West Midlands County Council
Encyclopedia
The West Midlands County Council (WMCC) was, from 1974 to 1986, the upper-tier administrative body for the West Midlands county
, a metropolitan county
in England
.
The WMCC existed for a total of twelve years. It was established on 1 April 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972
and was abolished on the 31 March 1986. It was abolished along with five other metropolitan county
councils and the Greater London Council
by the government of Margaret Thatcher
by the Local Government Act 1985
.
The WMCC was a strategic authority running regional services such as transport, emergency services, and strategic planning. Elections were held to the council in 1973, 1977 and 1981. Elections were due to be held in 1985 but were cancelled due to the council's abolition.
The Labour Party
controlled the council from 1974–77, with the Conservatives
controlling it 1977–81. It reverted to Labour control for the last term 1981–86.
When it existed the council's headquarters (County Hall) were based at Lancaster Circus in central Birmingham
, in a building that is now occupied, but not as its headquarters, by Birmingham City Council
.
Upon its abolition, most of the functions of the council such as planning were devolved to the metropolitan district councils of Birmingham
, Coventry
, Dudley, Sandwell
, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton
. Some of its functions were taken over by joint-boards and continued to be run on a county-wide basis, these included policing, fire and rescue and public transport.
Its assets were split between the West Midlands Residuary Body and the West Midlands boroughs councils.
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, a metropolitan county
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The WMCC existed for a total of twelve years. It was established on 1 April 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
and was abolished on the 31 March 1986. It was abolished along with five other metropolitan county
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
councils and the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
by the government of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
by the Local Government Act 1985
Local Government Act 1985
The Local Government Act 1985 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. Its main effect was to abolish the county councils of the metropolitan counties that had been set up in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, along with the Greater London Council that had been established in 1965.The...
.
The WMCC was a strategic authority running regional services such as transport, emergency services, and strategic planning. Elections were held to the council in 1973, 1977 and 1981. Elections were due to be held in 1985 but were cancelled due to the council's abolition.
The Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
controlled the council from 1974–77, with the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
controlling it 1977–81. It reverted to Labour control for the last term 1981–86.
When it existed the council's headquarters (County Hall) were based at Lancaster Circus in central Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, in a building that is now occupied, but not as its headquarters, by Birmingham City Council
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
.
Upon its abolition, most of the functions of the council such as planning were devolved to the metropolitan district councils of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, Dudley, Sandwell
Sandwell
Sandwell is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands with a population of around 289,100, and an area of . The borough is named after Sandwell Priory, and spans a densely populated part of both the Black Country, and the West Midlands conurbation, encompassing the urban towns of Blackheath,...
, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
. Some of its functions were taken over by joint-boards and continued to be run on a county-wide basis, these included policing, fire and rescue and public transport.
Its assets were split between the West Midlands Residuary Body and the West Midlands boroughs councils.
Leaders of the WMCC
| Year | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 to 1977 | Stan Yapp | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1977 to 1981 | John Mark Taylor John Mark Taylor John Mark Taylor is a solicitor and former politician in the United Kingdom. He was the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Solihull from 1983 to 2005, before losing his seat to Lorely Burt of the Liberal Democrats by a margin of 279 votes in the 2005 general election... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| 1981 to 1986 | Gordon Morgan | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |