Bracknell Forest Council, also known as Bracknell Forest Borough Council, is the local authority for Bracknell Forest, a local government district with borough status in Berkshire, England. The council is a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2023. It is based at Time Square in Bracknell.
Bracknell Forest Council | |
|---|---|
 Council logo | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1974 |
| Leadership | |
Susan Halliwell since 2022[2] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 41 councillors |
 | |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | 4 years |
| Elections | |
| Plurality-at-large | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Time Square, Market Street, Bracknell, RG12 1JD | |
| Website | |
| www | |
History
The non-metropolitan district of Bracknell was created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the same area as the former Easthampstead Rural District, which had been created in 1894. Bracknell District Council was a lower-tier authority, with Berkshire County Council providing county-level services to the area.[3][4] In 1988 the district was awarded borough status, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. The council changed the district's name from Bracknell to Bracknell Forest at the same time, becoming Bracknell Forest Borough Council.[5]
In 1998, Berkshire County Council was abolished and its functions were taken over by the county's six districts, including Bracknell Forest. Berkshire continues to exist as a ceremonial county and a non-metropolitan county, albeit without a county council.[6] The council's full legal name remains Bracknell Forest Borough Council, but it styles itself Bracknell Forest Council.[7]
Governance
The council provides both district-level and county-level functions.[8] The whole borough is covered by civil parishes, which form a second tier of local government for their areas.[9]
Political control
The council has been under Labour majority control since the 2023 election.
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially acting as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[10][11]
Lower-tier district council
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 1974–1976 | |
| Conservative | 1976–1995 | |
| Labour | 1995–1997 | |
| Conservative | 1997–1998 | |
Unitary authority
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 1998–2023 | |
| Labour | 2023–present | |
Leadership
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Bracknell Forest. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1984 have been:[12]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Ward[13] | Conservative | 1984 | 30 Apr 1992 | |
| Bob Angell[14] | Conservative | 30 Apr 1992 | 7 May 1995 | |
| Austin McCormack | Labour | May 1995 | 13 May 1997 | |
| Paul Bettison | Conservative | 13 May 1997 | 7 May 2023 | |
| Mary Temperton[15] | Labour | 24 May 2023 | ||
Composition
Following the 2023 election the composition of the council was as follows:[16]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 22 | |
| Conservative | 10 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 17 | |
| Green | 2 | |
| Total | 51 | |
The next election is due in 2027.
Premises
The council was originally based at Easthampstead House in Town Square, Bracknell, which had been built in 1970 for its predecessor authority, Easthampstead Rural District Council.[17] In 1997 the council acquired additional office space in a modern building called Time Square on Market Street, Bracknell, with functions split between the two buildings for a time.[18][19] Council meetings continued to be held at Easthampstead House until a new council chamber was created in Time Square in 2018, after which the council vacated Easthampstead House and is now solely based at Time Square.[20]
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 41 councillors representing 15 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[21]