West Wiltshire

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West Wiltshire District
Shown within non-metropolitan Wiltshire
Geography
Status:	District
Region:	South West England
Admin. County:	Wiltshire
Area: - Total	Ranked 96th 516.92 km²
Admin. HQ:	Trowbridge
ONS code:	46UF
Demographics
Population: - Total (2007 est.) - Density	Ranked / km²
Ethnicity:	98.1% White
Politics
West Wiltshire District Council http://www.westwiltshire.gov.uk/
Leadership:	Leader & Cabinet
Control:
MPs:	Michael Ancram, Andrew Murrison

West Wiltshire was a local government district in Wiltshire, England and was formed on 1 April 1974, further to the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the former urban districts of Bradford-on-Avon, Melksham, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury, along with Bradford and Melksham Rural District and the Warminster and Westbury Rural District. The last district council is based at Trowbridge.

There are five towns in West Wiltshire, Bradford on Avon, Melksham, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury, each surrounded by rural parishes. About two-thirds of the district's population is in its five towns.

The district was abolished as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England.

[edit] The District Council

West Wiltshire District Council had forty-four members, all elected together for a four-year term of office.

[edit] Political profile

At the district elections on 3 May 2007, 26 Conservatives, 14 Liberal Democrats, and four Independents were elected as members of the Council, giving the Conservatives overall control for the first time since 1990.

At the previous district elections in May 2003, 19 Conservatives, 19 Liberal Democrats, two Labour members and four Independents had been elected.

Before that, the Council had been controlled by the Liberal Democrats alone from 1991 to 2003. After it then became hung, an administration of Conservatives and Independents led by Councillor A.G. Phillips O.B.E. (Independent) held office from May 2003 to May 2005, followed by a coalition of Liberal Democrats and Independents led by Councillor Sarah Content (Liberal Democrat), between May 2005 and May 2007. The Conservatives then gained control and appointed Councillor Graham Payne (Conservative) as Leader and Councillor A.G. Phillips O.B.E. (now also a Conservative) as Deputy Leader.

See main article West Wiltshire local elections.

[edit] Office holders

The following office holders of West Wiltshire District Council were appointed following the elections on 3 May, 2007:

Chairman of the Council - Julie Swabey
Leader of the Council - Graham Payne
Deputy Leader of the Council - A. G. Phillips OBE
Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee - Ernie Clark
Chairman of the Planning Committee - Peter Fuller
Chairman of the Licencing Committee - Brian Mudge
Chairman of the Audit Committee - Rod Eaton

[edit] Parliamentary representation

At the parliamentary level, West Wiltshire is represented by two Conservative Members of Parliament, former minister Michael Ancram and current Shadow Minister for Health Andrew Murrison.