Basingstoke and Deane

51.256°N 1.111°W / 51.256; -1.111

Basingstoke and Deane
Borough of Basingstoke and Deane
Borough and non-metropolitan district
Basingstoke and Deane shown within Hampshire
Basingstoke and Deane shown within Hampshire
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionSouth East England
Non-metropolitan countyHampshire
StatusNon-metropolitan district
Admin HQBasingstoke
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyBasingstoke and Deane Borough Council
 • MPsMaria Miller
Kit Malthouse
Ranil Jayawardena
Area
 • Total244.7 sq mi (633.8 km2)
 • Rank56th (of 296)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total185,656
 • Rank108th (of 296)
 • Density760/sq mi (290/km2)
 • Ethnicity
88.5% White
2.1% South Asian
1.0% Black
1.3% Mixed
1.0% Chinese or other
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code24UB (ONS)
E07000084 (GSS)
OS grid referenceSU620511

Basingstoke and Deane is a local government district with borough status in Hampshire, England. The main town is Basingstoke, where the council is based. The district also includes the towns of Tadley and Whitchurch, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The modern district was created in 1974, initially being called Basingstoke. It changed its name to "Basingstoke and Deane" in 1978 at the same time that it was made a borough; Deane was added to the name to represent the rural parts of the borough, being the area's smallest village.

Parts of the borough lie within the North Wessex Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The neighbouring districts are Hart, East Hampshire, Winchester, Test Valley, West Berkshire and Wokingham.

History

The town of Basingstoke was an ancient borough. It appears to have had a degree of self-government from at least the thirteenth century, was incorporated as a borough in 1392 and was given the right to appoint a mayor in 1641. It was reformed in 1836 to become a municipal borough.[1]

The modern district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of three former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[2]

The new district was initially named Basingstoke, after its largest town.[3] Charter trustees were established for the area of the former borough of Basingstoke, allowing the district councillors representing that area to choose one of their number to take the title of mayor, continuing Basingstoke's series of mayors dating back to 1641. On 20 January 1978 the district was renamed Basingstoke and Deane and granted borough status, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor instead, with the charter trustees being dissolved at the same time.[4][5] The name Deane was chosen to represent the rural parts of the borough as it was said by the council to be the area's smallest village.[6]

Governance
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
David Leeks,
Conservative
since 11 May 2023[7]
Paul Harvey,
B&D Independents
since 18 May 2023[8]
Russell O'Keefe
since 4 January 2021[9]
Structure
Seats54 councillors
Political groups
Administration (21)
  Liberal Democrat (9)
  B&D Independents (8)
  Independent (3)
  Green Party (1)
Other parties (33)
  Conservative (23)
  Labour (10)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
2 May 2024
Meeting place
Civic Offices, London Road, Basingstoke, RG21 4AH
Website
www.basingstoke.gov.uk

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Hampshire County Council. Much of the borough is covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government, although the main urban area of Basingstoke is an unparished area.[10][11]

Political control

The council has been under no overall control since 2022. Following the 2023 election a minority administration of the Liberal Democrats and the "Independent Forum" group (comprising local party the Basingstoke and Deane Independents, the Green councillor and the independent councillors) took control of the council. Paul Harvey of the Basingstoke and Deane Independents was appointed leader of the council and Liberal Democrat leader Gavin James was appointed deputy leader (but styled "co-leader").[12] Labour voted in favour of the new administration forming, but does not form part of the administration itself, with all positions on the council's cabinet held by Liberal Democrats or members of the Independent Forum.[13]

The first election to the modern council was held in 1973, initially acting 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:[14][15][16][17]

Party in controlYears
No overall control1974–1976
Conservative1976–1982
No overall control1982–1986
Conservative1986–1994
No overall control1994–2006
Conservative2006–2008
No overall control2008–2008
Conservative2008–2013
No overall control2013–2015
Conservative2015–2019
No overall control2019–2021
Conservative2021–2022
No overall control2022–present

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Basingstoke and Deane. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2003 have been:[18]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Brian Gurden Liberal Democrats2003
Rob Donnelly Labour20032004
Brian Gurden Liberal Democrats2004May 2005
Paul Harvey[19] LabourMay 200519 May 2006
John Leek Conservative19 May 200616 May 2008
Andrew Finney[20] Conservative16 May 200815 Dec 2011
Clive Sanders[21] Conservative9 Feb 201216 May 2019
Ken Rhatigan[22] Conservative16 May 20193 Feb 2022
Simon Minas-Bound Conservative28 Feb 202218 May 2023
Paul Harvey B&D Independents18 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was:[23]

Party Councillors
Conservative23
Labour10
Liberal Democrats9
Basingstoke & Deane Independents8
Independent3
Green1
Total54

The Basingstoke and Deane Independents, the Green councillor and the independent councillors sit together as the "Independent Forum" group, which forms the council's administration with the Liberal Democrats.[24] The next election is due in 2024.

Premises

The council is based at the Civic Offices on London Road. The old Basingstoke Town Council had bought a large eighteenth century house called Goldings at 5 London Road in 1922 and converted it to become municipal offices. Following the creation of the new council in 1974 a new office building incorporating a council chamber was built west of Goldings, opening in 1976 and now being called Deanes. Additional offices to the east of Goldings were subsequently added c. 1990 called Parklands. Goldings is now used as a register office with the council being based at Deanes and Parklands, with the two buildings together being called the Civic Offices.[25]

Towns and parishes
Further information: List of civil parishes in Hampshire

Much of the borough is covered by civil parishes, with the parish councils for Tadley and Whitchurch taking the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council. The town of Basingstoke itself (roughly corresponding to the pre-1974 borough) is an unparished area, directly administered by the borough council.[26]

Elections
See also: Basingstoke and Deane local elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2021 the council has comprised 54 councillors representing 18 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) being elected at a time for a four-year term of office. Hampshire County Council elections are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no borough council elections.[27]

The wards are:[28]

References
  1. A History of the County of Hampshire: Volume 4. London: Victoria County History. 1911. pp. 127–140. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  2. "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
  3. "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
  4. "Change of name and status" (PDF). Department of the Environment. The National Archives. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  5. "Royal Charter's modest arrival". Evening Post. Reading. 23 January 1978. p. 7. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  6. "About Basingstoke and Deane". Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Archived from the original on 23 September 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  7. "Council minutes, 11 May 2023". Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  8. "Council minutes, 18 May 2023". Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  9. "New chief executive joins borough council". 31 August 2023. 4 January 2021.
  10. "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  11. "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  12. Blackshaw, Cameron (24 May 2023). "Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council cabinet shake-up sees Independents and Lib Dems take control". Newbury Today. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  13. "Council minutes, 18 May 2023". Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  14. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  15. "Basingstoke & Deane". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
  16. "Tories take control of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council". 24dash.com. 22 December 2006. Archived from the original on 15 July 2009. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
  17. "Tories lose overall control of borough council". Southern Daily Echo. 25 January 2008. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
  18. "Council minutes". Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  19. "Labour politician gets top council position". Daily Echo. 23 May 2005. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  20. "Former leader Cllr Andrew Finney is told to say sorry". Basingstoke Gazette. 13 December 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  21. Birkbeck, Tim (5 April 2019). "Council leader to step down from top job after seven years". Basingstoke Gazette. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  22. Cullum, Jemma (3 February 2022). "Basingstoke and Deane council leader Ken Rhatigan resigns". Basingstoke Gazette. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  23. "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  24. "Your Councillors". Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  25. Brown, Robert (19 June 2022). "Basingstoke Flashback: History of London Road buildings". Basingstoke Gazette. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  26. "Parish council contact details". Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  27. "The Basingstoke and Deane (Electoral Changes) Order 2019", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2019/1122, retrieved 1 September 2023
  28. "Ward and Parish boundaries". www.basingstoke.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
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