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
Market Place in Nuneaton, the borough's largest town
Shown within Warwickshire
Shown within Warwickshire
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionWest Midlands
Administrative countyWarwickshire
Admin. HQNuneaton
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan borough
 • MPsJodie Gosling
Rachel Taylor
John Slinger
Area
 • Total31 sq mi (79 km2)
 • Rank218th
Population
 (2022)
 • Total135,481
 • RankRanked 173rd
 • Density4,400/sq mi (1,700/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
Postcode
CV7, CV10, CV11, CV12
ONS code44UC (ONS)
E07000219 (GSS)

The neighbouring districts are Rugby, Coventry, North Warwickshire and Hinckley and Bosworth.

History

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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

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Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council
 
Type
Type
Leadership
Bill Hancox,
Labour
since 15 May 2024[8]
Chris Watkins,
Labour
since 15 May 2024
Tom Shardlow
since 1 June 2024[9]
Structure
Seats38 councillors
 
Political groups
Administration (20)
  Labour (20)
Other parties (18)
  Conservative (16)
  Green (2)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
5 May 2022
Next election
2 May 2024
Meeting place
 
Town Hall, Coton Road, Nuneaton, CV11 5AA
Website
www.nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk
 
Bedworth, the second town and second-largest settlement in the borough

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

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The council has been under Labour majority control since the 2024 election.[12]

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:[13][14]

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–present

Leadership

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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:[15]

Councillor Party From To
John Haynes Labour May 1974 May 1982
Bill Olner Labour May 1982 May 1986
Dennis Harvey[16] Labour 1986 May 2008
Marcus Jones Conservative May 2008 May 2009
Peter Gilbert Conservative May 2009 12 May 2010
Dennis Harvey Labour 12 May 2010 6 May 2018
Julie Jackson Labour 16 May 2018 9 May 2021
Kristofer Wilson Conservative 19 May 2021 15 May 2024
Chris Watkins[17] Labour 2 May 2024

Composition

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Following the 2024 election the composition of the council was:[18]

Party Councillors
Labour 20
Conservative 16
Green 2
Total 38

The next election is due in 2026.

Elections

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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.[19]

Premises

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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.[20]

Subdivisions

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Bulkington, the third-largest settlement in the borough
 
Wards of Nuneaton and Bedworth

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

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Nuneaton and Bedworth is twinned with:

References

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  1. ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Nuneaton and Bedworth Local Authority (E07000219)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan District (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 17 November 2023
  3. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 3 January 2024
  4. ^ "Nuneaton Urban District / Municipal Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  5. ^ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  6. ^ Alteration of Areas and Status of Local Authorities 1 October 1980 to 1 April 1981 (PDF). London: Department of the Environment. 1981. p. 17. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Bedworth Timeline". The Bedworth Society. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  8. ^ Harrison, Claire (16 May 2024). "New mayor and deputy make history at Nuneaton and Bedworth council". Coventry Live. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  9. ^ "New Chief Executive named". Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  11. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  12. ^ Dawkins, Andrew; Nevett, Joshua (3 May 2024). "Labour gains control of Nuneaton and Bedworth". BBC News. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Nuneaton & Bedworth". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  15. ^ "Council minutes". Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  16. ^ Harrison, Claire (30 November 2017). "Borough council leader announces shock retirement". Coventry Live. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  17. ^ Harrison, Claire (16 May 2024). "'Be courteous' says new council leader after toxic Town Hall claims". Coventry Live. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Nuneaton & Bedworth election result". BBC News. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  19. ^ "The Nuneaton and Bedworth (Electoral Changes) Order 2024", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2024/3, retrieved 21 January 2024
  20. ^ Veasey, E.A. (2002), Nuneaton A History, Phillimore & Co. Limited, pages 104, 113–114, 126 ISBN 1 86077 215 3.
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52°31′18″N 1°28′03″W / 52.5218°N 1.4676°W / 52.5218; -1.4676