Nuneaton and Bedworth
Nuneaton and Bedworth | |
---|---|
![]() Market Place in Nuneaton, the borough's largest town | |
![]() Shown within Warwickshire | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Constituent country | England |
Region | West Midlands |
Administrative county | Warwickshire |
Admin. HQ | Nuneaton |
Government | |
• Type | Non-metropolitan borough |
• MPs | Jodie Gosling Rachel Taylor John Slinger |
Area | |
• Total | 31 sq mi (79 km2) |
• Rank | 218th |
Population (2022) | |
• Total | 135,481 |
• Rank | Ranked 173rd |
• Density | 4,400/sq mi (1,700/km2) |
Ethnicity (2021) | |
• Ethnic groups | |
Religion (2021) | |
• Religion | List
|
Time zone | UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (British Summer Time) |
Postcode | CV7, CV10, CV11, CV12 |
ONS code | 44UC (ONS) E07000219 (GSS) |
Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough status in Warwickshire, England. It includes the towns of Nuneaton (where the council is based) and Bedworth, as well as a modest rural hinterland including the village of Bulkington.
The neighbouring districts are Rugby, Coventry, North Warwickshire and Hinckley and Bosworth.
History
[edit]The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of two former districts which were both abolished at the same time, these were:[2]
The new district was initially named Nuneaton, after its largest town.[3] Nuneaton's borough status, which it had held since 1907,[4] was transferred to the enlarged district, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[5] Following a campaign from Bedworth residents the borough's name was changed to "Nuneaton and Bedworth" with effect from 1 October 1980.[6][7]
Governance
[edit]Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council | |
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![]() | |
Type | |
Type | |
Leadership | |
Tom Shardlow since 1 June 2024[9] | |
Structure | |
Seats | 38 councillors |
![]() | |
Political groups |
|
Elections | |
First past the post | |
Last election | 2 May 2024 |
Next election | May 2026 |
Meeting place | |
![]() | |
Town Hall, Coton Road, Nuneaton, CV11 5AA | |
Website | |
www |
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Warwickshire County Council.[10] There are no civil parishes in the borough, which is an unparished area.[11]
Political control
[edit]At the 2024 election, Labour won a two-seat majority on the council.[12] A subsequent change of allegiance in December 2024 left Labour with exactly half the seats on the council, since when it has been under no overall control.[13]
Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:[14][15]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 1974–2008 | |
Conservative | 2008–2010 | |
No overall control | 2010–2012 | |
Labour | 2012–2018 | |
No overall control | 2018–2021 | |
Conservative | 2021–2024 | |
Labour | 2024–2024 | |
No overall control[13] | 2024–present |
Leadership
[edit]The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Nuneaton and Bedworth. Political leadership is provided instead by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fred Warr[16][17] | Labour | 1 Apr 1974 | Jan 1975 | |
John Haynes[18][19] | Labour | Feb 1975 | 1982 | |
Bill Olner[20] | Labour | May 1982 | May 1986 | |
Dennis Harvey[21][22] | Labour | 1986 | May 2008 | |
Marcus Jones[23][24] | Conservative | May 2008 | 2009 | |
Peter Gilbert[25] | Conservative | 2009 | May 2010 | |
Dennis Harvey[26] | Labour | May 2010 | May 2018 | |
Julie Jackson[27][28] | Labour | 16 May 2018 | May 2021 | |
Kris Wilson[29][30] | Conservative | 19 May 2021 | 15 May 2024 | |
Chris Watkins[31][30] | Labour | 15 May 2024 |
Composition
[edit]Following the 2024 election,[32] and a subsequent change of allegiance in December 2024, the composition of the council was:[33]
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 19 | |
Conservative | 17 | |
Green | 2 | |
Total | 38 |
The next election is due in 2026.[33]
Elections
[edit]Since the last boundary changes in 2024 the council has comprised 38 councillors representing 19 wards, with each ward electing two councillors. Elections are held in alternate years, with half the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office.[34]
Premises
[edit]The council is based at Nuneaton Town Hall on Coton Road in Nuneaton. The building was purpose-built for the old Nuneaton Borough Council and opened in 1934.[35]
Subdivisions
[edit]

Nuneaton and Bedworth are divided into 19 wards, each represented by 2 councillors, giving a total of 38 councillors. The borough has no civil parishes.
Ward name | Approximate coverage | Population (2001 census) |
Population (2011 census) |
---|---|---|---|
Arbury | Heath End, Glendale, Bermuda, Arbury | 5,482 | 6,736 |
Attleborough | Attleborough, Maple Park, SW Whitestone | 7,564 | 7,676 |
Bede | Collycroft (east), Furnace Fields (north), Bedworth town centre, Burnside, Water Tower estate | 6,760 | 6,666 |
Bulkington | Bulkington, Weston-in-Arden, Ryton, Marston Jabbett, Bramcote (west) | 6,303 | 6,146 |
Camp Hill | Camp Hill | 7,325 | 7,321 |
Chilvers Coton | Chilvers Coton | [to be determined] | [to be determined] |
Eastboro | Eastboro | [to be determined] | [to be determined] |
Exhall | Exhall (west), Ash Green, Neals Green, Keresley End | 7,381 | 8,006 |
Galley Common | Galley Common, Chapel End, Whittleford | 7,593 | 8,233 |
Heath | Bedworth Heath, Goodyers End, Market End | 6,377 | 7,473 |
Milby | Milby | [to be determined] | [to be determined] |
Poplar | Furnace Fields (south), Coalpit Field, Exhall (east), Hawkesbury Village | 6,850 | 8,043 |
Slough | Collycroft (west), Mount Pleasant, Bedworth Woodlands, Woodland Park | 7,058 | 7,041 |
St Mary's | St Mary's | [to be determined] | [to be determined] |
St Nicolas | Horeston Grange, Hinckley Road, The Long Shoot, St Nicolas Park (south) | 7,073 | 6,943 |
Stockingford East | Stockingford East | [to be determined] | [to be determined] |
Stockingford West | Stockingford West | [to be determined] | [to be determined] |
Weddington | Weddington, St Nicolas Park (north) | 7,286 | 7,256 |
Whitestone | Whitestone (except SW part), Attleborough Fields | 7,435 | 6,877 |
TOTAL | NUNEATON & BEDWORTH | 119,132 | 125,252 |
For a sortable list of wards in Nuneaton and Bedworth by population, see List of wards in Nuneaton and Bedworth by population.
Twinnings
[edit]Nuneaton and Bedworth is twinned with:
References
[edit]- ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Nuneaton and Bedworth Local Authority (E07000219)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan District (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 17 November 2023
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 3 January 2024
- ^ "Nuneaton Urban District / Municipal Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ Alteration of Areas and Status of Local Authorities 1 October 1980 to 1 April 1981 (PDF). London: Department of the Environment. 1981. p. 17. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Bedworth Timeline". The Bedworth Society. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Council minutes, 14 May 2025". Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "New Chief Executive named". Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
- ^ "Labour gains control of Nuneaton and Bedworth council after Conservative loss". Channel 4 News. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ a b Nevett, Joshua; McIntyre, Alex (12 December 2024). "Labour loses control of council after defection". BBC News. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Nuneaton & Bedworth" in search box to see specific results.)
- ^ "Nuneaton & Bedworth". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ "Tories challenge one-party choice in Nuneaton". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 22 June 1973. p. 52. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "Former mayor dies at work". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 21 January 1975. p. 19. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "Labour group's new leader". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 6 February 1975. p. 12. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "Bedworth goes to the polls". Bedworth Echo. 6 May 1982. p. 3. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "Alliance squeezed from the picture". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 9 May 1986. p. 10. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ Dineen, Maria (12 June 1986). "Club land sale plans ruled out". Coventry Evening Telegraph. p. 2. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ Harrison, Claire (30 November 2017). "Borough council leader announces shock retirement". Coventry Live. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
- ^ "Conservative control for Nuneaton". BBC News. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "The Rt Hon Marcus Jones". gov.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "Election 2010: Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council control in the balance". Coventry Live. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ Harrison, Claire (4 May 2018). "Labour sensationally lose control in Nuneaton and Bedworth election". Coventry Live. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ Harrison, Claire (17 May 2018). "First female leader elected at Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council". Coventry Live. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "Elections 2021: Conservatives take control of Nuneaton and Bedworth council". BBC News. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "Council minutes, 19 May 2021". Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ a b Harrison, Claire (16 May 2024). "'Be courteous' says new council leader after toxic Town Hall claims". Coventry Live. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
- ^ "Council minutes, 15 May 2024". Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "Nuneaton & Bedworth election result". BBC News. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Nuneaton and Bedworth". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "The Nuneaton and Bedworth (Electoral Changes) Order 2024", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2024/3, retrieved 21 January 2024
- ^ Veasey, E.A. (2002), Nuneaton A History, Phillimore & Co. Limited, pages 104, 113–114, 126 ISBN 1 86077 215 3.