| Brighton | |
| Status: | Municipal borough 1854 – 1889 County borough 1889 – 1974 non-metropolitan district, borough 1974 – 1997 |
| Start: | 1854 |
| End: | 1997 |
| Populationlast: | 163,159 |
| Populationlastyear: | 1961 |
Brighton was a non-metropolitan district with borough status of East Sussex, England covering the town of Brighton. Formed in 1854 as a municipal borough, in 1889 it became a county borough independent of the newly formed East Sussex County Council, and from 1974 until its dissolution in 1997 it was a non-metropolitan district within the county of East Sussex. In 1961, the district had a population of 163,159.[1]
Both Charles II, in 1684, and the Prince Regent (Prince of Wales), in 1806, favoured the incorporation of Brighton as a borough, but both of these suggestions came to nothing – the latter because it was likely to cost too much. In 1773 an Act of Parliament resulted in the formation of the Brighton Town Commissioners, 64 men who had control of certain municipal and administrative affairs and who were elected by the townspeople. Their powers were extended in 1810.[2]
More attempts to incorporate as a borough were made in 1848 and 1852 without success, but another petition to the Privy Council and subsequent inquiry in August 1853 found favour, and on 19 January 1854 the Municipal Borough of Brighton was awarded a charter. The borough was then officially incorporated on 1 April 1854 under the terms of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. At that time the borough had six wards, each returning six councillors; the first elections were held on 30 May 1854. The Town Commissioners were dissolved the following year and all "property, powers, privileges and liabilities" were passed over to the Borough Council, including Brighton Town Hall and the Royal Pavilion.
Following the passing of the Local Government Act 1888, Brighton became a county borough independent of the newly formed East Sussex County Council with effect from 1 April 1889. On 1 April 1952 the district gained parts of Falmer and Stanmer parishes from Chailey Rural District,[3] having previously been expanded in 1873 with territory taken from the parish of Preston. Changes to the composition of, and additions to the number of, wards took place at various times, not just when the borough boundaries expanded: the original six wards became seven in 1873 with the creation of a new Preston ward, then these seven were divided into 14 in 1894; from 1928 there were 19, and this number remained until 1983 despite changes to ward boundaries in 1952 and 1955. The changes of 1983 resulted in there being 16 wards in the borough.
On 1 April 1974 the district was reconstituted a non-metropolitan district within the non-metropolitan county of East Sussex,[4] thus being governed by East Sussex County Council for the first time. At this point the county council took responsibility for refuse disposal, libraries, education, social services and fire protection; the borough council remained responsible for collecting refuse, planning services, housing, environmental health, parks and highways.
On 1 April 1997, the district was abolished and merged with the Borough of Hove to form "Brighton and Hove", a non-metropolitan district with its own council, meaning Brighton was again not governed by East Sussex County Council.[5]
The borough was granted a coat of arms on 14 April 1897. A simplified version was used from 1974. The formal description is "Argent, two dolphins naiant sable, a bordure azure, charged with six martlets or. And for the crest, on a wreath of the colours, two dolphins in saltire, heads downwards, sable, between as many branches of coral gules".
The honorary Freedom of the Borough of Brighton was, during the borough's existence, awarded by the council to these "persons of distinction, and persons who have, in the opinion of the council, rendered eminent service to the borough":
Until 1974 the district included the parish of Brighton and until 1928 it also included the parish of Preston, both were urban parishes thus didn't have their own parish council or meeting. In 1974 the district became an unparished area, on 14 December 1995 the parish of Rottingdean was formed[6] from part of Brighton unparished area which split Saltdean from the rest of the unparished area.