinguttlesfordhistory.org.uk/ULHRdone/3meaningofparishnames.html|title = Meaning of Parish Names Villages in NW Essex}}

Hundreds gradually lost their functions to other bodies from the seventeenth century onwards, with their final administrative function ceasing in 1886. The name Uttlesford continued to have occasional use in the area between then and 1974, such as the Uttlesford Orchestra, founded in 1956, which played in and around Saffron Walden.{{Cite web|url=https://www.saffronsymphony.org/history-of-the-orchestra/|title=History of the Society – Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra}}

{{Infobox legislature

| name = Uttlesford District Council

| term_length = Whole council elected every four years

| coa_pic =

| coa_caption =

| coa_res = 200px

| coa_alt =

| logo_pic = Uttlesford District Council logo.png

| logo_caption =

| logo_res = 250px

| logo_alt =

| foundation = 1 April 1974

| house_type = Non-metropolitan district

| new_session =

| leader1_type = Chair

| leader1 = Christian Criscione

| party1 =
Conservative

| election1 = 22 May 2025{{cite news |last1=Suslak |first1=Anne |title=Chris Criscione elected as Uttlesford District Council chair |url=https://www.saffronwaldenreporter.co.uk/news/25194906.chris-criscione-elected-uttlesford-district-council-chair/ |access-date=29 May 2025 |work=Saffron Walden Reporter |date=27 May 2025}}

| leader2_type = Leader

| leader2 = Petrina Lees

| party2 =
R4U

| election2 = 7 December 2021

| leader3_type = Chief Executive

| leader3 = Peter Holt

| party3 =

| election3 = October 2021{{cite news |last1=Dunderdale |first1=Louise |title=Peter Holt is appointed as the new district council chief executive |url=https://www.saffronwaldenreporter.co.uk/news/21873325.peter-holt-appointed-new-district-council-chief-executive/ |access-date=12 June 2023 |work=Saffron Walden Reporter |date=14 September 2021}}

| seats = 39 councillors

| structure1 =

| structure1_res = 250px

| structure1_alt =

| political_groups1 =

Administration (21)

:{{Color box|{{party colour|Residents for Uttlesford}}| border=darkgray}} R4U (21)

Other parties (18)

:{{Color box|{{party colour|Conservative Party (UK)}}| border=darkgray}} Conservative (11)

:{{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party colour|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Liberal Democrats (4)}}

:{{Color box|{{party colour|Independent politician}}|border=darkgray}} Independent (2)

:{{Color box|{{party colour|Reform UK}}|border=darkgray}} Reform UK (1)

| committees1 =

| joint_committees =

| voting_system1 =

| last_election1 = 4 May 2023

| next_election1 = 2027

| session_room = Uttlesford Council Offices.jpg

| session_res =

| session_alt =

| meeting_place = Council Offices, London Road, Saffron Walden, CB11{{nbsp}}4ER

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

}}

Uttlesford District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Essex County Council. The whole district is also 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 controlled by local party Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) since the 2019 election.

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect 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/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/composition_calc.html |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=The Elections Centre |publisher=University of Exeter}} (Put "Uttlesford" in search box to see specific results.)

The leaders of the council since 1995 have been:

Following the 2023 election,{{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|publisher=The Guardian}} and a subsequent change of allegiance in March 2025, the composition of the council was:{{cite web |title=Uttlesford |url=https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/councils/?council=uttlesford |website=Local Councils |publisher=Thorncliffe |access-date=29 May 2025}}

The next election is due in 2027.

The council is based at the Council Offices on London Road in Saffron Walden.{{cite web |title=Contact us |url=https://www.uttlesford.gov.uk/contact-us |website=Uttlesford District Council |access-date=12 June 2023}} When the council was created in 1974 it inherited offices at 46 High Street, Dunmow from the Dunmow Rural District Council, at 5 Hill Street, Saffron Walden from Saffron Walden Borough Council and at 52 Debden Road, Saffron Walden from the Saffron Walden Rural District Council. In 1988 the former Saffron Walden General Hospital on London Road closed and the site was bought by the council. The original hospital building of 1865 was renovated and a large extension built to its west to become a new headquarters for the council, which opened in May 1990.{{cite news |title=Bright new future for old town hospital |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=12 June 2023 |work=Saffron Walden Weekly News |date=3 May 1990 |page=29}}

{{main|Uttlesford District Council elections}}

Since the last full review of boundaries in 2015 the council has comprised 39 councillors representing 22 wards, each electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Uttlesford (Electoral Changes) Order 2014|year=2014|number=1334|access-date=12 June 2023}}

The district is entirely covered by civil parishes. The parish councils for Great Dunmow and Saffron Walden are styled "town councils". The four parishes of Chickney, Lindsell, Strethall and Wicken Bonhunt have parish meetings rather than parish councils due to their small populations. The two parishes of Elmdon and Wenden Lofts share a parish council called "Elmdon, Duddenhoe End and Wenden Lofts", and the two parishes of Great Easton and Tilty also share a grouped parish council. Great Sampford and Little Sampford share a parish council called "The Sampfords". The parishes are:{{cite web |title=Town and parish councils |url=https://www.uttlesford.gov.uk/article/5143/Town-and-parish-councils |website=Uttlesford District Council |access-date=12 June 2023}}

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Arkesden
• Ashdon
• Aythorpe Roding
• Barnston
• Berden
• Birchanger
• Broxted
• Chickney
• Chrishall
• Clavering
• Debden
• Elmdon
• Elsenham
• Farnham
• Felsted
• Flitch Green
• Great Canfield
• Great Chesterford
• Great Dunmow (town)
• Great Easton
• Great Hallingbury
• Great Sampford
• Hadstock
• Hatfield Broad Oak
• Hatfield Heath
• Hempstead
• Henham
• High Easter
• High Roothing
• Langley
• Leaden Roding
• Lindsell
• Little Bardfield
• Little Canfield
• Little Chesterford
• Little Dunmow
• Little Easton
• Little Hallingbury
• Little Sampford
• Littlebury
• Manuden
• Margaret Roding
• Newport
• Quendon and Rickling
• Radwinter
• Saffron Walden (town)
• Sewards End
• Stansted Mountfitchet
• Stebbing
• Strethall
• Takeley
• Thaxted
• Tilty
• Ugley
• Wenden Lofts
• Wendens Ambo
• White Roothing
• Wicken Bonhunt
• Widdington
• Wimbish

{{div col end}}

Apart from considerable agriculture, retail and office premises in towns, Uttlesford District includes London Stansted Airport, which is its largest employer. For more detailed analysis of strengths and specializations in the economy see individual settlements, for instance the article: Saffron Walden. In October 2008, the airport won a 40% increase in permitted flights under the flight cap which operates in relation to the airport, from the UK government.{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/england/london-travel/london-airports-given-green-light-to-expand-6fswxtd2mnk |title=London airports given green light to expand |work=The Times |date=2008-10-09 |access-date=2015-08-11}}

Aside from countryside hotels close to and aircraft maintenance vital to Stansted Airport, airlines have also used a small adjoining business park. Titan Airways has its head office in the Enterprise House in the grounds in Stansted Mountfitchet.{{cite web|url=http://www.titan-airways.com/contact-us.html |title=Contact Us |publisher=Titan Airways |access-date=2015-08-11}}

Several airlines, including Buzz,"[https://web.archive.org/web/20010702090939/http://www.buzzaway.com/about_us/contact_us.html Contact Us]." Buzz. Retrieved on 2 September 2009. AirUK (later KLM uk),"[https://web.archive.org/web/19961029012516/http://www.airuk.co.uk/ Home-page]."{{sic}} AirUK. Retrieved on 28 February 2010."World Airline Directory." Flight International. 18–24 March 1998. [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1998/1998%20-%200608.html?search=Malev 82]. AB Airlines,[https://web.archive.org/web/19980130211559/http://www.abairlines.com/company.htm An Introduction to AB Airlines AB Airlines] article 30 January 1998. Retrieved on 7 February 2011. "AB Airlines - Internet Enquiry Office Enterprise House, Stansted Airport Essex. CM24 1QW" Go Fly had its head office at the Enterprise House."World Airline Directory." Flight International. 27 March-2 April 2001. [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2001/2001%20-%201065.html?search=%22Go%20Fly%22 77]. ibid. however postcode: CM241SB and Lloyd International Airways had their head offices on the property of Stansted Airport."World Airline Directory." Flight International later "Lloyd International Airways" were established at Lloyd House, Stansted from 10 April 1969. [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%200652.html?search=%22Lloyd%20International%20Airways%22 580]. "Head Office: Lloyd House, First Avenue, Stansted Airport, Essex."

In terms of television, the area is served by BBC East and ITV Anglia broadcasting from the Sudbury{{cite web | url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Sudbury|title=Full Freeview on the Sudbury (Suffolk, England) transmitter| date=May 2004 }} and Sandy Heath transmitters.{{cite web | url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Sandy_Heath | title=Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter | date=May 2004 }} However, some southern parts of the district such as Stansted Mountfitchet and Takeley including Stansted Airport is also served by BBC London and ITV London which broadcast from the Crystal Palace transmitter.{{cite web | url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Crystal_Palace | title=Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) Full Freeview transmitter | date=May 2004 }}

Radio stations for the area are:

• BBC Essex
• BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
• BBC Three Counties Radio
• Heart East
• Greatest Hits Radio East
• Star Radio

The West Anglia Main Line passes through Uttlesford. There are stations at:

• Stansted Mountfitchet
• Stansted Airport
• Elsenham
• Newport (Essex)
• Audley End (for Saffron Walden)
• Great Chesterford

From all stations, there are regular services northbound towards Cambridge, operated by Greater Anglia. At certain times, trains continue towards Ely and King's Lynn. CrossCountry also operates northbound trains from Stansted Airport and Audley End to Cambridge, Peterborough, Leicester and Birmingham New Street.

From Stansted Airport, a southbound train is operated towards Bishop's Stortford, Harlow, Tottenham Hale and London Liverpool Street, operated by Greater Anglia under the Stansted Express brand. This train sometimes calls at Stansted Mountfitchet.

Greater Anglia operates southbound trains from other stations in the district to Bishop's Stortford, Harlow, Tottenham Hale and Liverpool Street. A southbound hourly fast-train also calls at Audley End, with additional services at peak times towards London from this station.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/London_South_East_1218.pdf|title=London & the South East Rail Services|website=National Rail|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417115030/http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/London_South_East_1218.pdf|archive-date=17 April 2019}}

Roads in the district are managed by Essex County Council, with some routes controlled by National Highways.{{Cite web|url=https://www.essexhighways.org/transport-and-roads/interactive-maps-and-live-travel-information/highways-information-map.aspx|title=Highways Information Map {{!}} Essex County Council|website=essexhighways.org|access-date=2019-04-17}}

The M11 motorway between London and Cambridge passes through the district, with junctions at Stansted Airport (junction 8) and Stump Cross, near Saffron Walden (9). This places the district in the M11 corridor for innovation.{{Cite web|url=https://innovationcorridor.uk/about|title=The UK's Innovation Corridor {{!}} About|website=The UK's Innovation Corridor|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417133939/https://innovationcorridor.uk/about|archive-date=17 April 2019}} Northbound from Stump Cross, the A11 forms part of the northern boundary of the district, carrying traffic to Newmarket and Norwich.

The A120 runs east-west through the district between Stansted Airport and Braintree, via Great Dunmow. This connects the district to Hertford, Colchester and Harwich.

Other roads in the district are B-class roads. This includes:

• the B184 - from Stump Cross to the Rodings, via Saffron Walden, Thaxted and Great Dunmow
• the B1383 - from Stump Cross to Bishop's Stortford, via Newport and Stansted Mountfitchet
• the B1008 - from Great Dunmow to the A131 towards Chelmsford

Charity Uttlesford Community Travel {{Cite web|url=https://uttlesfordcommunitytravel.org/|title=Uttlesford Community Travel {{!}} Uttlesford Community Travel|website=uttlesfordcommunitytravel.org|access-date=2023-03-13}} provides road transport services to the residents of Uttlesford who find it difficult to access normal public transport: they support the over 60s, the disabled and those who are rurally isolated.

Stansted Airport is in the district. Stansted is the fourth-busiest UK airport, with flights to over 200 destinations.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stanstedairport.com/about-us/london-stansted-airport-and-mag/facts-and-figures/|title=Facts and figures|website=London Stansted Airport|language=en|access-date=2019-04-17}}

There are several bus routes which cross the district and which connect the district to neighbouring destinations,{{Cite web|url=http://www.essexbus.info/map.html|title=Essex Bus {{!}} Bus Routes and Timetables|website=Essex Bus|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417131006/http://www.essexbus.info/map.html|archive-date=17 April 2019}} including:

• Bishop's Stortford
• Braintree
• Cambridge
• Chelmsford
• Colchester
• Harlow
• Haverhill
• The Rodings

Great Dunmow and Stansted Airport are on the First Essex and Arriva Shires & Essex networks. First bus 42A calls operates from both destinations to Chelmsford, and X10 and X30 connect Stansted Airport to Chelmsford, Basildon and Southend-on-Sea. Arriva bus 133 connects Stansted and Great Dunmow to Colchester.

Arriva Bus 510 links Stansted Mountfitchet and Stansted Airport to Bishop's Stortford and Harlow.{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/maps/Chelmsford_Network_Map_WEB_0.pdf|title=First Essex {{!}} Chelmsford Network Map|website=First Bus}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/globalassets/documents/south-east/network-maps/bishops-stortford-network-map.pdf|title=Arriva {{!}} Our services in Bishop's Stortford & Stansted|website=Arriva Bus|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417132948/https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/globalassets/documents/south-east/network-maps/bishops-stortford-network-map.pdf|archive-date=17 April 2019}}

Saffron Walden is on the Stagecoach Cambridge network, served by the Citi 7, although Megarider tickets are not valid in the district.{{Cite web|url=https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/RouteMaps(1)/East/cambridgeshire_may18%20-%20proof.pdf|title=Cambridge out of town links|website=Stagecoach Bus|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417133145/https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/RouteMaps(1)/East/cambridgeshire_may18%20-%20proof.pdf|archive-date=17 April 2019}}

Stansted Airport is served by National Express and Airport Bus Express coaches to destinations in London and across the UK.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stanstedairport.com/getting-to-and-from/by-bus-and-coach/|title=Coach and Bus Services at London Stansted|website=London Stansted Airport|language=en|access-date=2019-04-17}}

File:Flitch Way at Takeley - geograph.org.uk - 349436.jpg

Several cycle routes cross the district, linking towns in the district to the National Cycle Network.

National Cycle Route 11 (NCR 11) crosses the district north-south, from Ickleton to Stansted Mountfitchet, running mostly on rural lanes. NCR 11 eventually links the district to the River Stort towpath in Bishop's Stortford (towards Harlow, NCR 1 and London). Northbound, the route continues towards Cambridge, Ely and Downham Market. A spur of the route leads into Saffron Walden, running for much of its length on a segregated cycle route.

National Cycle Route 16 runs east-west between Stansted Mountfitchet and Braintree, via Great Dunmow town centre. The route runs for much of its length on segregated cycle track converted from the course of the former Bishop's Stortford to Braintree railway, and it runs unbroken through the district, mostly parallel to the A120.

National Cycle Network 50 runs north-south between Takeley and Quendon in Uttlesford. The route ultimately runs between Quendon and Ulting (near Maldon) running entirely on country lanes.

The district is the only British local authority (excluding parishes) to begin with the letter 'u'. The only other initial letter used by only one UK local authority is 'y' for York.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/uk_house_prices/html/22uq.stm |title=In Depth | UK House Prices | Uttlesford |publisher=BBC News |date=2013-10-21 |access-date=2015-08-11}}

• The Hundred Parishes

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• [http://www.saffronwaldenconservatives.com Saffron Walden Conservatives]
• [http://www.residents4u.org/ Residents for Uttlesford]
• [http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk Saffron Walden Liberal Democrats]
• [http://www.uttlesford.gov.uk Uttlesford District Council]

{{Commons category-inline|Uttlesford District|Uttlesford}}

{{East_of_England}}

{{Essex}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|52.0190|0.2367|type:adm3rd_dim:40000_region:GB-ESS|display=title}}

Category:Non-metropolitan districts of Essex