Oxfordshire County Council
| Oxfordshire County Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Leader |
Ian Hudspeth |
Chairman | |
| Structure | |
|
31 / 63 | |
|
15 / 63 | |
|
11 / 63 | |
|
4 / 63 | |
|
2 / 63 | |
| Elections | |
| First past the post | |
Last election | 2 May 2013 |
Next election | 2017 |
| Motto | |
| Sapere aude (Dare to be wise)[1] | |
| Meeting place | |
| New County Hall, New Road, Oxford | |
| Website | |
| oxfordshire.gov.uk | |
Oxfordshire County Council, established in 1889, is the county council, or upper-tier local authority, for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire, in the South East of England, an elected body responsible for the most strategic local government services in the county.
History
County Councils were first introduced in England and Wales with full powers from 22 September 1889 as a result of the Local Government Act 1888, taking over administrative functions until then carried out by the unelected Quarter Sessions.[2] The areas they covered were termed administrative counties and were not in all cases identical to the traditional shire counties, but in Oxfordshire the whole 'ceremonial county' came under the authority of the new council. The new system of local democracy was a significant development and reflected the increasing range of functions carried out by local government in late Victorian Britain.
The first elections to the new county council were held in January 1889. At the first meeting, several aldermen were elected.
Schools (both primary and secondary) were added to the County Council's responsibilities in 1902, and until the 1990s it was also responsible for operating Colleges of Further Education.
Oxfordshire County Council has seen a changing pattern of lower-tier authorities existing alongside it within its area, responsible for more local services, such as housing and waste collection. Until 1974, the county had a large number of urban district and rural district councils. In 1974, local government was reorganized in England and Wales generally, and Oxfordshire was enlarged to take in areas previously in Berkshire. Within its new area dozens of former urban and rural districts were amalgamated into one city council, Oxford, and four district councils: Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, the Vale of White Horse, and West Oxfordshire.
Functions
Oxfordshire County Council provides a wide range of services, including education (schools, libraries and youth services), social services, highway maintenance, waste disposal, emergency planning, consumer protection and town and country planning for matters to do with minerals, waste, highways and education.[3] This makes it one of the largest employers in Oxfordshire, with an annual budget of £899 million in 2013–14.[4]
Elections
Since 1889, members have been elected for a term of office, with elections held all together (initially every three years, later every four years) on the "first past the post" system. Until the 1970s, the elected members chose aldermen, whose term of office was for six years, and who once appointed were also voting members of the council. This form of membership was ended by the Local Government Act 1972, so that after 1974 only honorary (that is, non-voting) aldermen could be appointed.[5]
Composition
The council currently consists of sixty-three county councillors and is controlled by the Conservative Party, which has thirty-one members, with fifteen Labour, eleven Liberal Democrats, four Independents and two Greens.[6]
| Oxfordshire County Council election, 2013[6] | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | ||
| Conservative | 31 | -21 | 49.21% | |||||||
| Labour | 15 | +6 | 23.81% | |||||||
| Liberal Democrat | 11 | +1 | 17.46% | |||||||
| Independent | 4 | +3 | 6.35% | |||||||
| Green | 2 | 0 | 3.17% | |||||||
History of political control
Past Chairmen
- John Sanders (2015-16)
- Don Seale (2012-13) [7]
- Lesley Legge (2006-7) [8]
- Catherine Fulljames (2005-6)
List of notable members
- George Parker, 7th Earl of Macclesfield, chairman 1937–70[9]
- William Bradshaw, Baron Bradshaw, member 1993–2008[10]
- James Plaskitt, member 1985–97, later Member of Parliament
- Peter Butler, member 1985–89, later Member of Parliament for Milton Keynes North East[11]
- Angela Billingham, member 1993–94, later Baroness Billingham[12]
- Sherman Stonor, 6th Baron Camoys, member[13]
- Olive Gibbs, chairman 1974–1975 and 1981–1982
- Julia Drown, member 1989–96, later Member of Parliament for Swindon South[14]
- John Howell, member 2004–09, later Member of Parliament[15]
- John Redwood, member 1973–77, later Member of Parliament for Wokingham
- Caroline Lucas, member 1993–97, later Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion
Notes
- ↑ "Camelot International, Britain's heritage and history". Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ↑ Edwards, John, ed. (1955). "County". Chambers' Encyclopedia. London: George Newnes. pp. 189–191.
- ↑ "Council services". Oxfordshire County Council. Archived from the original on 27 November 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ↑ Statement of Accounts 2013/2014 (PDF). Oxfordshire County Council. 24 September 2014. p. 8. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
- ↑ Padfield, Colin Frank (1975). British constitution made simple. London: W. H. Allen. p. 291.
- 1 2 "Election 2013 results". Oxfordshire County Council. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ↑ 'Sixteen years as County Councillor after career in military' (BBC & Oxfordshire County Council); , December 2015, accessed 16 October 2016
- ↑ 'A mother of three who used to teach maths in south Oxfordshire becomes Chairman' (Oxford Mail); , 13 April 2006, accessed 17 October 2016
- ↑ 'MACCLESFIELD, 7th Earl of', in Who Was Who (London: A. & C. Black); online edition (subscription required) by Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 30 November 2011
- ↑ 'BRADSHAW, Baron cr 1999 (Life Peer), of Wallingford in the county of Oxfordshire', in Who's Who (London: A. & C. Black); online edition (subscription required) by Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 30 November 2011
- ↑ 'BUTLER, Peter', in Who's Who (London: A. & C. Black); online edition (subscription required) by Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 30 November 2011
- ↑ 'BILLINGHAM, Baroness', in Who's Who (London: A. & C. Black); online edition (subscription required) by Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 1 December 2011
- ↑ 'CAMOYS, 6th Baron' in Who's Who (London: A. & C. Black); online edition (subscription required) by Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 1 December 2011
- ↑ 'DROWN, Julia Kate' in Who's Who (London: A. & C. Black); online edition (subscription required) by Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 1 December 2011
- ↑ 'HOWELL, John Michael' in Who's Who (London: A. & C. Black); online edition (subscription required) by Oxford University Press, accessed 1 December 2011