View source for Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley

{{For|the village within this borough|Knowsley, Merseyside}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Borough of Knowsley
| settlement_type         = [[Metropolitan borough]]
| image_skyline           = Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council building, Huyton.jpg
| imagesize               = 
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = Knowsley council headquarters in Huyton
| image_flag              = 
| flag_alt                = 
| image_seal              = 
| seal_alt                = 
| image_shield            = Coat of arms of Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council.png
| shield_alt              = 
| shield_link             = 
| image_blank_emblem      = 
| blank_emblem_size       = 
| blank_emblem_type       = 
| blank_emblem_link       = 
| etymology               = 
| nickname                = 
| motto                   = By faith and industry
| image_map               = Knowsley UK locator map.svg
| mapsize                 = 
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = Knowsley shown within [[Merseyside]]
| pushpin_map             = 
| pushpin_map_alt         = 
| pushpin_map_caption     = 
| pushpin_mapsize         =
| pushpin_label_position  = 
| coordinates             = {{coord|53.439|-2.851|region:GB_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint           = 
| coordinates_footnotes   = 
| subdivision_type        = [[Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name        = [[United Kingdom]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[Countries of the United Kingdom|Country]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[England]]
| subdivision_type2       = [[Regions of England|Region]]
| subdivision_name2       = [[North West England|North West]]
| subdivision_type3       = [[Ceremonial counties of England|Ceremonial county]]
| subdivision_name3       = [[Merseyside]]
| subdivision_type4       = [[City region (United Kingdom)|City region]]
| subdivision_name4       = [[Liverpool City Region|Liverpool]]
| established_title       = Incorporated
| established_date        = [[Local Government Act 1972|1 April 1974]]
| established_title1      = 
| established_date1       = 
| named_for               = [[Knowsley, Merseyside|Knowsley Village]]
| seat_type               = Administrative HQ
| seat                    = Municipal Buildings, [[Huyton]]
| parts_type              = 
| parts                   = 
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes    = <ref name="Council leadership">{{cite web |url=https://www.knowsley.gov.uk/your-council |title=Your Council |website=Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council |access-date=15 December 2023}}</ref>
| government_type         = [[Metropolitan borough]]
| governing_body          = [[Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council]]
| leader_title            = [[Executive arrangements|Executive]]
| leader_name             = [[Executive arrangements#Leader and cabinet|Leader and cabinet]]
| leader_title1           = [[Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom|Control]]
| leader_name1            = {{English district control|GSS=E08000011}}
| leader_title2           = [[Executive arrangements#Leader and cabinet|Leader]]
| leader_name2            = Graham J Morgan ([[Labour Party (UK)|L]])
| leader_title3           = [[Mayors in England|Mayor]]
| leader_name3            = Eddie Connor
| leader_title4           = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MPs]]
| leader_name4            =
 {{Unbulleted list
 | [[Anneliese Midgley]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|L]])
 | [[Maria Eagle]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|L]])
 | [[Marie Rimmer]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|L]])
 }}
<!-- Area -->
| total_type              = 
| unit_pref               = Metric <!-- ALL fields with measurements have automatic unit conversion -->
| area_footnotes          = <ref>{{United Kingdom district population citation|area}}</ref>
| area_total_km2          = {{English district area|GSS=E08000011}}
| area_land_km2           = 
| area_water_km2          = 
| area_rank               = [[List of English districts by area|{{English district area rank|GSS=E08000011}}]]
<!-- Population -->
| population_footnotes    = <ref name="popstats">{{United Kingdom district population citation}}</ref>
| population_as_of        = {{English statistics year}}
| population_total        = {{English district population|GSS=E08000011}}
| population_rank         = [[List of English districts by population|{{English district rank|GSS=E08000011}}]]
| population_density_km2  = {{English district density|GSS=E08000011}}
| population_demonym      = 
<!-- demographics (section 1) -->
| demographics_type1      = Ethnicity <span style="font-weight:normal;">([[2021 United Kingdom census|2021]])</span>
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="2021 Nomis">{{NOMIS2021|id=E08000011|title=Knowsley Local Authority|access-date=8 August 2023}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1    = [[Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom|Ethnic groups]]
| demographics1_info1     =
 {{Collapsible list
 | 95.3% [[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]
 | 1.7% [[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed]]
 | 1.6% [[British Asians|Asian]]
 | 0.8% [[Black British people|Black]]
 | 0.6% [[Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom|other]]
 }}
<!-- demographics (section 2) -->
| demographics_type2      = Religion <span style="font-weight:normal;">(2021)</span>
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="2021 Nomis"/>
| demographics2_title1    = [[Religion in England|Religion]]
| demographics2_info1     =
 {{Collapsible list
 | 66.6% [[Religion in England#Christianity|Christianity]]
 | 27.2% [[Irreligion in the United Kingdom|no religion]]
 | 0.6% [[Islam in England|Islam]]
 | 0.3% [[Hinduism in England|Hinduism]]
 | 0.2% [[Buddhism in England|Buddhism]]
 | 0.1% [[History of the Jews in England|Judaism]]
 | 0.0% [[Sikhism in England|Sikhism]]
 | 0.2% [[Religion in England|other]]
 | 4.8% not stated
 }}
| timezone1               = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]
| utc_offset1             = +0
| timezone1_DST           = [[British Summer Time|BST]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +1
<!-- Codes -->
| postal_code_type        = [[Postcodes in the United Kingdom|Postcode area]]s
| postal_code             = {{Hlist | [[L postcode area|L]]10 | L14 | L16 | L25–26 | L28 | L32–36 | [[WA postcode area|WA]]8}}
| area_code_type          = [[Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom|Dialling code]]
| area_code               = 0151
| iso_code                = [[ISO 3166-2:GB|GB-KWL]]
| blank1_name             = [[GSS coding system|GSS code]]
| blank1_info             = E08000011
| website                 = {{URL|knowsley.gov.uk}}
| module                  = 
| footnotes               = 
}}
The '''Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley''' is a [[metropolitan borough]] in [[Merseyside]], North West [[England]]. It covers several towns and villages, including [[Kirkby]], [[Prescot]], [[Huyton]], [[Whiston, Merseyside|Whiston]], [[Halewood]], [[Cronton]]  and [[Stockbridge Village]]; Kirkby, Huyton, and Prescot being the major commercial centres. It takes its name from the village of [[Knowsley, Merseyside|Knowsley]], though its headquarters are in [[Huyton]]. It forms part of the wider [[Liverpool City Region]].

Within the boundaries of the [[Historic counties of England|historic county]] of [[Lancashire]], the borough was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of [[Huyton with Roby Urban District|Huyton-with-Roby Urban District]], [[Kirkby Urban District]] and [[Prescot Urban District]], along with most of [[Whiston Rural District]] and a small part of [[West Lancashire Rural District]], all from the [[Administrative counties of England|administrative county]] of Lancashire.

It is known for [[Knowsley Hall]] and [[Knowsley Safari Park]].

==History==

The modern-day borough of Knowsley was formerly composed of villages and towns in [[Lancashire County Palatine|Lancashire]] dating back to [[650 AD]].<ref>Knowsley Council (2015). ''Knowsley Metropolitan Borough – An Introduction: History, Geography, Population and Economy''. p. 2.</ref> The Earls of Derby have their ancestral home in the borough at [[Knowsley Hall]], the surroundings of which today house the popular visitor attraction of [[Knowsley Safari Park]].

Knowsley experienced rapid population expansion in the 1950s and 1960s, resulting from the combination of industrialization and migration, including a significant amount of overspill development from Liverpool. By 1971, some 194,600 lived within the area which would become Knowsley.<ref>[https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10168582/cube/TOT_POP Knowsley District], A Vision of Britain Through Time, 23 December 2016</ref> However, over the next two decades general economic decline – particularly in manufacturing – contributed to a significant fall in population to around 154,600 by 1994. Subsequently, a population stabilization strategy helped to stem this decline. The strategy was focused on house building and marketing the borough to secure inward investment.<ref>Knowsley Council (2015). ''Knowsley Metropolitan Borough – An Introduction: History, Geography, Population and Economy''. p. 2.</ref> Record house building and strong growth in inward investment yielded the borough's first small rise in population in over 25 years in 1995. The population stabilized at over 154,000 for most of the rest of the 1990s.<ref>[https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10168582/cube/TOT_POP Knowsley District], A Vision of Britain Through Time, 23 December 2016</ref>

The borough of Knowsley was created on 1 April 1974 under the [[Local Government Act 1972]] covering the area of three former [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|urban districts]], which were abolished at the same time, plus six [[civil parish]]es (five from [[Whiston Rural District]] and one from [[West Lancashire Rural District]]):<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1972|year=1972|chapter=70|accessdate=28 August 2022}}</ref>
*[[Cronton]]‡
*[[Halewood]]‡
*[[Huyton with Roby Urban District]]
*[[Kirkby Urban District]]
*[[Knowsley, Merseyside|Knowsley]]‡
*[[Prescot Urban District]]
*[[Simonswood]] parish from West Lancashire Rural District
*[[Tarbock]]‡
*[[Whiston, Merseyside|Whiston]]‡
‡Parishes from [[Whiston Rural District]]

All the component parts of Knowsley had previously been in the administrative county of [[Lancashire]], but were transferred to the new [[metropolitan county]] of Merseyside at the same time the district came into being on 1 April 1974. A committee of councillors from the outgoing district councils chose the name Knowsley for the new district in 1972, taking the name from [[Knowsley, Merseyside|Knowsley]] village, being a central location within the new district, rather than using the name of one of the three urban districts which had the majority of the population. The committee noted that the [[Knowsley Hall]] estate had historic connections to all the constituent parts of the new district.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Toker |first1=John |title=This is Knowsley: A village that will soon be a giant district |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=28 August 2022 |work=Liverpool Echo |date=22 December 1972 |page=10}}</ref> The government confirmed the name in 1973.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=137|accessdate=28 August 2022}}</ref> The new district was awarded [[borough status in the United Kingdom|borough status]] from its creation, allowing the chairman of the council to take the title of mayor.<ref>{{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=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]|access-date=16 January 2012}}</ref>

==Geography==
===Settlements===
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* [[Bowring Park, Merseyside|Bowring Park]]
* [[Cronton]]
* [[Halewood]]
* [[Huyton]]
* [[Kirkby]]
* [[Knowsley, Merseyside|Knowsley Village]]
* [[Page Moss]]
* [[Prescot]]
* [[Roby, Merseyside|Roby]]
* [[Stockbridge Village]]
* [[Tarbock]]
* [[Whiston, Merseyside|Whiston]]
}}

==Governance==

===Westminster===

The residents of Knowsley Metropolitan Borough are represented in the [[British Parliament]] by [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Members of Parliament]] (MPs) for three separate parliamentary constituencies. [[Knowsley (UK Parliament constituency)|Knowsley]] is represented by [[Anneliese Midgley]] MP ([[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]), [[Garston and Halewood (UK Parliament constituency)|Garston and Halewood]] is represented by [[Maria Eagle]] MP (Labour) and [[St Helens South and Whiston (UK Parliament constituency)|St Helens South and Whiston]] is represented by [[Marie Rimmer]] MP (Labour).

===Knowsley Council Composition===
{{main|Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council}}
After [[2008 United Kingdom local elections|local elections in 2008]] the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley was governed by the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], the largest party represented on the council. The [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]], the second largest party, were in opposition. There were no other councillors.

{| class="wikitable"
!Year !! [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] !! [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] 
|-
|2008|| 47 || 16 
|-
|2010|| 53 || 10 
|-
|2011|| 59 || 4
|-
|2012|| 63 || 0 
|-
|2016|| 42 || 3
|}

After [[2010 United Kingdom local elections|local elections in 2010]] the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley continued to be governed by the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], the largest party represented on the council, who increased their total number of seats by 5 to 53. The [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]], the second largest party represented on the council, continued to be in opposition losing 5 seats to the governing Labour Party to decrease their total number of seats to 10.

After [[2011 United Kingdom local elections|local elections in 2011]] the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley continued to be governed by the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], the largest party represented on the council, who increased their total number of seats to 59. The [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]], the second largest party represented on the council, continued to be in opposition losing 6 seats to the governing Labour Party to decrease their total number of seats to 4.

After the [[2012 United Kingdom local elections|local elections in 2012]], Knowsley became a one party borough, completely taking out the Liberal Democrat seats.<ref>Vote 2012, hosted by David Dimbleby, aired 3 May 2012, BBC One</ref>

In 2016 the number of seats was reduced to 45 with the Liberal Democrats winning three

Following several years of subsequent elections, the political composition is now Labour 33, Green 5, Liberal Democrats 3, Independent 3 with one vacancy in Page Moss ward.

===Liverpool City Region Combined Authority===
The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley is one of the six constituent local government districts of the [[Liverpool City Region]]. Since 1 April 2014, some of the borough's responsibilities have been pooled with neighbouring authorities within the metropolitan area and subsumed into the [[Liverpool City Region Combined Authority]].

The [[combined authority]] has effectively become the top-tier administrative body for the local governance of the city region and the leader of Knowsley Council, along with the five other leaders from neighbouring local government districts, take strategic decisions over economic development, transport, employment and skills, tourism, culture, housing and physical infrastructure.

The Liverpool City Region, which includes Knowsley, is also governed by the [[Mayor of the Liverpool City Region]] who is directly elected by the residents of the Liverpool City Region and has powers over a number of areas, the incumbent Mayor is [[Steve Rotheram]] of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]].

==Demography==

According to the [[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 census]], 80.9% of people in Knowsley describe themselves as Christian, the highest proportion in any local authority in England and Wales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rpt-religion.html|publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]]|title=Religion in England and Wales 2011}}</ref> This is significantly different from average figures from the 2011 census for England and Wales, which showed that 59.3 per cent of the population identified as Christian and 14.1 million people, around a quarter of the population in England and Wales, reported that they have no religion.

==Twin towns==
Knowsley is twinned with:<ref>[https://www.knowsley.gov.uk/your-council/town-twinning   Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Town Twinning] retrieved 21 January 2019</ref>
* [[Moers]], Germany

==Freedom of the Borough==
The following people and military units have received the [[Freedom of the City|Freedom of the Borough]] of Knowsley.
 
{{Expand list|date=January 2020}}

===Individuals===
* [[Steven Gerrard|Steven George Gerrard]]: 11 November 2008.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/7721479.stm|title = Gerrard given freedom of borough|date = 11 November 2008}}</ref>

===Military units===
*  The [[Duke of Lancaster's Regiment]]: 12 October 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.knowsley.gov.uk/residents/news-and-media-releases/news/duke-of-lancaster%E2%80%99s-regiment.aspx |title=Duke of Lancaster's Regiment awarded Freedom of Knowsley |publisher=Knowsley Council |date=October 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831150559/http://www.knowsley.gov.uk/residents/news-and-media-releases/news/duke-of-lancaster%e2%80%99s-regiment.aspx |archive-date=August 31, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 6, 2020 }}</ref>

===Organisations and Groups===
* The [[St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust]]: April 2021.  <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/19135547.hospitals-councillors-past-present-honoured-prestigious-awards/|title=Hospitals and councillors past and present to be honoured with Freedom of the Borough|date=4 March 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/nhs-heroes-set-receive-freedom-19945421|title = NHS heroes to receive freedom of two boroughs|date = 2 March 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Commons category|Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley}}
*[[Knowsley United F.C.]]
*[[List of schools in Knowsley]]
*[[Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council elections]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Merseyside}}
{{NW England}}
{{Metropolitan districts of England}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knowsley, Metropolitan Borough Of}}
[[Category:Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley| ]]
[[Category:Metropolitan boroughs of Merseyside]]
[[Category:Liverpool City Region]]
[[Category:Local government in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley|*]]