Warrington Borough Council

The town of Warrington was made a municipal borough in 1847, governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Warrington", generally known as the corporation, town council or borough council.{{cite web |title=Warrington Improvement and Market Act 1854 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Vict/17-18/8/contents/enacted |website=legislation.gov.uk |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=11 January 2024}} This first incarnation of the borough council replaced an earlier body of improvement commissioners which had governed the town since 1813.{{cite web |title=Warrington Improvement and Bridewell Act 1813 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo3/53/118/contents/enacted |website=legislation.gov.uk |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=11 January 2024}} From its creation in 1847 the borough straddled Lancashire and Cheshire, with the county boundary being the River Mersey; the town centre and most of the built-up area was on the north bank of the river in Lancashire, but the borough also included the built-up parts of Latchford on the south bank of the river in Cheshire.

In 1889 boroughs which straddled county boundaries were placed entirely in the county which had the majority of the population, and so the part of the borough south of the Mersey was transferred from Cheshire to Lancashire.Local Government Act 1888 The borough boundaries were subsequently enlarged on several occasions, notably in 1890, 1933 and 1954.{{cite web |title=Warrington Extension and Water Act 1890 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Vict/53-54/236/contents/enacted |website=legislation.gov.uk |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=11 January 2024}}{{cite web |title=Warrington Extension Act 1932 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo5/22-23/88/contents/enacted |website=legislation.gov.uk |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=11 January 2024}}

In 1900 Warrington was made a county borough, making it independent from Lancashire County Council, whilst remaining part of Lancashire for ceremonial purposes.{{cite web |title=Warrington Municipal Borough / County Borough |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10109450#tab02 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=11 January 2024}}

The borough was substantially enlarged in 1974, taking in a number of surrounding parishes from both Lancashire and Cheshire, including Lymm, which had been a separate urban district. The enlarged borough was transferred from Lancashire to Cheshire and was redesignated as a non-metropolitan district, with Cheshire County Council providing county-level services.Local Government Act 1972

The borough council regained control of county-level functions 24 years later in 1998. The way this change was implemented was by creating a new non-metropolitan county called Warrington covering the borough, but with no separate county council. Instead, the existing borough council took on county council functions, making it a unitary authority.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Cheshire (Boroughs of Halton and Warrington) (Structural Change) Order 1996|year=1996|number=1863|article=6|access-date=23 July 2024}} It remains part of Cheshire for ceremonial purposes.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Lieutenancies Act 1997|year=1997|chapter=23|access-date=19 January 2024}}

As a unitary authority, Warrington Borough Council has the functions of a county council 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 report |url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9056/ |title=Unitary local government |last=Sandford |first=Mark |date=22 July 2021 |publisher=House of Commons Library |access-date=21 March 2022}} Parts of the borough are also covered by civil parishes, which form a second tier of local government for their areas.{{cite web |title=Election Maps |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=1 July 2023}}

The council has been under Labour majority control since 2011.

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 |access-date=10 August 2022}}

Non-metropolitan district

Unitary authority

The role of Mayor of Warrington is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1985 have been:{{cite web |title=Council minutes |url=https://cmis.warrington.gov.uk/cmis5/MeetingsCalendar.aspx |website=Warrington Borough Council |access-date=4 September 2022}}

The Mayors since 1998 have been:{{Cite web |title=Mayor's role and history {{!}} warrington.gov.uk |url=https://www.warrington.gov.uk/mayors-role-and-history |access-date=2024-05-27 |website=www.warrington.gov.uk}}

The Mayor's role is to perform civic duties across the Borough, such as attending large events in different communities and taking the lead on certain recognised days, such as Remembrance Sunday. The Mayor has no power over policies, as that is the job of the Leader. The Mayor also chairs Full Council meetings. Though elected as a Councillor representing a particular Party, the Mayor remains impartial when chairing but also has a vote of their own (often voting with their Party line).

Following the 2024 election, plus a defection from the Labour administration in October 2024{{cite web |last1=Okell |first1=Nathan |title=Councillor resigns as council finds Warrington traveller transit site |url=https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/24643990.councillor-resigns-council-finds-warrington-traveller-transit-site/ |publisher=Warrington Guardian}} the composition of the council was:

The next elections are due in May 2028.

{{also|Warrington Borough Council elections}}

Since the last boundary changes in 2016 the council has comprised 58 councillors representing 22 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Warrington (Electoral Changes) Order 2016|year=2016|number=115|access-date=19 January 2024}}

The council generally meets at Warrington Town Hall on Sankey Street. The building was originally built in 1750 as a large house, and was formerly called Bank Hall. It was bought by the borough council in 1870 and converted into a town hall, with its grounds becoming a public park.{{NHLE |num= 1329725|desc= Town Hall, Warrington|accessdate= 1 December 2012|grade=I}}

The council's main offices are at 1 Time Square which was completed in 2020, replacing earlier offices at New Town House on Scotland Road which have since been demolished.{{cite web |title=New council offices bring financial benefits |url=https://www.warrington.gov.uk/news/new-council-offices-bring-financial-benefits |website=Warrington Borough Council |access-date=19 January 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Jessica |title=New Town House demolition begins in Warrington town centre |url=https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/22470242.new-town-house-demolition-begins-warrington-town-centre/ |access-date=19 January 2024 |work=Warrington Guardian |date=21 September 2022}}

Elected members have approved a number of significant commercial investments by the local authority. In September 2016, Warrington Borough Council became one of the first local councils in the UK to buy clean-tech bonds in Swindon Solar Park through its owner, specialist investment management firm Rockfire Capital.{{Cite web|url=http://www.themj.co.uk/Solar-farm-deal-to-generate-council-cash/205361|title=Solar farm deal to generate council cash|website=www.themj.co.uk|access-date=2016-09-27}}

In September 2019, the council acquired a 50% shareholding in Clydebank-based energy retailer Together Energy for £18m.{{Cite web|url=https://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/2021/09/07/tories-raise-further-serious-concerns-over-being-denied-access-to-auditors-letter/|title=Tories raise further "serious concerns" over being denied access to Auditor's letter|date=7 September 2021}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-54073336|title=Bristol Energy: Troubled company sells off domestic customer base|work=BBC News|date=8 September 2020}} In September 2020, Bristol Energy's brand and residential accounts – 155,000 meter points – were sold by Bristol City Council to Together Energy for £14 million.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-54073336 |title=Bristol Energy: Troubled company sells off domestic customer base |work=BBC News |date=8 September 2020 |access-date=9 September 2020}} In August 2021, Warrington Council's total financial exposure to Together Energy was reported to be £41.2m.{{Cite web|url=https://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/2021/08/14/council-remains-confident-in-investment-in-together-energy-despite-growing-condemnation/|title=Council remains confident in investment in Together Energy despite growing condemnation|date=14 August 2021}} In October 2021, Ofgem issued a provisional order to several suppliers, including Together Energy, who had not made Renewables Obligation payments; Together Energy's obligation was over £12m.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/ofgem-orders-seven-suppliers-pay-ps179m-unpaid-renewables-obligations-payments|title = Ofgem orders seven suppliers to pay £17.9m in unpaid Renewables Obligations payments}} Following sharp increases in wholesale gas and electricity prices which began in autumn 2021,{{Cite web|last1=Pickard|first1=Jim|last2=Thomas|first2=Nathalie|date=7 January 2022|title=UK council has £52m exposure to troubled power company|url=https://www.ft.com/content/8f754529-d529-4b32-b939-72fe1bae8779 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/8f754529-d529-4b32-b939-72fe1bae8779 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-status=live|url-access=registration|access-date=28 January 2022|website=Financial Times}} Together Energy Retail Ltd announced on 18 January 2022 that it was ceasing to trade.{{Cite web|last=Lempriere|first=Molly|date=2022-01-18|title=Together Energy becomes first supplier to collapse in 2022 amidst continuing high power prices|url=https://www.current-news.co.uk/news/together-energy-becomes-first-supplier-to-collapse-in-2022-amidst-continuing-high-power-prices|access-date=2022-01-19|website=Current|language=en-gb}}

Other loans and investments include almost £30 million paid in stages between 2017 and 2019 for a 33% stake in Redwood Bank, a "challenger bank" which has a Warrington office.{{Cite web|last=Dhillon|first=Aran|date=24 September 2019|title=Redwood Bank under 'close scrutiny' from Bank of England|url=https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/17923920.redwood-bank-close-scrutiny-bank-england/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Warrington Guardian|language=en}} In 2021 a £202m loan facility, secured against commercial property, was provided to Matt Moulding, founder of Cheshire-based e-commerce business The Hut Group.{{Cite web|last=Dhillon|first=Aran|date=27 August 2021|title=Warrington Borough Council loans £151m to The Hut Group|url=https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/19543368.warrington-borough-council-loans-151m-hut-group/|access-date=28 January 2022|website=Warrington Guardian}}{{Cite web|last=Ambrose|first=Jillian|date=26 August 2021|title=Warrington council lends billionaire founder of the Hut Group £151m|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/aug/26/warrington-council-lends-billionaire-owner-of-the-hut-group-151m|access-date=28 January 2022|website=TheGuardian.com}}

In September 2021, the council confirmed that its borrowing had reached £1.7 billion, but that the current value of its investment assets were £2.173 billion.{{Cite web|url=https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/19573894.council-debt-totals-1-7bn---value-assets-worth/|title = Council debt totals £1.7bn – but value of assets worth more}}

In May 2024, just after the local election, it was announced by the Government that they had commissioned a "Best Value" inspection into the council's finances.{{Cite web |title=Best value inspection {{!}} warrington.gov.uk |url=https://www.warrington.gov.uk/best-value-inspection |access-date=2024-05-27 |website=www.warrington.gov.uk}} In June 2024 Moody's Ratings withdrew its credit rating from the council after it failed to provide accounts signed-off by an auditor.{{cite news |last1=Davies |first1=Rob |title=Moody’s withdraws credit rating of Warrington council |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jun/17/moodys-withdraws-credit-rating-warrington-council |work=The Guardian |date=17 June 2024}} In January 2025, S&P Global Ratings gave the council a BBB+ credit rating with a stable outlook.{{cite web |title=New credit rating for council |url=https://www.warrington.gov.uk/news/new-credit-rating-council#:~:text=Warrington%20Borough%20Council%20has%20received,rating%2C%20with%20a%20stable%20outlook. |publisher=Warrington Borough Council}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Unitary authorities of England}}

{{Local authorities in Cheshire}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Unitary authority councils of England

Category:Local education authorities in England

Category:Local authorities in Cheshire

Category:Leader and cabinet executives

Category:Billing authorities in England

Category:Warrington