Telford and Wrekin Council

Telford and Wrekin Council is the local authority of Telford and Wrekin in Shropshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a county council and district council combined.

History
The council was created in 1974 as The Wrekin District Council, which was a lower-tier district authority with Shropshire County Council providing county-level services to the area. The district became a unitary authority on 1 April 1998, taking over county-level functions from the county council. The district was renamed Telford and Wrekin on the same day.

The district was granted borough status in 2002, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. The council could therefore call itself "Telford and Wrekin Borough Council", but chooses to style itself simply "Telford and Wrekin Council".

Governance
As a unitary authority, Telford and Wrekin Council has the functions of a county council and district council combined. In its capacity as a district council it is a billing authority collecting Council Tax and business rates, it processes local planning applications, it is responsible for housing, waste collection and environmental health. In its capacity as a county council it is a local education authority, responsible for social services, libraries and waste disposal. The whole borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a second tier of local government for the area.

Political control
The council has been under Labour majority control since 2016.

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing councils until the new arrangements came into force on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:

The Wrekin District Council (non-metropolitan district)

Telford and Wrekin Council (unitary authority)

Leadership
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Telford and Wrekin, with political leadership instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2008 have been:

Composition
Following the 2023 election the composition of the council was:

The next elections are due in 2027.

Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 54 councillors representing 32 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.

Premises
The council has its main offices at Southwater One, a modern development in the centre of Telford, which opened in 2014. Full council meetings are usually held at Telford Theatre in Oakengates.

Until 2012 the council had its headquarters at the Civic Offices off Northgate Street. The building was subsequently demolished and a supermarket built on the site.