King's Lynn and West Norfolk is a local government district with borough status in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in the town of King's Lynn. The district also includes the towns of Downham Market and Hunstanton, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The population of the district at the 2021 census was 154,325.
Part of the borough lies within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The borough lies on the coast, facing both The Wash to the west and the North Sea to the north. The neighbouring districts are North Norfolk, Breckland, West Suffolk, East Cambridgeshire, Fenland and South Holland.
History The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering seven former districts which were all abolished at the same time: Docking Rural District Downham Market Urban District Downham Rural District Freebridge Lynn Rural District Hunstanton Urban District King's Lynn Municipal Borough Marshland Rural District The new district was initially named "West Norfolk" reflecting its position in the wider county. The district was awarded borough status on 30 January 1981, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. The name of the borough was changed later that year, becoming "King's Lynn and West Norfolk" with effect from 14 May 1981.
In March 2026, the government announced plans to abolish the district in 2028 as part of local government reorganisation across Norfolk. These proposals were withdrawn in September 2026.
Governance
The Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Norfolk County Council. Much of the borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.
Political control The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being run by a coalition of most of the independent councillors, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens with informal support from Labour.
The first election to the council was 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: (Put "King's Lynn & West Norfolk" in search box to see specific results.)
Party in controlYears 1974–1976 1976–1991 1991–1995 1995–1999 1999–2003 2003–2023 2023–present
Leadership The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, with political leadership instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2007 have been:
Councillor Party From To Nick Daubney 2007 12 May 2016 Brian Long 12 May 2016 20 May 2021 Stuart Dark 20 May 2021 May 2023 Terry Parish 18 May 2023 May 2024 Alistair Beale 16 May 2024
Composition Following the 2023 election, and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to August 2026, the composition of the council was:
Of the independent councillors, 17 sit together as the 'Independent Partnership', which forms the council's administration with the Liberal Democrats and Your Party.
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 55 councillors representing 35 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.
UK Youth Parliament
Although the UK Youth Parliament is an apolitical organisation, the elections are run in a way similar to that of the Local Elections. The votes come from 11 to 18 year olds and are combined to make the decision of the next, 2 year Member of Youth Parliament. The elections are run at different times across the country with King's Lynn and West Norfolk's typically being in early Spring and bi-annually.
Premises The council generally meets at the Town Hall on the Saturday Market Place in King's Lynn, parts of which date back to the 1420s, having replaced an earlier guildhall on the site which burnt down in 1421. The council's main offices are at King's Court, on Chapel Street in King's Lynn, which had been built as speculative offices in 1975, initially being called Aspen House. The council bought the building in 1981.
Geography
The district comprises the urban area of King's Lynn itself, together with 102 surrounding parishes. At the time of the 2001 census, the district had an area of 1,473 km2, of which 28 km2 was in the urban area and 1,445 km2 in the surrounding parishes. The district had a population of 135,345 in 58,338 households, with 34,564 in 15,285 households living in the urban area, whilst 100,781 people in 43,053 households lived in the surrounding parishes.Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes . Retrieved December 2, 2005.
Towns and parishes
The main part of the urban area of King's Lynn (roughly corresponding to the pre-1974 borough of King's Lynn) is an unparished area. The remainder of the district is covered by civil parishes. The parish councils for Downham Market and Hunstanton have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". The parishes are:
Anmer Bagthorpe with Barmer Barton Bendish Barwick Bawsey Bircham Boughton Brancaster Burnham Market Burnham Norton Burnham Overy Burnham Thorpe Castle Acre Castle Rising Choseley Clenchwarton Congham Crimplesham Denver Dersingham Docking Downham Market Downham West East Rudham East Walton East Winch Emneth Feltwell Fincham Flitcham with Appleton Fordham Fring Gayton Great Massingham Grimston Harpley Heacham Hilgay Hillington Hockwold cum Wilton Holme next the Sea Houghton Hunstanton Ingoldisthorpe Leziate Little Massingham Marham Marshland St. James Methwold Middleton Nordelph North Creake North Runcton Northwold North Wootton Old Hunstanton Outwell Pentney Ringstead Roydon Runcton Holme Ryston Sandringham Sedgeford Shernborne Shouldham Shouldham Thorpe Snettisham South Creake Southery South Wootton Stanhoe Stoke Ferry Stow Bardolph Stradsett Syderstone Terrington St. Clement Terrington St. John Thornham Tilney All Saints Tilney St. Lawrence Titchwell Tottenhill Upwell Walpole Walpole Cross Keys Walpole Highway Walsoken Watlington Welney Wereham West Acre West Dereham West Rudham West Walton West Winch Wiggenhall St. Germans Wiggenhall St. Mary Magdalen Wimbotsham Wormegay Wretton
Arms
References
External links
Official Website West Norfolk Information