Wyre Forest District
Non-metropolitan district in England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wyre Forest is a local government district in Worcestershire, England. It is named after the ancient woodland of Wyre Forest. The largest town is Kidderminster, where the council is based. The district also includes the towns of Stourport-on-Severn and Bewdley, along with several villages and surrounding rural areas.
Wyre Forest | |
|---|---|
Kidderminster, the district's largest town and administrative centre | |
 Wyre Forest shown within Worcestershire | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Non-metropolitan county | Worcestershire |
| Status | Non-metropolitan district |
| Admin HQ | Kidderminster |
| Incorporated | 1 April 1974 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan district council |
| • Body | Wyre Forest District Council |
| • MP | Mark Garnier |
| Area | |
• Total | 75.4 sq mi (195.4 km2) |
| • Rank | 147th (of 296) |
| Population (2021 Census) | |
• Total | 101,600 |
| • Rank | 240th (of 296) |
| • Density | 1,347/sq mi (520.0/km2) |
| Ethnicity (2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion (2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| ONS code | 47UG (ONS) E07000239 (GSS) |
| OS grid reference | SO8264776847 |
The district borders Bromsgrove District to the east, Wychavon to the south-east, Malvern Hills District to the south-west, Shropshire to the north-west, and South Staffordshire to the north.
History
The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The new district covered the area of four former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[2]
- Bewdley Municipal Borough
- Kidderminster Municipal Borough
- Kidderminster Rural District
- Stourport-on-Severn Urban District
The new district was named after the ancient woodland of Wyre Forest, much of which lies within the area.[3]
Since 2011, Wyre Forest has formed part of the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership. Wyre Forest District Council made headlines in June 2024 when it announced that it had banned bouncy castles on council-owned land because of insurance problems.[4]
Governance
Wyre Forest District Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Ian Miller since December 2009[6] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 33 Councillors |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Wyre Forest House, Finepoint Way, Kidderminster, DY11 7WF | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Wyre Forest District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Worcestershire County Council. The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[7]
Political control
The council has been under Conservative majority control since the 2023 election.
The first elections to the council were 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:[8][9][10][11][12]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| No overall control | 1974–1976 | |
| Conservative | 1976–1979 | |
| No overall control | 1979–1996 | |
| Labour | 1996–1999 | |
| No overall control | 1999–2002 | |
| Health Concern | 2002–2002 | |
| No overall control | 2002–2008 | |
| Conservative | 2008–2009 | |
| No overall control | 2009–2010 | |
| Conservative | 2010–2012 | |
| No overall control | 2012–2015 | |
| Conservative | 2015–2019 | |
| No overall control | 2019–2023 | |
| Conservative | 2023–present | |
Leadership
The leaders of the council since 1974 have been:[13][14]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Smith[15] | Labour | 1974 | 1975 | |
| Malcolm Cooper[16] | Conservative | 1975 | 1979 | |
| Anthony Batchelor[17] | Liberal | 1979 | May 1983 | |
| Graham Ballinger[18] | Conservative | 1983 | 1984 | |
| Anthony Batchelor | Liberal | 1984 | 1985 | |
| Mike Oborski | Liberal | 1985 | 1986 | |
| Gilbert Edwards | Liberal | 1986 | 1989 | |
| Jamie Shaw[19][20] | Labour | 1989 | 1994 | |
| Jane Bonnick[20][21] | Liberal Democrats | 1994 | 1996 | |
| Jamie Shaw[21] | Labour | 1996 | 1999 | |
| (no leader) | 1999 | 2000 | ||
| Mike Oborski[22] | Liberal | 2000 | 15 May 2002 | |
| Liz Davies[23][24] | Health Concern | 15 May 2002 | 14 May 2003 | |
| Howard Martin[24] | Health Concern | 14 May 2003 | 2004 | |
| Stephen Clee[25] | Conservative | 2004 | May 2007 | |
| John Campion[26][27] | Conservative | 16 May 2007 | Mar 2014 | |
| Marcus Hart[28][29] | Conservative | 2 Apr 2014 | 22 May 2019 | |
| Graham Ballinger[30][31] | Health Concern | 22 May 2019 | 12 May 2021 | |
| Helen Dyke[32][33] | Independent | 12 May 2021 | May 2023 | |
| Marcus Hart[34] | Conservative | 17 May 2023 | ||
Composition
Following the 2023 election,[35] and subsequent changes of allegiance up to April 2025, the composition of the council was:[36][37]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 20 | |
| Independent | 7 | |
| Labour | 3 | |
| Liberal | 2 | |
| Green | 1 | |
| Total | 33 | |
The Green councillor sits in a group with the independents.[38] The next election is due in 2027.[37]
Premises
The council is based at Wyre Forest House, which was purpose-built for the council and completed in 2012.[39] The building is in the parish of Stourport-on-Severn, but lies on the outskirts of Kidderminster and has a Kidderminster postal address. Prior to 2012 the council was based at the Stourport Civic Centre on New Street, which had been completed in 1966 for the old Stourport-on-Severn Urban District Council.[40]
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the council has comprised 33 councillors representing 12 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[41]
Wards
The wards are:[41]
- Aggborough & Spennells
- Areley Kings & Riverside
- Bewdley & Rock
- Blakebrook & Habberley South
- Broadwaters
- Foley Park & Hoobrook
- Franche & Habberley North
- Lickhill
- Mitton
- Offmore & Comberton
- Wribbenhall & Arley
- Wyre Forest Rural
Wider politics
The Wyre Forest parliamentary constituency, which covers most of the district, is represented by the Conservative MP Mark Garnier. He has held the seat since the 2010 general election, when he gained it from Richard Taylor of Health Concern, who had held the seat from 2001 to 2010.[42]
Demography
Parishes
The whole district is divided into civil parishes. The parish councils for Bewdley, Kidderminster and Stourport-on-Severn take the style "town council".[44]
Schools
There are five secondary schools within the district.
Media
Television
The area is served by the regional television programmes:
Radio
Radio stations for the area are:
Newspapers
Local newspaper that served the area is The Shuttle.