Nuneaton and Bedworth
Borough and non-metropolitan district in England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough status in Warwickshire, England. It includes the towns of Nuneaton (where the council is based) and Bedworth, as well as a modest rural hinterland including the village of Bulkington.
Nuneaton and Bedworth | |
|---|---|
Market Place in Nuneaton, the borough's largest town | |
 Shown within Warwickshire | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Administrative county | Warwickshire |
| Admin. HQ | Nuneaton |
| Government | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan borough |
| • MPs | Jodie Gosling Rachel Taylor John Slinger |
| Area | |
• Total | 31 sq mi (79 km2) |
| • Rank | 218th |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 141,565 |
| • Rank | Ranked 167th |
| • Density | 4,600/sq mi (1,800/km2) |
| Ethnicity (2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion (2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (British Summer Time) |
| Postcode | CV7, CV10, CV11, CV12 |
| ONS code | 44UC (ONS) E07000219 (GSS) |
The neighbouring districts are Rugby, Coventry, North Warwickshire and Hinckley and Bosworth.
History
The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of two former districts which were both abolished at the same time, these were:[2]
The new district was initially named Nuneaton, after its largest town.[3] Nuneaton's borough status, which it had held since 1907,[4] was transferred to the enlarged district, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[5] Following a campaign from Bedworth residents the borough's name was changed to "Nuneaton and Bedworth" with effect from 1 October 1980.[6][7]
Governance
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Tom Shardlow since 1 June 2024[9] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 38 councillors |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
| First past the post | |
Last election | 2 May 2024 |
Next election | 7 May 2026 |
| Meeting place | |
_6.19.jpg) | |
| Town Hall, Coton Road, Nuneaton, CV11 5AA | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Warwickshire County Council.[10] There are no civil parishes in the borough, which is an unparished area.[11]
Political control
At the 2024 election, Labour won a two-seat majority on the council.[12] A subsequent change of allegiance in December 2024 left Labour with exactly half the seats on the council, since when it has been under no overall control.[13]
Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:[14][15]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 1974–2008 | |
| Conservative | 2008–2010 | |
| No overall control | 2010–2012 | |
| Labour | 2012–2018 | |
| No overall control | 2018–2021 | |
| Conservative | 2021–2024 | |
| Labour | 2024–2024 | |
| No overall control[13] | 2024–present | |
Leadership
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Nuneaton and Bedworth. Political leadership is provided instead by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Warr[16][17] | Labour | 1 Apr 1974 | Jan 1975 | |
| John Haynes[18][19] | Labour | Feb 1975 | 1982 | |
| Bill Olner[20] | Labour | May 1982 | May 1986 | |
| Dennis Harvey[21][22] | Labour | 1986 | May 2008 | |
| Marcus Jones[23][24] | Conservative | May 2008 | 2009 | |
| Peter Gilbert[25] | Conservative | 2009 | May 2010 | |
| Dennis Harvey[26] | Labour | May 2010 | May 2018 | |
| Julie Jackson[27][28] | Labour | 16 May 2018 | May 2021 | |
| Kris Wilson[29][30] | Conservative | 19 May 2021 | 15 May 2024 | |
| Chris Watkins[31][30] | Labour | 15 May 2024 | 21 January 2026 | |
| Steve Hey[32][30] | Labour | 21 January 2026 | ||
Composition
Following the 2024 election,[33] and a subsequent change of allegiance in December 2024, the composition of the council was:[34]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 19 | |
| Conservative | 17 | |
| Green | 2 | |
| Total | 38 | |
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2024 the council has comprised 38 councillors representing 19 wards, with each ward electing two councillors. Elections are held in alternate years, with half the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office.[35]
Premises
The council is based at Nuneaton Town Hall on Coton Road in Nuneaton. The building was purpose-built for the old Nuneaton Borough Council and opened in 1934.[36]
Subdivisions
.svg){kind=spacer}
Nuneaton and Bedworth are divided into 19 wards, each represented by 2 councillors, giving a total of 38 councillors. The borough has no civil parishes.
| Ward name | Approximate coverage | Population (2001 census) |
Population (2011 census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arbury | Heath End, Glendale, Bermuda, Arbury | 5,482 | 6,736 |
| Attleborough | Attleborough, Maple Park, SW Whitestone | 7,564 | 7,676 |
| Bede | Collycroft (east), Furnace Fields (north), Bedworth town centre, Burnside, Water Tower estate | 6,760 | 6,666 |
| Bulkington | Bulkington, Weston-in-Arden, Ryton, Marston Jabbett, Bramcote (west) | 6,303 | 6,146 |
| Camp Hill | Camp Hill | 7,325 | 7,321 |
| Chilvers Coton | Chilvers Coton | [to be determined] | [to be determined] |
| Eastboro | Eastboro | [to be determined] | [to be determined] |
| Exhall | Exhall (west), Ash Green, Neals Green, Keresley End | 7,381 | 8,006 |
| Galley Common | Galley Common, Chapel End, Whittleford | 7,593 | 8,233 |
| Heath | Bedworth Heath, Goodyers End, Market End | 6,377 | 7,473 |
| Milby | Milby | [to be determined] | [to be determined] |
| Poplar | Furnace Fields (south), Coalpit Field, Exhall (east), Hawkesbury Village | 6,850 | 8,043 |
| Slough | Collycroft (west), Mount Pleasant, Bedworth Woodlands, Woodland Park | 7,058 | 7,041 |
| St Mary's | St Mary's | [to be determined] | [to be determined] |
| St Nicolas | Horeston Grange, Hinckley Road, The Long Shoot, St Nicolas Park (south) | 7,073 | 6,943 |
| Stockingford East | Stockingford East | [to be determined] | [to be determined] |
| Stockingford West | Stockingford West | [to be determined] | [to be determined] |
| Weddington | Weddington, St Nicolas Park (north) | 7,286 | 7,256 |
| Whitestone | Whitestone (except SW part), Attleborough Fields | 7,435 | 6,877 |
| TOTAL | NUNEATON & BEDWORTH | 119,132 | 125,252 |
For a sortable list of wards in Nuneaton and Bedworth by population, see List of wards in Nuneaton and Bedworth by population.
Twinnings
Nuneaton and Bedworth is twinned with:
