West Berkshire Council

West Berkshire Council is the local authority of West Berkshire in Berkshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. West Berkshire is divided into 24 wards, electing 43 councillors. The council was created in 1974 as the Newbury District Council. On 1 April 1998 it was renamed West Berkshire Council and since then has been a unitary authority, assuming the powers and functions of the abolished Berkshire County Council within the district. In the 2023 election the Liberal Democrats won 29 out of 43 seats.

History
The council was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as the Newbury District Council. It replaced Bradfield Rural District Council, Hungerford Rural District Council, Newbury Borough Council, Newbury Rural District Council and Wantage Rural District Council.

From 1974 until 1998 Newbury District Council was a lower-tier district authority, with Berkshire County Council being the upper-tier authority for the area. In 1998 Berkshire County Council was abolished and the county's six districts became unitary authorities, taking over the functions of the county council within their respective areas. During the transition period the council decided to change the district's name from Newbury to West Berkshire with effect from 1 April 1998, being the same day the council became a unitary authority.

In 2018, the Court of Appeal ruled that in entering a entering a development agreement with St. Modwen Properties to develop an industrial estate in Newbury, the Council had "effectively agreed to act unlawfully in the future". The disposal of the land in question was seen by the Council as a "land transaction" rather than a public works contract, and the opportunity to acquire the land was advertised so as to secure interested bids and "best consideration" in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972. The agreement allowed the developer the option to draw down land under a series of long leases, but if an option was taken up, the developer was contractually obliged to develop the site. The Court of Appeal, overruling the Administrative Court's judgment at first instance, held that such "contingent obligations" met the criteria for being considered a public works contract, whose procurement should have been undertaken in accordance with the full requirements of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The development agreement was ruled "ineffective".

Governance
West Berkshire Council provides both district-level and county-level functions. The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a second tier of local government.

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

Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:

Newbury District Council

West Berkshire Council (unitary authority)

Leadership
The leaders of the council since 1999 have been:

Composition
Following the 2023 election and a subsequent change of allegiance in October 2023, the composition of the council was:

The Greens, Labour and independent councillors sit together as the "Minority Group". The next election is due in 2027.

Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 43 councillors representing 24 wards, which each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.

Premises
The council's headquarters are the Council Offices on Market Street in Newbury. The building was purpose-built for Newbury District Council at a cost of £3.5 million and was completed in 1982.