Berkshire County Council

Berkshire County Council was the county-level local authority for Berkshire, England. It was established under the Local Government Act 1888 and began operating on 1 April 1889, replacing many administrative functions previously handled through the quarter sessions and other unelected county institutions. The council served the historic administrative county of Berkshire and, after the 1974 local-government reforms, the reconstituted non-metropolitan county of Berkshire. Its responsibilities developed around the main functions associated with an English county council. These included education, social services, highways and public transport, strategic planning, waste disposal, emergency services and other county-wide administrative duties. The council operated alongside lower-tier district councils, while Reading was initially a county borough and therefore handled its own county-level services. The local-government structure changed substantially in 1974: Berkshire lost territory around Abingdon and Oxford to Oxfordshire, gained the Slough and Eton area from Buckinghamshire, and Reading came within the county council's area. Six non-metropolitan districts were created or retained below the county level: Bracknell, Newbury, Reading, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham. Bracknell was renamed Bracknell Forest in 1988. The council's principal civic base was in Reading. It initially met at the Assize Courts on The Forbury, a building that had also been used by the quarter sessions. As administrative demands expanded, Berkshire County Council built Shire Hall beside the courts in 1911. In 1981 it moved to a larger Shire Hall at Shinfield Park, south of Reading and outside the borough boundary in the parish of Shinfield. The new premises were reported to have cost approximately £27.5 million at the time, although this figure is not treated here as a current financial measure. The institution's political character changed over time. Before 1974, many councillors stood as independents and party labels were not routinely shown on ballot papers. Political competition became more prominent after the 1974 reforms. Conservatives controlled the council until 1992, when a Liberal Democrat and Labour coalition took office. That coalition continued after the 1993 election but fractured in 1996; a Liberal Democrat minority administration then governed with informal Conservative support until abolition. The council's first chairmen combined ceremonial and political leadership, but after 1974 the separate office of council leader was created while the chairman became primarily ceremonial. Berkshire County Council was abolished as part of the unitary-authority reforms that followed the Local Government Act 1992 and the subsequent Banham Review. The government chose not to merge the districts into a smaller number of authorities. Instead, the six existing district councils assumed county-level responsibilities in their own areas from 1 April 1998. The county council's final day was 31 March 1998. The six successor unitary authorities are Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham. Newbury District Council changed its name to West Berkshire Council at the same time. The former council therefore survives as a historical local-government institution rather than an active public body.

Berkshire County Council originated in the creation of elected county councils under the Local Government Act 1888. The first elections were held in January 1889, and the council formally began work on 1 April 1889. Its first official meeting was held at Reading Assize Courts on The Forbury. William George Mount served as the first chairman and had previously chaired the quarter sessions and represented Newbury in Parliament. The original administrative county did not exactly match the historic county. Reading was a county borough and consequently exercised county-level functions independently. Boundary arrangements also placed Abingdon wholly within Berkshire and Oxford wholly within Oxfordshire after earlier urban sanitary districts had crossed the county boundary. During its early decades, the council inherited and expanded responsibilities relating to roads, education, public health, social administration and other county services. Its political system was initially less party-oriented than the later modern pattern: many councillors were elected as independents, and party affiliations were not printed on ballot papers until 1970. In 1911 the council established a dedicated administrative building, Shire Hall, immediately west of the Assize Courts. Meetings continued to be held at the courts, but the council's offices required more space as its responsibilities grew. In 1957 Berkshire was granted permission to use the title Royal County of Berkshire. The council subsequently used the formal description County Council of the Royal County of Berkshire, although Berkshire County Council remained the common name. The Local Government Act 1972 brought a major reorganisation into effect in 1974. The former administrative county was replaced by a new non-metropolitan county. Berkshire transferred a substantial area north-west of the Berkshire Downs to Oxfordshire while acquiring Slough and Eton from Buckinghamshire. Reading, which had previously been a county borough, was brought under the county council for the first time. The lower tier was reorganised into six districts: Bracknell, Newbury, Reading, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham. Bracknell later adopted the name Bracknell Forest in 1988. The post-1974 council had a clearer separation between ceremonial and political leadership. The chairman became principally a civic figure, while the leader of the council directed the administration. Conservatives controlled the authority until 1992. A Liberal Democrat–Labour coalition then took control and remained in office after the 1993 election. The coalition broke down in 1996, after which a Liberal Democrat minority administration governed with informal Conservative support. The final months included an acting leadership arrangement in which Jeff Brooks served as acting leader after Bob Mowatt's deputy role. The council's abolition arose from the national policy of creating unitary authorities. The Local Government Act 1992 enabled areas to combine district and county responsibilities in single-tier councils. The Banham Review considered reforms for Berkshire and proposed a structure involving fewer authorities, including a possible merger of Bracknell Forest with Windsor and Maidenhead. The government instead retained all six districts but converted each into a unitary authority. Berkshire County Council's final day was 31 March 1998; the six districts assumed its functions from 1 April. The institutional transition also affected local political and civic activity. Tony Wiseman, one of the council's last chairmen, later helped establish the campaign group CRAG with other former members. The group opposed Wokingham Borough Council's proposal for housing development between Reading and Basingstoke, associated with the proposed conurbation name Readingstoke. The council also possessed its own coat of arms rather than arms belonging independently to Berkshire as a county. The College of Arms granted arms in 1947, with later supporters added in 1961. Following the 1974 boundary changes, the design was modified because Uffington and Harwell, referenced by elements of the earlier symbolism, were transferred to Oxfordshire. The later design used a black horse associated with Berkshire's racing traditions and a six-pointed star representing the six districts. Because the arms belonged to the council as an organisation, the right to use them ended with the council's abolition.

• 1998

  Council abolished

  [1]Berkshire County Councilen.wikipedia.org

  The council ended on 31 March, and the six district councils became unitary authorities from 1 April.

• 1992

  Change in political control

  [1]Berkshire County Councilen.wikipedia.org

  A Liberal Democrat and Labour coalition replaced Conservative control of the council.

• 1981

  Relocation to Shinfield Park

  [1]Berkshire County Councilen.wikipedia.org

  The council moved from its earlier Reading headquarters to a larger Shire Hall at Shinfield Park.

• 1974

  County and district government reorganised

  [1]Berkshire County Councilen.wikipedia.org

  The Local Government Act 1972 reforms created the post-1974 non-metropolitan county and six districts, while changing Berkshire's boundaries and bringing Reading into the county council's area.

• 1957

  Royal County designation approved

  [1]Berkshire County Councilen.wikipedia.org

  Elizabeth II authorised Berkshire to use the designation Royal County of Berkshire.

• 1911

  First Shire Hall opens

  [1]Berkshire County Councilen.wikipedia.org

  The council built dedicated offices beside the Assize Courts in Reading as its administrative workload expanded.

• 1889

  Council established

  [1]Berkshire County Councilen.wikipedia.org

  Berkshire County Council was created under the Local Government Act 1888 and formally commenced operations on 1 April 1889.

A former county-level public authority providing strategic and statutory services across Berkshire before the area moved to a six-unitary-authority model.

Product categories. Local government administration · Education and social services · Highways and public transport · Strategic planning and waste management · Emergency and county-wide public services

• 1990CRAG opposition to Readingstoke development

  Berkshire, England

  After leaving county-council office, former chairman Tony Wiseman helped establish CRAG with other former members. The group campaigned against Wokingham Borough Council proposals for housing between Reading and Basingstoke and opposed the idea of creating a conurbation known as Readingstoke.

  Outcome. The campaign group successfully opposed the proposal, according to the historical account of the council.

  Source

• 1998

  Transition to six unitary authoritiesStrategy

  Background

  National local-government reform enabled district councils to assume county-level functions. A review had considered reducing the number of Berkshire authorities, but the government chose to retain all six districts.

  Action taken

  Berkshire County Council was abolished, and Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham became single-tier authorities from 1 April 1998.

  Aftermath

  County and district responsibilities were consolidated locally, ending Berkshire's separate county-council tier.

  Source

• 1974

  Implementation of county-government reorganisationStrategy

  Background

  The Local Government Act 1972 required a new non-metropolitan county structure and revised Berkshire's boundaries.

  Action taken

  The council continued as the authority for the reconstituted county, working alongside six newly defined non-metropolitan districts and taking responsibility for Reading.

  Aftermath

  The reform created the institutional structure that remained until the unitary-authority changes of 1998.

  Source

• 1998

  Berkshire County Council is abolished and replaced by six unitary authorities[1]Berkshire County Councilen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The county council ceased to exist on 31 March 1998. From 1 April, Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham assumed both district and county functions in their respective areas.

• 1981

  Berkshire County Council moves to new Shire Hall at Shinfield Park[1]Berkshire County Councilen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The council left its earlier Shire Hall in Reading and moved to a larger purpose-built headquarters at Shinfield Park, reflecting the expansion of its administrative requirements.

• 1957

  Berkshire receives Royal County designation[1]Berkshire County Councilen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Elizabeth II granted permission for Berkshire to use the designation Royal County of Berkshire, which the council adopted in formal notices and institutional styling.

1. 1Berkshire County Councilen.wikipedia.org