| Borough of Hyndburn | |
| Type: | Borough and non-metropolitan district |
| Image Blank Emblem: | Hyndburn coat of arms.png |
| Blank Emblem Size: | 150px |
| Blank Emblem Type: | Coat of Arms |
| Subdivision Type: | Sovereign state |
| Subdivision Name: | United Kingdom |
| Subdivision Type1: | Constituent country |
| Subdivision Name1: | England |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | North West England |
| Subdivision Type3: | Ceremonial county |
| Subdivision Name3: | Lancashire |
| Seat Type: | Admin. HQ |
| Seat: | Accrington |
| Government Type: | Hyndburn Borough Council |
| Leader Title2: | MPs |
| Leader Name2: | Sarah Smith |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1974 |
| Area Rank: | |
| Population Rank: | Ranked |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | Greenwich Mean Time |
| Utc Offset: | +0 |
| Timezone Dst: | British Summer Time |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +1 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postcode |
| Postal Code: | BB1, BB5, BB6 |
| Area Code: | 01254 |
| Blank Name: | ISO 3166-2 |
| Blank1 Name: | ONS code |
| Blank1 Info: | 30UG (ONS) E07000120 (GSS) |
| Blank2 Name: | OS grid reference |
| Blank3 Name: | NUTS 3 |
| Demographics Type1: | Ethnicity (2021) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Ethnic groups |
| Demographics Type2: | Religion (2021) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Religion |
Hyndburn is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Accrington, the largest town, and the borough also covers the outlying towns of Clayton-le-Moors, Great Harwood, Oswaldtwistle and Rishton. The borough was created in 1974 and takes its name from the River Hyndburn. It had a population of 80,734 at the 2011 Census. Elections to the council are held in three out of every four years, with one third of the 35 seats on the council being elected at each election. Both the Conservative and Labour parties have controlled the council at different times, as well as periods when no party has had a majority.
Hyndburn borders the boroughs of Ribble Valley to the north, Burnley to the east, Rossendale to the south, and Blackburn with Darwen to the west.
The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, as a non-metropolitan district covering the territory of six former districts, which were abolished at the same time, plus a single parish from a seventh district:[1]
The new district was given the name Hyndburn, taken from the River Hyndburn which passes through the district.[2] The new district was awarded borough status on the day that it came into being, allowing the chairman of the council to take the title of mayor.[3]
In 2007, the council proposed changing the name from Hyndburn to "Accrington and Districts", to aid recognition of the borough by those not familiar with the area.[4] After a public consultation, the change of name did not go ahead.[5]
| Hyndburn Borough Council | |
| Logo Pic: | Hyndburn Borough Council logo.svg |
| Logo Res: | 220px |
| House Type: | Non-metropolitan district |
| Foundation: | 1 April 1974 |
| Leader1 Type: | Mayor |
| Leader1: | Mike Booth |
| Party1: | Labour |
| Election1: | 23 May 2024[6] |
| Leader2 Type: | Leader |
| Leader2: | Munsif Dad |
| Party2: | Labour |
| Election2: | 23 May 2024 |
| Leader3 Type: | Chief Executive |
| Leader3: | David Welsby |
| Seats: | 35 councillors |
| Structure1 Res: | 250px |
| Political Groups1: |
|
| Voting System1: | First past the post |
| Last Election1: | 2 May 2024 |
| Next Election1: | 7 May 2026 |
| Session Room: | Accrington Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 2942156.jpg |
| Meeting Place: | Town Hall, Blackburn Road, Accrington, BB51LA |
Hyndburn Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Lancashire County Council. Altham is a civil parish, which forms a third tier of local government for that part of the borough.[7]
In March 2010, Hyndburn Borough Council was voted the 10th best council in The Times "Best Public Sector Places to Work".[8] The borough also made it to The Times Best Companies Guide.
The council has been under no overall control since 2022. Following the 2023 election a Conservative minority administration formed.
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[9] [10]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| 1974–1976 | ||
| 1976–1980 | ||
| 1980–1984 | ||
| 1984–1986 | ||
| 1986–1999 | ||
| 1999–2000 | ||
| 2000–2002 | ||
| 2002–2003 | ||
| 2003–2010 | ||
| 2010–2011 | ||
| 2011–2022 | ||
| 2022–2024 | ||
| 2024–present | ||
The role of Mayor of Hyndburn is largely ceremonial, with political leadership instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:[11]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wallace Haines | 1974 | 1976 | ||
| Donald McNeil | 1976 | 1980 | ||
| Michael Hindley | 1980 | 1984 | ||
| Nigel Bramley-Haworth | 1984 | 1986 | ||
| Edward Saville | 1986 | 1988 | ||
| George Slynn | 1988 | 1999 | ||
| Peter Britcliffe | 1999 | 2002 | ||
| Ian Ormerod | 2002 | 2002 | ||
| Jean Battle | 2002 | 2003 | ||
| Peter Britcliffe | 2003 | 2011 | ||
| Miles Parkinson[12] | 2011 | 24 Mar 2022 | ||
| 24 Mar 2022 | 7 May 2023 | |||
| Marlene Haworth | 18 May 2023 | 23 May 2024 | ||
| Munsif Dad | 23 May 2024 | |||
Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was:[13]
| Party | Councillors | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | |||
| 11 | |||
| 1 | |||
| 1 | |||
| Total | 35 | ||
The next election is due in 2026.
Since the last boundary changes in 2002 the council has comprised 35 councillors representing 16 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with roughly a third of the council elected each time for a four year term of office. Lancashire County Council elections are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no borough council elections.[14]
The council's main offices are at Scaitcliffe House on Ormerod Street in Accrington, being part of a converted textile mill. The council moved there in 2002.[15] Full council meetings are usually held at Accrington Town Hall.[16]
There are approximately nine state secondary schools in Hyndburn. These include The Hyndburn Academy, St Christopher's Church of England High School, Accrington Academy, Rhyddings, Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School, The Hollins, along with Broadfield Specialist School, and North Cliffe School.[17]
The percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more GCSEs at grades A*-C has increased from 43.7% in 2001 up to 75.9% in 2011. Absences dropped from 12,052 in 2006 to 9,545 in 2011, mainly due to schools competing.[18]
The district is polycentric and is located between the larger settlements of Blackburn and Burnley. It is linked to both areas by the M65 motorway and the East Lancashire railway line.
The borough had a population of 80,734 at the 2011 census.[19] Much of the borough forms part of the Accrington/Rossendale Built-up area as defined by the Office for National Statistics, which covers the borough and parts of the neighbouring borough of Rossendale. The Acrrington/Rossendale built-up area extends from the town of Accrington to Rawtenstall and Bacup, taking in parts of the boroughs of Hyndburn and Rossendale. The Accrington/Rossendale built-up area was recorded at having a population of 125,059 at the 2011 census.[20]
Altham is the only civil parish in Hyndburn. The rest of the borough is an unparished area.[21]
The role of mayor is usually held by a different councillor each year. They chair meetings of the full council and are expected to be politically impartial during their term of office, but they do get an additional casting vote in the event of a tie. The mayors since 1974 have been:[22]
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of Hyndburn.