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Council
The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley is governed by Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council. The earlier Merseyside County Council was abolished in 1986 so it is effectively a unitary authority. It consists of 45 councillors elected to represent 15 wards: three councillors per ward. Each councillor is elected on a first past the post basis, normally for a four-year period which is staggered annually with the other councillors of that ward so that only one councillor per ward is up for election at any one time. Exceptions to this include by-elections and ward boundary changes. The Labour Party have controlled the council since its establishment in 1974. The current leader of the council is Andy Moorhead (Labour) and the Mayor of Knowsley for 2016-17 is Frank Walsh.

Electoral wards


As of the 2016 local elections, there are 15 electoral wards in the borough. Each ward elects 3 councillors.

Civil parishes
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough comprises five civil parishes. Since April 2014, the parishes are:
 * Cronton
 * Halewood
 * Knowsley Village
 * Prescot
 * Whiston

Huyton and Kirkby are unparished areas, alongside Tarbock, whose parish council was abolished on 1 April 2014 following public consultation.

Coat of arms


The coat of arms comprises a shield, crest supporters, badge and motto.

The gold and blue shield symbolises the heraldry of two families who have played such prominent roles in the history of the area. The crest of the Lathom and Stanleys depicting the 'Eagle and Child' is shown against a gold background of the Lathom shield. The gold cross is the insignia of the Molyneux family of Sefton. The bees on either side of the shield are from the arms of Kirkby. The crest which surmounts the shield is comprised of a double coil of cable representing Prescot's industry, with the 'Liver bird' reflecting Liverpool's strong involvement in the history and development of the region. Two griffins are supporting the shield, the gold griffin has three red roses from the arms of Lancashire County Council. The black griffin has gold beak and legs to signify the Bold family from Whiston, and the three gold fleur-de-lys are from the royal arms of John of Gaunt who once owned the manor of Prescot.

Council
Further information: Sefton local elections

The Metropolitan Borough of Sefton is governed by Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council. The earlier Merseyside County Council was abolished in 1986 so it is effectively a unitary authority. It consists of 66 councillors elected to represent 22 wards: three councillors per ward. Each councillor is elected on a first past the post basis, normally for a four-year period which is staggered annually with the other councillors of that ward so that only one councillor per ward is up for election at any one time. Exceptions to this include by-elections and ward boundary changes. The council was under no overall control from 1986 until 2012 when the Labour Party took majority control. The leader of the council is Ian Maher (Labour) and the Mayor of Sefton for 2016-17 is Iain Brodie-Browne.

Civil parishes
Sefton Metropolitan Borough comprises ten civil parishes. The parishes are:
 * Aintree Village
 * Formby
 * Hightown
 * Ince Blundell
 * Little Altcar
 * Lydiate
 * Maghull
 * Melling
 * Sefton
 * Thornton