This article is about the district in Worcestershire. For the ancient woodland, see
Wyre Forest . For the district in Lancashire, see
Borough of Wyre .
Non-metropolitan district in England
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.
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]
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 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]
Leadership
The leaders of the council since 1974 have been:[ 13] [ 14]
Composition
Following the 2023 election and a change of allegiance in February 2024, the composition of the council was:[ 28] [ 29]
The Green councillor sits in a group with the independents.[ 30] The next election is due in 2027.
Premises
Stourport Civic Centre , New Street, Stourport-on-Severn: Council's headquarters until 2012.
The council is based at Wyre Forest House, which was purpose-built for the council and completed in 2012.[ 31] 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.[ 32]
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.[ 33]
Wards
Stourport-on-Severn , the second-largest settlement in the district.
The wards are:[ 33]
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.[ 34]
Demography
In Wyre Forest, the population size has increased by 3.7%, from around 98,000 in 2011 to 101,600 in 2021.[ 35]
Parishes
Bewdley , best known for the Severn Valley Railway and its historic Georgian buildings is the third-largest settlement in the district
The whole district is divided into civil parishes . The parish councils for Bewdley, Kidderminster and Stourport-on-Severn take the style "town council".[ 36]
Schools
There are five secondary schools within the district.
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 .
See also
References
^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Wyre Forest Local Authority (E07000239)" . Nomis . Office for National Statistics . Retrieved 5 January 2024 .
^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972" , legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives , SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973" , legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives , SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
^ "Council bans bouncy castles due to insurance issue" . BBC News . 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024 .
^ "New Chairman at Wyre Forest District Council" . Wyre Forest District Council . 16 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024 .
^ "New chief exec for district council" . Kidderminster Shuttle . 23 October 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2023 .
^ "Local Government Act 1972" , legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives , 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
^ "Compositions calculator" . The Elections Centre . Retrieved 9 September 2022 .
^ "Wyre Forest" . BBC News . 23 May 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014 .
^ Land, Jon (11 December 2009). "Huge boost for Labour in latest council by-elections" . 24dash.com. Retrieved 16 April 2015 .
^ "local elections 2010" . theguardian.com . 7 May 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2015 .
^ "Tories take total control of Wyre Forest Council" . The Shuttle . 8 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015 .
^ "Council minutes" . Wyre Forest District Council . Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ "Past Leaders of Wyre Forest District Council" . Wyre Forest District Council . Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ Alston, Trevor (12 December 1974). "Groups ready for a battle to stop the West Orbital route" . Birmingham Post . p. 21. Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ "Parties' musical chairs" . Birmingham Post . 21 April 1976. p. 24. Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ "Jobs are the big issue in carpet country" . Evening Mail . Birmingham. 30 May 1983. p. 7. Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ "Warning of 6p rate rise next year" . Sandwell Evening Mail . West Bromwich. 20 September 1983. p. 19. Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ "Council faces £1m shortfall" . Sandwell Evening Mail . West Bromwich. 10 December 1992. p. 14. Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ a b Rawlins, Jack (13 May 2021). "Helen Dyke appointed as Wyre Forest District Council leader" . The Shuttle . Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ "Leader resigns" . Birmingham Mail . 12 October 1995. p. 5. Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ Gray, Chris (4 May 1996). "Labour gains spark loony left warning" . Birmingham Post . p. 1. Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ "Wyre Forest Labour 'horrified' by James Shaw's child sex crime" . Kidderminster Shuttle . 14 November 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ Meadowcroft, Michael (5 April 2007). "Mike Oborski" . The Guardian . Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ "Town suffers from 18-mile factor" . Worcester News . 14 March 2002. Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ "Health party takes control" . Worcester News . 9 May 2002. Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ "New man at the helm" . Worcester News . 15 May 2003. Retrieved 19 September 2022 .
^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England" . The Guardian .
^ Rawlins, Jack (2 February 2024). "Wyre Forest Labour leader Leigh Whitehouse quits party" . The Shuttle . Retrieved 11 February 2024 .
^ "Independent and Green group" . Wyre Forest District Council . Retrieved 11 February 2024 .
^ "New £10.5m Wyre Forest District Council HQ to open its doors" . The Shuttle . 28 September 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2015 .
^ "History of the Civic" . The Civic Stourport . Retrieved 7 July 2023 .
^ a b "The Wyre Forest (Electoral Changes) Order 2015" , legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives , SI 2015/70, retrieved 7 July 2023
^ Klensch, Sabine (7 May 2010). "General election 2010: Tories gain Wyre Forest from independent Taylor" . politics.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2015 .
^ "How the population changed in Wyre Forest, Census 2021 - ONS" . www.ons.gov.uk . Retrieved 13 November 2022 .
^ "Town and parish councils" . Wyre Forest District Council . Retrieved 7 July 2023 .
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