Bracknell Forest Council

History

The non-metropolitan district of Bracknell was created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the same area as the former Easthampstead Rural District, which had been created in 1894. Bracknell District Council was a lower-tier authority, with Berkshire County Council providing county-level services to the area. In 1988 the district was awarded borough status, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. The council changed the district's name from Bracknell to Bracknell Forest at the same time, becoming Bracknell Forest Borough Council.

In 1998, Berkshire County Council was abolished and its functions were taken over by the county's six districts, including Bracknell Forest. Berkshire continues to exist as a ceremonial county and a non-metropolitan county, albeit without a county council. The council's full legal name remains Bracknell Forest Borough Council, but it styles itself Bracknell Forest Council.

Governance

The council provides both district-level and county-level functions. The whole borough is covered by civil parishes, which form a second tier of local government for their areas.

Political control

The council had been under Labour majority control since the 2023 election. After Cllrs Egglestone and Welch left the Labour Group, the council is now in no overall control.

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially acting as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:

Lower-tier district council

Unitary authority

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Bracknell Forest. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1984 have been:

Composition

Following the 2023 election the composition of the council was as follows:

The next election is due in 2027.

Premises

The council was originally based at Easthampstead House in Town Square, Bracknell, which had been built in 1970 for its predecessor authority, Easthampstead Rural District Council. In 1997 the council acquired additional office space in a modern building called Time Square on Market Street, Bracknell, with functions split between the two buildings for a time. Council meetings continued to be held at Easthampstead House until a new council chamber was created in Time Square in 2018, after which the council vacated Easthampstead House and is now solely based at Time Square.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 41 councillors representing 15 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.

References

References

1. "Council minutes, 14 May 2025".
2. (23 June 2022). "Bracknell Forest Council announces new chief executive". Bracknell News.
3. {{cite legislation UK. (1972)
4. {{cite legislation UK. (1973)
5. (1988). "Bulletin of Changes of Local Authority Status, Names and Areas". Department of the Environment.
6. {{cite legislation UK. (1996)
7. "Pay your council tax".
8. {{cite legislation UK. (1972)
9. "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey.
10. Aldridge, James. (1 October 2025). "Two Bracknell councillors have quit the Labour Party". Bracknell News.
11. "Compositions Calculator". University of Exeter.
12. "Bracknell Forest". [[BBC News Online]].
13. (7 May 1992). "A new man in the hot seat". Bracknell Times.
14. (11 May 1995). "Angell falls in a night of shocks". Wokingham Times.
15. (18 May 1995). "So what went wrong?". Bracknell Times.
16. "Council minutes, 13 May 1997". Bracknell Forest Borough Council.
17. (5 May 2023). "Tories lose control of three Berkshire councils". BBC News.
18. "‘History made’ at Bracknell Forest Council, says new mayor".
19. "Council minutes, 24 May 2023".
20. (9 May 2023). "Local elections 2023: full council results for England". The Guardian.
21. (23 October 1970). "People and Places". Reading Evening Post.
22. Bracknell Forest Borough Council, planning application 622864 for change of use of offices to local authority use at Time Square, Market Street, Bracknell, granted 8 September 1997.
23. (10 April 2014). "Bracknell council services all under one roof after Time Square refurbishment". Berkshire Live.
24. "Council minutes, 23 May 2018".
25. {{cite legislation UK. (2021)