High Peak Borough Council was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The new council replaced the councils of six former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[2]
The new district was named "High Peak" after the medieval hundred of High Peak, which had covered much of the area.[3] The district was granted borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[4]
In February 2008, the council formed a strategic alliance with the neighbouring Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to share a number of services and staff as a way of reducing costs, including a shared chief executive and senior management team.[5][6]
Governance
High Peak Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Derbyshire County Council.[7] Much of the borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government. The towns of Buxton and Glossop are unparished areas, with High Peak Borough Council performing functions in those towns that would otherwise be the responsibility of parish councils.[8]
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[12][13]
The council is run using the leader and cabinet model. The leader is appointed by the council, and is usually the group leader of the largest party. The leader then chooses other members to form a cabinet, which is known as the executive at High Peak Borough Council. As of July 2023[update] the executive comprised:[16]
Role
Councillor
Leader of the Council
Anthony McKeown
Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Regeneration, Tourism and Leisure
Damien Greenhalgh
Executive Member for Housing and Licensing
Fiona Sloman
Executive Member for Corporate Services and Finance
Alan Barrow
Executive Member for Climate Change and Environment
Jean Todd
Executive Member for Community Safety and Planning
Godfrey Claff
Composition
Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was:[17]
Full council meetings are generally held at the Pavilion Gardens in Buxton.[18] The council's office functions are split between Buxton Town Hall and the Municipal Buildings in Glossop, both buildings having been inherited from the council's predecessor authorities.[19]
The council also inherited offices at Chinley from Chapel-en-le-Frith Rural District Council. The Chinley complex had been built in 1902 as an isolation hospital and had been bought by the rural district council in 1953 and converted to become its offices.[20][21] High Peak Borough Council used the Chinley buildings as its main offices and meeting place with the other buildings serving as additional offices until 2010, when the Chinley site was closed and subsequently sold as a cost-saving measure.[22]
The mayor presides at meetings of the council and acts as first citizen of the borough.[23] The role is usually held by a different councillor each year. They are expected to be politically impartial during their term of office as mayor, although they do get an additional casting vote in the event of a tie.[24] The current mayor is Peter Inman, who was elected as Mayor of High Peak for 2023/24. The current Deputy Mayor is Stewart Gardner.[25]
Former Mayors of the Borough of High Peak include:[26]
Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the council has comprised 43 councillors elected from 28 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[27]
Wards and councillors
Map of electoral wards in High Peak
As of June 2023[update] the 43 councillors were:[28]
On a wreath Or and Vert a piece of Blue john stone Proper within a chevron Sable.
Escutcheon
Sable three piles Or on a base enarched Vert fimbrated Or a fountain.
Supporters
On either side a stag Or attired and unguled Sable gorged with a mural crown Vert and resting the interior hind leg on a piece of Blue John Stone Proper.
Motto
Consilio Semper Publico (Ever in the Public Interest)
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