Chichester is a local government district in West Sussex, England. It is named after the city of Chichester, which is its largest settlement and where the council is based. The district includes the towns of Midhurst, Petworth and Selsey and surrounding rural areas, including many villages. The district includes part of the South Downs National Park, and Chichester Harbour is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. At the 2021 census the district had a population of 124,531.

The district is on the coast, facing the English Channel. The neighbouring districts are Arun, Horsham, Waverley, East Hampshire and Havant.

History Chichester itself had been an ancient borough, which additionally held city status from 1075 when the Diocese of Chichester moved its seat from Selsey to Chichester.

The modern district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as one of seven districts within West Sussex. The new district covered the whole area of three former districts and parts of a fourth, which were all abolished at the same time: Chichester Municipal Borough (city) Chichester Rural District (except 13 parishes which went to Arun) Midhurst Rural District Petworth Rural District The new district was named Chichester, after its largest settlement. The medieval territory of the Rape of Chichester had also covered much of the area of the new district. A successor parish was established covering the former borough of Chichester, and Chichester's city status passed to the new parish rather than the wider district. As such, Chichester City Council is a parish council, whilst Chichester District Council has greater powers and covers the much larger area of Chichester District.

Governance

Chichester District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by West Sussex County Council. The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.

In the parts of the district within the South Downs National Park, town planning is the responsibility of the South Downs National Park Authority. The district council appoints one of its councillors to serve on the 27-person National Park Authority.

Political control The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since the 2023 election.

The first elections to the council were held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: (Put "Chichester" in search box to see specific results.) Party in control Years 1974–1976 1976–1995 1995–1999 1999–2004 2004–2006 2006–2019 2019–2019 2019–2020 2020–2023 2023–present

Leadership The leaders of the council since 1999 have been:

Councillor Party From To Jane Chevis 1999 May 2003 Janet Duncton 2003 2005 Andrew Smith 2005 2006 Myles Cullen 2006 2011 Heather Caird 17 May 2011 May 2015 Tony Dignum 19 May 2015 May 2019 Eileen Lintill 21 May 2019 May 2023 Adrian Moss 17 May 2023

Composition Following the 2023 election, by-elections, and resignations up to September 2026, the composition of the council was:

Party Councillors 24 5 4Independent2 1Total36 The Local Alliance, Independents, and sole Green councillor sit together as the Green and Local Alliance Group, which forms the council's largest opposition group. The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 36 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.

Councillors and wards List of Chichester district councillors by ward:

Ward Councillor Elected Notes Chichester WestClare Apel 1999 Member of Chichester City Council The WitteringsIain Ballantyne 2023 SouthbourneTracie Bangert 2019 Cabinet Member for Communities and Wellbeing Harbour VillagesRichard Bates 2023 North Mundham and TangmereDavid Betts 2023 Cabinet Member for Housing and Revenues and Benefits Selsey SouthSteve Boulcott 2023 Chichester EastBill Brisbane 2021 Cabinet Member for PlanningElected following a by-election held in June 2021 WestbourneRoy Briscoe 2019 LavantJoseph Brookes-Harmer 2023Resigned from the Liberal Democrats and sits as an independent, as of April 2026. Chichester NorthJonathan Brown 2023 Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Environmental StrategyPreviously represented Southbourne (2015–2023) MidhurstDominic Merritt 2025 Elected in a by-election in May 2025. FernhurstBrett Elise Burkhart 2023 MidhurstHannah Burton 2023 Chichester EastRhys Chant 2023 Member of Chichester City Council The WitteringsMark Chilton 2023 Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate Services and Chichester Contract Services Chichester NorthMaureen Corfield 2023 Member of Chichester City Council FittleworthJohn Cross 2023 PetworthHarsha Desai 2023 Cabinet Member for Growth and Place LoxwoodGareth Evans 2019 The WitteringsElizabeth Hamilton 2019 Previously represented Easebourne (2007–2015) and West Wittering (2015–2019) North Mundham and TangmereCharlie Hastain 2023 SouthbourneOona Hickson 2023 EasebourneFrancis Hobbs 2015 Sidlesham with Selsey NorthDonna Johnson 2019 Member of West Sussex County Council Harbour VillagesStephen Johnson 2023 Selsey SouthTimothy Johnson 2019 Harbour VillagesAdrian Moss 2019 Leader of the CouncilPreviously represented Fishbourne (2003–2011; 2018–2019) FernhurstEleanora Newbery 2023 HartingTim O'Kelly 2023 GoodwoodHenry Potter 2019 Previously represented Boxgrove (2007–2019) Chichester WestSarah Quail 2023 Member of Chichester City Council Chichester SouthSarah Sharp 2019 Member of West Sussex County Council LoxwoodCharles Todhunter 2023 Chichester CentralJames Vivian 2023 Member of Chichester City Council Sidlesham with Selsey NorthVal Weller 2023 Chichester SouthTim Young 2023

Premises The council is based at East Pallant House, on East Pallant in the centre of Chichester. The oldest part of the building was originally a large house, which had subsequently served as the headquarters of the old Chichester Rural District Council prior to the 1974 reorganisation. Large modern extensions have since been added to the building.

Geography Chichester District occupies the western part of West Sussex, bordering on Hampshire to the west and Surrey to the north. The districts of Arun and Horsham abut to the east; the English Channel to the south. The district is divided by the South Downs escarpment, with the northern part being in the Weald, composed of a mixture of sandstone ridges and low-lying clays known as the Western Weald. To the south the dip slope of the downs falls gently to a flat coastal plain and the sea. The Western Weald is drained by the River Arun and its tributaries including the rivers Lox, Kird and especially the River Rother and its tributaries the River Lod and the Haslingbourne Stream. On the northern boundary Blackdown is the highest point in Sussex, while further east around Loxwood the land is low and quite flat. The south of the district has many permeable chalk and gravel areas and is drained by two winterbournes, the River Lavant and River Ems, which are usually dry in the summer. The large inlet known as Chichester Harbour and the headland of Selsey Bill are conspicuous features of the coast.

The district, apart from the few main roads, is generally rural in character, as can be seen by the number of villages within it. Apart from the coastal strip there are few main roads, and the erstwhile railways which once served Midhurst have long been closed.

Civil parishes

There are 67 civil parishes in Chichester District. The parish of Chichester holds city status, allowing the parish council to call itself a city council. The parish councils for Midhurst, Petworth and Selsey have each declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council.

Landmarks Apart from the geographical landmarks Chichester District contains architectural and cultural places including Chichester Cathedral, Chichester Festival Theatre, The Novium and Pallant House Gallery in the city. Stately homes open to the public include Petworth House and Uppark, both National Trust properties, Goodwood House and Stansted Park. West Dean College is open at certain times of the year. There is horse racing at Goodwood Racecourse, the Goodwood Festival of Speed at Goodwood House, and the Goodwood Revival at Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit. Cowdray House is a ruined Tudor mansion near Midhurst. Fishbourne Roman Palace lies west of Chichester city centre. To the north of the city are Weald and Downland Open Air Museum and Halnaker Windmill. There are gardens open to the public at Woolbeding and Pound Commons and West Dean College.

Economy West Sussex County Council and Chichester District Council are major employers in Chichester, along with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars assembly plant at nearby Westhampnett. Boatbuilding is an important industry along the coast. Many people from the northern parts of the district commute to work in London, using the A3 road or the railways from Portsmouth to London Waterloo station and Littlehampton to London Victoria station. Fertile soils on the coastal plain are used for arable farming and intensive vegetable production, the latter employing many migrant workers from Eastern Europe. High sunlight levels and a mild climate also make the coastal region suitable for glasshouse growing. A fertile strip of land on the north side of the River Rother is also used for vegetable growing, but most of the area north of the Downs is of low agricultural value and there are large areas of forest and pasture, interspersed with arable cropping.

Football clubs Bosham F.C. Chichester City F.C. Midhurst & Easebourne F.C. Selsey F.C.

References