Bedford Borough Council

Bedford Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. The executive of the council is the directly elected mayor of Bedford. It is a member of the East of England Local Government Association.

Bedford Borough Council
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1974
Leadership
Dave Hodgson, Liberal Democrat
since 16 October 2009[1]
Speaker
Jane Walker, Conservative
since 13 May 2020[2]
Chief executive
Laura Church
since October 2021
Structure
SeatsElected Mayor
40 Councillors[3]
Council political groups
Executive (27)
  Liberal Democrats (15)
  Labour Party (11)
  Independent (1)
Opposition (13)
  Conservative Party (11)
  Green Party (2)
Length of term
Executive mayor elected every four years
Whole council elected every four years
Elections
Plurality-at-large
Supplementary vote
Council last election
2 May 2019
Mayor last election
2 May 2019
Meeting place
Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AP
Website
www.bedford.gov.uk

The council was founded in 1974 as Bedford District Council, being renamed North Bedfordshire Borough Council in 1975. In 1992 it changed its name again to become Bedford Borough Council. Until 2009 it was a lower-tier district council, with county-level services provided by Bedfordshire County Council. On 1 April 2009, the Bedfordshire County Council ceased to exist, at which point Bedford Borough Council became a unitary authority.

Political control
Further information: Bedford Borough Council elections

Since the first election to the council in 1973 (as a shadow authority prior to coming into its powers in 1974), political control of the council has been held by the following parties:[4][5]

Party in controlYears
No overall control1973–1976
Conservative1976–1986
No overall control1986–2009
Liberal Democrats2009-2010
No overall control2010–Present

Arms

Bedford has been granted two distinct coats of arms. The first is per pale Argent and Gules a fess Azure, and the second Argent an eagle displayed wings inverted and head turned towards the sinister Sable ducally crowned and surmounted by a castle of three tiers Or.[6]

References
  1. "Mayoral election results, 2009". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  2. "Annual Council Meeting minutes, 13 May 2020". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  3. "Your Councillors". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  4. "Bedford". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  5. "Bedford". BBC News Online. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  6. "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
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