Wirral Council, or Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council, is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is a metropolitan district council with borough status, thus providing the majority of local government services in the borough. The council has been a member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority since 2014.
The council has been under no overall control since 2019, with the leader of the council belonging to the Labour Party. Council meetings are held at Wallasey Town Hall and the main administrative offices are at Alice Ker Square in Birkenhead.
History The metropolitan district of Wirral and its council were created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the area of five former districts, which were all abolished at the same time: Bebington Municipal Borough Birkenhead County Borough Hoylake Urban District Wallasey County Borough Wirral Urban District (Covered an area on the west side of the peninsula, with its council based in Heswall.)
The two county boroughs, Birkenhead and Wallasey, had provided all local government services in their areas. The other three districts had been lower-tier authorities with Cheshire County Council providing county-level services. The area was transferred from Cheshire to become of the five districts in the new metropolitan county of Merseyside. The first election to the new council was held in 1973. For its first year the council acted as a shadow authority alongside the area's outgoing authorities. The new metropolitan district and its council formally came into being on 1 April 1974, at which point the old districts and their councils were abolished.
The new Wirral district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. The council styles itself Wirral Council rather than its full formal name of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
From 1974 until 1986 the council was a lower-tier authority, with upper-tier functions provided by Merseyside County Council. The county council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to Merseyside's five borough councils, including Wirral, with some services provided through joint committees.
Since 2014 the council has been a member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, which has been led by the directly elected Mayor of the Liverpool City Region (sometimes termed the "Metro Mayor") since 2017. The combined authority provides strategic leadership and co-ordination for certain functions across the region, but Wirral Council continues to be responsible for most local government functions.
Political control The council has been under no overall control since 2019, being led by a Labour minority administration.
Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: (Put "Wirral" in search box to see specific results.)
Party in Control Years 1974–1975 1975–1986 1986–1991 1991–1992 1992–1995 1995–2002 2002–2012 2012–2019 2019–present
Leadership The role of Mayor of Wirral (also termed the "Civic Mayor" to distinguish it from the Metro Mayor) is largely ceremonial. They represent the borough at civic functions, support local charities and chair full council meetings. They are expected to be politically impartial whilst they hold the post, although they do get an additional casting vote in the event of a tie.
Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:
Councillor Image Party From To Malcolm Thornton 1974 May 1977 Harry Deverill May 1977 May 1980 David Fletcher May 1980 May 1985 John Hale May 1985 Oct 1986 1986 1990 Yvonne Nolan 1990 May 1991 George Clark 1991 1992 1992 1995 Dave Jackson May 1995 23 Apr 2000 Steve Foulkes May 2000 24 May 2010 Jeff Green 24 May 2010 23 May 2011 Steve Foulkes 23 May 2011 13 Feb 2012 Jeff Green 13 Feb 2012 21 May 2012 Phil Davies 21 May 2012 May 2019 Pat Hackett 14 May 2019 Sep 2020 Janette Williamson 28 Sep 2020 May 2023 Paul Stuart 24 May 2023 May 2025 Paula Basnett 21 May 2025
Composition Following the 2023 election, and subsequent changes of allegiance up to June 2026, the composition of the council was:
Party Councillors 26 14 14 6 3 3Total66
The next election is due in 2027.
Premises
Council meetings are held at Wallasey Town Hall, which was completed in 1916 for the former Wallasey Borough Council. The council's main offices are at Alice Ker Square in the centre of Birkenhead, being a modern office development completed in 2023. The council also owns Birkenhead Town Hall and has additional offices including the Cheshire Lines Committee building on Canning Street in Birkenhead.
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2004, the council has comprised 66 councillors representing 22 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. The whole council is elected together every four years from 2023 onwards, having previously been elected a third of the council at a time.
Wards and councillors Each ward is represented by three councillors.
Parliamentary constituencyWardCouncillorPartyTerm of officeFirst elected (re-entered) Birkenhead Bidston and St JamesLiz GreyLabour2023–272018Brian KennyLabour2023–272006 (2015)Julie McManusLabour2023-272016 Birkenhead and TranmerePat ClearyGreen2023–272014Amanda Onwuemene2023-272022Ewan TomenyGreen2023-272023 ClaughtonGillian WoodLabour2023–272017Steve FoulkesLabour2023–271990George DaviesLabour2023-271988 OxtonAllan Brame2023–272018Mike Redfern2023-272006 (2023)Stuart Kelly2023-271991 (1998, 2016) PrentonNaomi Graham2023–272022Chris CookeGreen2023–272019Harry GormanGreen2023-272021 Rock FerryCraig McDonaldGreen2023-272023Paula BasnettLabour2023-272023Tony MurphyLabour2023-272023 Wallasey Leasowe and Moreton EastAngela DaviesLabour2023-272015 (2022)Paul JobsonLabour2023-272023Louise Luxon-KewleyLabour2023-272023 LiscardJanette WilliamsonLabour2023-272012Graeme CooperLabour2024-272024James LaingLabour2023-272022 Moreton West and Saughall MassieVida WilsonConservative2023-272022Gary BennettConservative2023-272023Colin BaldwinConservative2023-272023 New BrightonSue Powell-WildeLabour2023-272022Paul MartinLabour2023-272021Tony JonesLabour2023-272016 SeacombeTom LaingLabour2023-272023Kaitlin StuartLabour2023-272023Paul StuartLabour2023-272016 WallaseyLesley RennieConservative2023-271991 (1997)Brenda HallLabour2023-272023Ian LewisConservative2023-271999 (2008, 2013, 2016) Wirral South BebingtonJudith GrierGreen2023-272022Ed LambGreen2023-272023Jason WalshGreen2023-272021 BromboroughRuth MolyneuxGreen2023-272023Kieran MurphyGreen2023-272023Jo BirdGreen 2023-272018 ClatterbridgeMary JordonConservative2023-272018Helen CameronConservative2023-272019Cherry Povall JPConservative2023-272008 EasthamChris Carubia2023-272014Helen Raymond2023-272023Phil Gilchrist2023-271977 (1992) HeswallGraham Davies Reform UK2023-272023Andrew Hodson Reform UK2023-271994Kathy HodsonReform UK2023-272013 Wirral West Greasby, Frankby and IrbyGail JenkinsonGreen2023-272023Grahame McManusLabour2023-272023Mark SkillicornLabour2023-272023 Hoylake and MeolsTony CoxConservative2023-272011 (2018)Max BoothConservative2023-272021Andrew GardnerConservative2023-272018 Pensby and ThingwallAnn AinsworthLabour2023-272023Richie PittYour Party 2023-272023Mike SullivanLabour2023-272012 (2023) UptonStephen BennettLabour2023-272022Jerry WilliamsLabour2023-271996 (2002, 2023)Jean RobinsonLabour2023-272018 West Kirby and ThurstastonJeff GreenConservative2023-271986Jenny JohnsonConservative2023-272019Simon MountneyConservative2023-272004 (2021)
Notes
References
External links Wirral Council Wirral Conservatives Wirral Green Party Wirral Labour Wirral Lib Dems