A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county . This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.
53-522: Cambridgeshire County Council is the county council for non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire , England. The non-metropolitan county is smaller than the ceremonial county , which additionally includes the City of Peterborough . The county council consists of 61 councillors, representing 59 electoral divisions. The council is based at New Shire Hall in Alconbury Weald , near Huntingdon . It
106-621: A leave of absence . The (elected) county mayor should not be confused with the (appointed) county governor . The county council has its roots in Amtsformandskabet created in 1837. Starting in 1964, members of the county councils were appointed by the municipal councils. In 1975, the first general elections were held for the county councils. The county councils created under British rule in 1899 continue to exist in Ireland, although they are now governed under legislation passed by
159-472: A result, the status of some of these (mainly) more rural counties changed. Cornwall, Durham, Northumberland, Shropshire and Wiltshire became unitary authorities providing all services. Some of these councils have dropped the word "county" from their titles. Bedfordshire and Cheshire county councils were abolished with more than one unitary council established within the boundaries of the abolished council. Other county councils remained unchanged, particularly in
212-434: A slightly different division of powers between county and district councils, however. The county and district councils were abolished twenty-two years later, when the present system of principal areas was introduced. A county council is a type of local government that is responsible for providing services to a specific county or region. It is typically composed of elected officials who are responsible for making decisions about
265-565: A social worker, by initiating a disciplinary process against her following her gender-critical statements made at an LGBT support group. Pitt described the concession as a "win for the right side of history". The council admitted liability and agreed to pay compensation of £54,000. The county council is the upper-tier of local government, below which are five councils with responsibility for local services such as housing, planning applications, licensing, council tax collection and rubbish collection. The districts of Cambridgeshire are: Following
318-469: A system of large regional councils was introduced. Regions were themselves abolished in 1996 and replaced by the current unitary council areas . In Scotland, control of county administration was in the hands of Commissioners of Supply . This was a body of the principal landowners liable to pay land tax, and was unelected. The first elections to Scottish county councils took place in February 1890. Only
371-578: A unitary authority. County councils were abolished under the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 in 1973. The only local authorities since that date have been district councils . In Scotland county councils existed from 1890 to 1975. They were created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 and reconstituted forty years later by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 . County councils were abolished in 1975 when
424-616: Is part of the East of England Local Government Association and a constituent member of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority . Since May 2021, it has been run by a joint administration of the Liberal Democrats , Labour Party , and independent groups. Cambridgeshire County Council was first formed in 1889 as a result of the Local Government Act 1888 as one of two county councils covering Cambridgeshire;
477-598: Is sometimes used in English for regional municipal bodies in other countries. Both Swedish and Norwegian county councils are directly elected by their inhabitants as it is also the case in Romania during local elections. There are some differences between them in responsibilities. Cambridge Guildhall Cambridge Guildhall is a civic building in the centre of the historic city of Cambridge , England . It includes two halls, The Large Hall and The Small Hall , and
530-588: Is used for many disparate events such as comedy acts, conferences, craft fairs, live music, talks, and weddings. It is also used by the University of Cambridge for certain examinations. It is owned and managed by the Cambridge City Council , and it is their seat of government. The Guildhall is located on the south side of Market Hill , the market square in Cambridge, between Peas Hill to
583-527: The 2021 Cambridgeshire County Council election a joint administration formed comprising the Liberal Democrats , Labour , and independent councillors. Political control of the county council since the reforms of the Local Government Act 1972 took effect on 1 April 1974 has been as follows: The leaders of the council since 1997 have been: Following the 2021 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to March 2024,
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#1732772427523636-659: The Greater London Council . Greater London was declared to be an "area" and not to lie in any county. In addition two pairs of administrative counties were merged to become Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely and Huntingdon and Peterborough under recommendations made by the Local Government Commission for England . The Local Government Act 1972 completely reorganised local authorities in England and Wales. County boroughs were abolished and
689-623: The Irish War of Independence . The Irish Free State inherited the local authorities created by the United Kingdom legislation. The first elections after independence were held on 23 June 1925, following amendments by the Local Government Act 1925 . The act abolished rural district councils (except in County Dublin ) and passed their powers to the county councils. At the following election all county councils were to be increased:
742-454: The Local Government Act 1958 recommended a reduction in the number of county councils in Wales and Monmouthshire from thirteen to seven, but reform did not take place until 1974. From 1 April 1974 the number of counties and county councils was reduced to eight in number. Like the county councils introduced in England at the same time, the whole council was elected every four years. There was
795-521: The Local Government Reform Act 2014 , the number of county councils was again reduced: a merger of North Tipperary and South Tipperary County Councils created a single Tipperary County Council ; and the city and county councils of Limerick and Waterford were merged to create Limerick City and County Council and Waterford City and County Council . In Taiwan, a county council is the legislative body of each county . Members of
848-472: The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 . Following invitations from central government in 2007, a number of county councils and their associated districts examined ways in which local government provision could be rationalised, mainly in the form of abolishing the existing county and district councils and establishing one-tier authorities for all or parts of these existing counties. As
901-472: The Oireachtas , with the principal act being the Local Government Act 2001 . The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 introduced county councils to Ireland, with a lower tier of governance of urban and rural districts . The administrative and financial business carried by county grand juries and county at large presentment sessions were transferred to the new councils. Principal among these duties were
954-451: The metropolitan boroughs and joint boards. The Local Government Act 1992 established a new Local Government Commission whose remit was to conduct a review of the structure of local administration, and the introduction of unitary authorities where appropriate. Accordingly, the number of county councils was reduced: Avon , Berkshire, Cleveland , Hereford and Worcester and Humberside were abolished, while Worcestershire County Council
1007-465: The 1990s they also ran colleges of further education and the careers services. That decade also saw the privatisation of some traditional services, such as highway maintenance, cleaning and school meals. County councils were created by the Local Government Act 1888 ( 51 & 52 Vict. c. 41), largely taking over the administrative functions of the unelected county courts of quarter sessions . County councils consisted of councillors, directly elected by
1060-467: The Fens, the crossed keys are a symbol of Saint Peter , representing Peterborough , and the hunting horn is a symbol of the former county of Huntingdonshire . The birds stand on books representing the University of Cambridge . County council In Norway, a county council ( Norwegian : Fylkesting ) is the highest governing body of a county municipality ( fylkeskommune ). The county council sets
1113-570: The Scottish county councils were completely reconstituted. Their powers were increased in small burghs . On the other hand, large burghs became independent of the county for most purposes. The district committees created in 1890 were abolished and replaced by district councils, partly consisting of county councillors and partly of directly elected district councillors. Two joint county councils were created, for Perthshire and Kinross-shire and Moray and Nairnshire . The county councils also gained
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#17327724275231166-439: The aldermen took place every three years thereafter. The areas over which the councils had authority were designated as administrative counties . The writ of the county councils did not extend everywhere: large towns and some historic counties corporate were constituted county boroughs by the same act. County borough councils were independent of the council for the county in which they were geographically situated, and exercised
1219-510: The composition of the council was: Three of the independent councillors sit together as a group, the other three are not aligned to any group. The next election is due in 2025. Until 2021, the county council had its offices and meeting place in Cambridge, being based at different times at the Guildhall , County Hall , and Shire Hall . In 2021 the council vacated Shire Hall and left Cambridge, moving to New Shire Hall at Alconbury Weald in
1272-463: The control of the Parliament of Northern Ireland , who quickly introduced the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1922 , abolishing proportional representation. Electoral districts were redrawn, and a property qualification for voters ( Plural voting ) introduced, ensuring Unionist controlled councils in counties with Nationalist majorities. In 1968 Fermanagh County Council was reconstituted as
1325-519: The council "to any body or persons or person he shall think fit". The power was widely used by ministers of all parties. For example, Kerry County Council was dissolved from 1930 to 1932, and from 1945 to 1948, with commissioners appointed to perform the council's function. The number of county councils was increased from 27 to 29 in 1994 when County Dublin was split under the Local Government (Dublin) Act 1993 into three new counties: Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown , Fingal and South Dublin . In 2014, under
1378-417: The council has been a constituent member of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority , led by the directly-elected Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough . The council is responsible for public services such as education, transport, highways, heritage, social care, libraries, trading standards, and waste management. In 2024, the council conceded that it had discriminated against Lizzie Pitt,
1431-449: The councillors for the "landward" part of the county were elected however. The remainder of the council were co-opted by the town councils of the burghs in the county. Scottish county councils also differed from those in England and Wales as they were required to divide their county into districts. A district committee of the county councillors elected for the area were an independent local council for some administrative purposes. In 1930
1484-543: The councils are elected through local elections held every 4 years. The Outline for Implementing Local Autonomy for Cities and Counties was promulgated in April 1950. County councils were established in 1951. In 1999 the Local Government Act was enacted. As stipulated in the Act, duties of the county councils include approving the county budget, levying local taxes and enacting local ordinances. County councils were formed in
1537-447: The county's budget, infrastructure, and services. County councils are responsible for providing services such as education, health care, public safety, transportation, and social services. They also have the power to levy taxes and fees to fund these services. County councils are typically responsible for maintaining roads, bridges, and other infrastructure within their county. They also have the power to pass laws and regulations that affect
1590-582: The county. County councils are typically responsible for providing services to their constituents, such as libraries, parks, and other recreational facilities. County councils are also responsible for providing services to the elderly, disabled, and other vulnerable populations. County councils are typically responsible for providing services to the environment, such as water and air quality, and for protecting natural resources. County councils are also responsible for providing services to businesses, such as economic development and job training. The term county council
1643-538: The duties of the abolished education authorities. Since 1996 Wales has been divided into unitary principal areas . Principal councils were designated by the legislation that created them as either "county councils" or "county borough councils". County and county borough councils have identical powers. Prior to 1996 local government in Wales was similar to that in England. Thus the county councils introduced in 1889 were identical to their English counterparts. The Local Government Commission for Wales appointed under
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1696-530: The electorate; and county aldermen , chosen by the council itself. There was one county alderman for every three councillors (one for every six in the London County Council ). The first elections to the councils were held at various dates in January 1889, and they served as "provisional" or shadow councils until 1 April, when they came into their powers. Elections of all councillors and half of
1749-511: The first business of their inaugural meetings being the appointment of additional members. The triennial elections were postponed in 1914 on the outbreak of World War I . The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1919 introduced proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote to county councils, elected from multi-member electoral areas. Only one election was under the new system before independence, held in January 1920 (in urban areas) and on 2 June 1920 (in rural areas), during
1802-558: The functions of both county and district councils. The new system was a major modernisation, which reflected the increasing range of functions carried out by local government in late Victorian Britain . A major accretion of powers took place when education was added to county council responsibilities in 1902. County councils were responsible for more strategic services in a region, with (from 1894) smaller urban district councils and rural district councils responsible for other activities. The Local Government Act 1929 considerably increased
1855-499: The heavily populated parts of England such as the south-east. Further minor local government reforms took place in 2019–20, which led to Dorset and Buckinghamshire also becoming unitary authorities providing all services. County councils existed in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 1973. Following partition, six administrative counties remained within the United Kingdom as part of Northern Ireland . Local government came under
1908-578: The late 1840s. After the old guildhall became inadequate for the council's needs, the current guildhall, which was designed by Charles Cowles-Voysey in the Neo-Georgian style , was built on the site of the two original buildings at a cost of £150,000 and completed in 1939. The guildhall continued to be used as a public venue and concert performers included the contralto singer, Kathleen Ferrier , who made an appearance on 17 May 1951. A sculpture created by Michael Ayrton in 1950, entitled "Talos",
1961-516: The late 19th century. In the various constituent countries of the United Kingdom councils had different powers and different memberships. Following local government reforms in the 1970s, county councils no longer exist in Scotland or Northern Ireland. In England they generally form the top level in a two-tier system of administration; in Wales they are unitary authorities. In England county councils were introduced in 1889, and reformed in 1974. Since
2014-495: The maintenance of highways and bridges, the upkeep and inspection of lunatic asylums and the appointment of coroners . The new bodies also took over some duties from poor law boards of guardians in relation to diseases of cattle and from the justices of the peace to regulate explosives. The Irish county councils differed in constitution from those in Great Britain. Most of the council was directly elected: each county
2067-427: The mid-1990s a series of local government reorganisations has reduced the number of county councils as unitary authorities have been established in a number of areas. County councils are very large employers with a great variety of functions including education (schools and youth services), social services, highways, fire and rescue services, libraries, waste disposal, consumer services and town and country planning. Until
2120-554: The new authority were in April 1973 , and the council took office on 1 April 1974. From its re-creation in 1974 until 1998, the county council administered the entire county of Cambridgeshire. In 1998, Peterborough City Council became a unitary authority , thus outside the area of the county council. For ceremonial, geographic , and certain administrative purposes, however, Peterborough continues to be associated with and work in collaboration with Cambridgeshire County Council. Since 2017,
2173-466: The number of extra councillors was to be twice the number of abolished rural districts. The act set out the powers and duties of county councils and also gave the Minister for Local Government the power to dissolve councils if he was satisfied that "the duties of a local council are not being duly and effectually discharged". He could order new elections to be held, or transfer the power and properties of
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2226-466: The open area at the front of the Market Square , just to the north of the old tollbooth. Meanwhile, the old tollbooth was rebuilt to a design by James Essex at a cost of £2,500 in 1782. The shire house and the tollbooth were connected by a wooden bridge over Butter Row, a narrow market street with stalls selling dairy products . The two buildings operated collectively as "the guildhall" from
2279-567: The other was the Isle of Ely County Council . In 1965, the two councils were merged to form Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely County Council . This arrangement lasted until 1974, when, following the Local Government Act 1972 , Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely were merged with Huntingdon and Peterborough to form a new non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire under the control of a newly constituted Cambridgeshire County Council. The first elections to
2332-642: The parish of The Stukeleys , north-west of Huntingdon . The first committee meeting to be held at New Shire Hall was in September 2021. An official opening ceremony for New Shire Hall was held on 8 July 2022. Since the last boundary changes in 2017, the council has comprised 61 councillors representing 59 electoral divisions , with most divisions electing one councillor but two divisions (March North & Waldersley and Sawston & Shelford) elect two councillors each. Elections are held every four years. Richard Howitt Ryan Fuller Steve Cortney The council
2385-543: The powers of county councils. Primarily, the Boards of Guardians were abolished: workhouses were taken over by the county councils as public assistance institutions, and county councils also assumed responsibility for former poor law infirmaries, and fever hospitals. County councils also took charge of highways in rural districts. In 1965 there was a reduction in the number of county councils. The London Government Act 1963 abolished those of London and Middlesex and created
2438-497: The premises became the "tolbooth" as it was known then since its main function concerned tolls for entry to the town and trading at the market. The tollbooth was also used for plays and the troupe of actors, Queen Elizabeth's Men , performed regularly between 1561 and 1562 and again between 1596 and 1597. In 1747, a shire house, designed by Sharman and Barratt in the Classical style , was built, on arches with stalls beneath, on
2491-602: The scope of the county municipal activity. The council is led by the Chairman of the County Council, more commonly called a County Mayor ( fylkesordfører ). Members of the council are elected for a four-year term through the general local elections , which can extended for a second four-year term. It is common for members of a county council to also hold seats in municipal councils, but very rare that they also hold legislative ( Storting ) or other government office, without
2544-465: The west and Guildhall Street to the east. It is a Grade II listed building . The earliest known property on the site was a house, previously owned by a Jew known as Benjamin, which King Henry III granted to the town for use as a prison in 1224. An adjoining synagogue was leased to the Franciscans who later moved to a convent on a site where Sidney Sussex College now stands. In 1270
2597-447: The whole of England (apart from Greater London ) was placed in a two-tier arrangement with county councils and district councils. In the six largest conurbations metropolitan county councils, with increased powers, were created. The post of county alderman was abolished, and the entire council was thereafter directly elected every four years. In 1986 the six metropolitan county councils were abolished, with their functions transferred to
2650-491: Was divided by the Local Government Board for Ireland into district electoral divisions , each returning a single councillor for a three-year term. In addition urban districts were to form electoral divisions: depending on population they could return multiple county councillors. The county councils were also to consist of "additional members": The first county council elections were held on 6 April 1899, and
2703-578: Was erected on Guildhall Street in 1973. The guildhall, which had served as the headquarters of the Municipal Borough of Cambridge, continued to be the local seat of government after the creation of Cambridge City Council in 1974. The guildhall was the venue for Crown Court hearings until a dedicated courthouse opened in East Road in June 2004. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited
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#17327724275232756-447: Was granted a coat of arms on 1 November 1976. The three wavy blue lines represent the county's three main rivers of the Cam , Great Ouse and Nene , and the two straight lines represent the many drainage ditches in the Fens . Other parts of the design represent different parts of the county and the council's predecessors: the supporters are great bustards, birds which were formerly common in
2809-467: Was re-established. The reforms somewhat blurred the distinction between county and district council. The Isle of Wight county council became a unitary authority, renamed the "Isle of Wight Council". Conversely, two unitary district councils added the word "county" to their titles to become " Rutland County Council District Council" and "County of Herefordshire District Council". A further wave of local government reform took place in April 2009 under
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