Cheshire West and Chester Council


Cheshire West and Chester Council is the local authority of Cheshire West and Chester. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It provides a full range of local government services including Council Tax billing, libraries, social services, processing planning applications, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority. The council was first elected on 1 May 2008, a year before coming into its legal powers on 1 April 2009. After an election in May 2019, no party holds overall control.

Powers and functions

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the Local Government Act 1972 and subsequent legislation. It has a 'general power of competence' as described in the Localism Act 2011, i.e. it is permitted to act in any manner whatsoever which is not unlawful. For the purposes of local government, Cheshire West and Chester is one of the fifty-five unitary authorities in England. This means that is the only principal authority in its territorial jurisdiction, and it has the statutory powers and functions of both a non-metropolitan county and a non-metropolitan district council. The only exceptions to this are the fire and police services, which are still provided on a Cheshire-wide basis by joint boards composed of elected councillors and are funded by a Council Tax precept. Conversely, it is unnecessary for Cheshire West and Chester Council to set a precept for itself as it is also a billing authority.

Political control

Since the first election of the council in 2008, political control has been held by the following parties:
Council seats since 2008

Cabinet

Committees

Councillors

WardCouncillorPolitical partyCouncil profile
BlaconCarol GahanLabour Party
BlaconSheila LittleLabour Party
BlaconTrish RichardsLabour Party
Central and GrangeKaren ShoreLabour Party
Central and GrangeRobert BissetLabour Party
Chester City and The Garden QuarterSamantha DixonLabour Party
Chester City and The Garden QuarterBob RuddLabour Party
Chester City and The Garden QuarterMartyn DelaneyLabour Party
Christleton and HuntingtonMark WilliamsConservative Party
Christleton and HuntingtonStuart ParkerConservative Party
Davenham, Moulton and KingsmeadHelen WeltmanConservative Party
Davenham, Moulton and KingsmeadElton WatsonConservative Party
FarndonPaul RobertsLiberal Democrats
FrodshamAndrew DawsonConservative Party
FrodshamLynn RileyConservative Party
Gowy RuralMargaret ParkerConservative Party-
Gowy RuralGraham HeatleyConservative Party-
Great BoughtonSteve CollingsLabour Party-
Great BoughtonKeith BoardsConservative Party-
Handbridge ParkRazia DanielsConservative Party-
Handbridge ParkNeil SullivanConservative Party-
Hartford and GreenbankPhil HerbertIndependent-
Hartford and GreenbankPatricia ParkesConservative Party-
HelsbyPaul BowersGreen-
LacheVal ArmstrongConservative Party-
Ledsham and ManorPeter WheelerLabour Party-
Ledsham and ManorChristine WarnerLabour Party-
MalpasRachel WilliamsConservative Party-
MarburyLynn GibbonConservative Party-
MarburyNorman WrightConservative Party-
MarburyPhil MarshallConservative Party-
NestonAndy WilliamsLabour Party-
NetherpoolDiane RobertsLabour Party-
Newton and HooleRichard BeachamLabour Party-
Newton and HooleAdam LanganLabour Party-
Newton and HooleGill WatsonLabour Party-
Northwich Winnington and CastleKate CernikLabour Party-
Northwich Winnington and CastleRobert CernikLabour Party-
Northwich WittonSam NaylorLabour Party-
ParkgateMartin BarkerIndependent-
RudheathHelen TreebyConservative Party-
SandstoneHugo DeynemConservative Party-
Saughall and MollingtonSimon EardleyConservative Party-
ShakerleyMark StocksConservative Party-
StrawberyGareth GouldLabour Party-
Sutton VillagesPaul DonovanLabour Party-
Sutton VillagesNicole MeardonLabour Party-
TarporleyEveleigh Moore DuttonIndependent-
Tarvin and KelsallJohn LeatherConservative Party-
Tarvin and KelsallHarry TongeConservative Party-
TattenhallMike JonesConservative Party-
UptonMatt BryanLabour Party-
UptonJill HoulbrookConservative Party-
Weaver and CuddingtonGillian EdwardsIndependent-
Weaver and CuddingtonPaul WilliamsConservative Party-
Weaver and CuddingtonCharles FifieldConservative Party-
WestminsterLisa DensonLabour Party-
Whitby GrovesBrian JonesLabour Party-
Whitby ParkPeter RooneyLabour Party-
Willaston and ThorntonMyles HoggConservative Party-
Winsford DeneMandy ClareLabour Party-
Winsford GravelJoanne MoorcroftLabour Party-
Winsford Over and VerdinTommy BlackmoreLabour Party-
Winsford Over and VerdinGina LewisLabour Party-
Winsford Over and VerdinMike BaynhamConservative Party-
Winsford SwanlowMal GaskillLiberal Democrats-
Winsford WhartonNathan PardoeLabour Party-
WolverhamMichael EdwardsonLabour Party-