King's Lynn and West Norfolk

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Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox settlement King's Lynn and West Norfolk is a local government district with borough status in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in the town of King's Lynn. The district also includes the towns of Downham Market and Hunstanton, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The population of the district at the 2021 census was 154,325.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Part of the borough lies within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The borough lies on the coast, facing both The Wash to the west and the North Sea to the north. The neighbouring districts are North Norfolk, Breckland, West Suffolk, East Cambridgeshire, Fenland and South Holland.

History

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering seven former districts which were all abolished at the same time:<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref>

The new district was initially named "West Norfolk" reflecting its position in the wider county.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref> The district was awarded borough status on 30 January 1981, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. The name of the borough was changed later that year, becoming "King's Lynn and West Norfolk" with effect from 14 May 1981.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Governance

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The Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Norfolk County Council. Much of the borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref><ref name=electionmaps>Template:Cite web</ref>

Political control

The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being run by a coalition of most of the independent councillors, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens with informal support from Labour.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:<ref name=compositions>Template:Cite web (Put "King's Lynn & West Norfolk" in search box to see specific results.)</ref><ref name=hold>Template:Cite news</ref>

Party in control Years
Template:Party name with colour 1974–1976
Template:Party name with colour 1976–1991
Template:Party name with colour 1991–1995
Template:Party name with colour 1995–1999
Template:Party name with colour 1999–2003
Template:Party name with colour 2003–2023
Template:Party name with colour 2023–present

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, with political leadership instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2007 have been:

Councillor Party From To
Nick Daubney<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Party name with colour 2007 12 May 2016
Brian Long<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Party name with colour 12 May 2016 20 May 2021
Stuart Dark<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Party name with colour 20 May 2021 May 2023
Terry Parish<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Party name with colour 18 May 2023 May 2024
Alistair Beale<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Party name with colour 16 May 2024

Composition

Following the 2023 election,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to May 2025, the composition of the council was:<ref name=Thorncliffe>Template:Cite web</ref>

Party Councillors
Template:Party name with colour 19
Template:Party name with colour 8
Template:Party name with colour 3
Template:Party name with colour 2
Template:Party name with colour 1
Template:Party name with colour 22
Total 55

Of the 22 independent councillors, 16 sit together as the 'Independent Partnership', which forms the council's administration with the Liberal Democrats and Green Party. Another two form the 'Progressive Group', and the other four do not belong to a group.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The next election is due in 2027.<ref name=Thorncliffe/>

Elections

Template:Also Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 55 councillors representing 35 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref>

UK Youth Parliament

Although the UK Youth Parliament is an apolitical organisation, the elections are run in a way similar to that of the Local Elections. The votes come from 11 to 18 year olds and are combined to make the decision of the next, 2 year Member of Youth Parliament. The elections are run at different times across the country with King's Lynn and West Norfolk's typically being in early Spring and bi-annually.

Premises

The council generally meets at the Town Hall on the Saturday Market Place in King's Lynn, parts of which date back to the 1420s, having replaced an earlier guildhall on the site which burnt down in 1421.<ref>Template:NHLE</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The council's main offices are at King's Court, on Chapel Street in King's Lynn, which had been built as speculative offices in 1975, initially being called Aspen House.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The council bought the building in 1981.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Geography

Hunstanton, one of the coastal towns on the Norfolk Coast.

The district comprises the urban area of King's Lynn itself, together with 102 surrounding parishes. At the time of the 2001 census, the district had an area of 1,473 km2, of which 28 km2 was in the urban area and 1,445 km2 in the surrounding parishes. The district had a population of 135,345 in 58,338 households, with 34,564 in 15,285 households living in the urban area, whilst 100,781 people in 43,053 households lived in the surrounding parishes.<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes Template:Webarchive. Retrieved December 2, 2005.</ref>

Towns and parishes

Template:Also The main part of the urban area of King's Lynn (roughly corresponding to the pre-1974 borough of King's Lynn) is an unparished area.<ref name=electionmaps/> The remainder of the district is covered by civil parishes. The parish councils for Downham Market and Hunstanton have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". The parishes are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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Arms

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References

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