| Borough of Warrington | |
| Settlement Type: | Borough and unitary authority |
| Motto: | Latin: Deus Dat Incrementum |translation=God giveth the increase |
| Coordinates: | 53.3895°N -2.5909°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Sovereign state |
| Subdivision Name: | United Kingdom |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | England |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | North West |
| Subdivision Type3: | Ceremonial county |
| Subdivision Name3: | Cheshire |
| Subdivision Type4: | Historic counties |
| Established Title: | Incorporated |
| Established Date: | 1 April 1974 |
| Established Title1: | Unitary authority |
| Established Date1: | 1 April 1998 |
| Named For: | Warrington |
| Seat Type: | Administrative HQ |
| Seat: | Warrington Town Hall |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Government Type: | Unitary authority |
| Governing Body: | Warrington Borough Council |
| Leader Title: | Executive |
| Leader Name: | Leader and cabinet |
| Leader Title1: | Control |
| Leader Title2: | Leader |
| Leader Name2: | Hans Mundry (L) |
| Leader Title3: | Mayor |
| Leader Name3: | Wendy Johnson (LD) |
| Leader Title4: | MPs |
| Area Rank: | |
| Population Rank: | |
| Population Demonym: | Warringtonian |
| Demographics Type1: | Ethnicity (2021) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Ethnic groups |
| Demographics Type2: | Religion (2021) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Religion |
| Timezone1: | GMT |
| Utc Offset1: | +0 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | BST |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | +1 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postcode areas |
| Postal Code: | WA1–5, WA13 |
| Area Code Type: | Dialling codes |
| Area Code: | 01925 |
| Iso Code: | GB-WRT |
| Blank1 Name: | GSS code |
| Blank1 Info: | E06000007 |
The Borough of Warrington is a unitary authority area with borough status in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The borough is centred around the town of Warrington, and extends out into outlying villages of Lymm and Great Sankey and the town of Birchwood.
The borough is geographically located to the north and northeast of the Cheshire West and Chester and Halton districts in Cheshire, the metropolitan borough of St Helens in Merseyside to the northwest and north and the metropolitan boroughs of Wigan and Trafford in Greater Manchester to the northeast, east, and southeast. Additionally, to the south-east, the borough borders Cheshire East. The borough is also located between the cities of Liverpool, Salford, Manchester, Chester and Preston. The district straddles the historic counties of Cheshire (the southern part of the district includes Lymm and Stockton Heath) and Lancashire (the northern part including Warrington itself and Latchford).
The borough contains the unparished area of Warrington and 18 civil parishes:[2]
The borough was historically split between the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire.[4] [5] [6]
The whole part of the borough (north of the River Mersey) was within the historic boundaries of the county of Lancashire which includes the town of Warrington, and the areas of Latchford, Great Sankey, Culcheth, Glazebury, Burtonwood and Birchwood.
The whole part of the borough (south of the River Mersey) was within the historic boundaries of the county of Cheshire which includes the villages of Lymm, Stockton Heath, Appleton Thorn and Stretton.
In 1974, local government reforms saw many old counties and districts abolished and new counties and districts were created. Warrington along with the neighboring town of Widnes was moved into the county of Cheshire (which saw the entire area from the border with Speke/Widnes to Glazebury/Cadishead moved into the county of Cheshire). The current borough was formed from the County Borough of Warrington, the wards of Culcheth and Newchurch in Golborne Urban District, Warrington Rural District and part of the parish of Bold in Whiston Rural District, in Lancashire and Lymm Urban District and the parishes of Appleton, Grappenhall, Hatton, Stockton Heath, Stretton and Walton from Runcorn Rural District in Cheshire.[7] The M62 motorway forms a border with both Greater Manchester and Merseyside.[8]
The borough became a unitary authority in 1998 alongside Halton[9] making it separate from the-then Cheshire County Council before the 2009 restructuring of local government which saw the county council abolished and replaced by two new unitary authorities, Cheshire East and Cheshire West (and Chester). All four unitary authorities still form Cheshire for ceremonial purposes and share local services.[10] [11]