# Nuneaton and Bedworth

Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough status in Warwickshire, England. It includes the towns of Nuneaton (where the council is based) and Bedworth, as well as a modest rural hinterland including the village of Bulkington.
The neighbouring districts are Rugby, Coventry, North Warwickshire and Hinckley and Bosworth.

## History

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of two former districts which were both abolished at the same time, these were:
* Bedworth Urban District
* Nuneaton Municipal Borough
The new district was initially named Nuneaton, after its largest town. Nuneaton's borough status, which it had held since 1907, was transferred to the enlarged district, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. Following a campaign from Bedworth residents the borough's name was changed to "Nuneaton and Bedworth" with effect from 1 October 1980.

## Governance

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Warwickshire County Council. There are no civil parishes in the borough, which is an unparished area.

### Political control

The council was under Labour majority control since the 2024 election. On 11 December, after councillor Will Markham defected to the Conservatives at a Town Hall meeting, Labour lost control of the council, which seen it become no overall control.
Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:
| Party in control | Years |
| Labour | 1974–2008 |
| Conservative | 2008–2010 |
| No overall control | 2010–2012 |
| Labour | 2012–2018 |
| No overall control | 2018–2021 |
| Conservative | 2021–2024 |
| Labour | May 2024–December 2024 |
| No overall control | December 2024–present |

### Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Nuneaton and Bedworth. Political leadership is provided instead by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| John Haynes | Labour | May 1974 | May 1982 |
| Bill Olner | Labour | May 1982 | May 1986 |
| Dennis Harvey | Labour | 1986 | May 2008 |
| Marcus Jones | Conservative | May 2008 | May 2009 |
| Peter Gilbert | Conservative | May 2009 | 12 May 2010 |
| Dennis Harvey | Labour | 12 May 2010 | 6 May 2018 |
| Julie Jackson | Labour | 16 May 2018 | 9 May 2021 |
| Kristofer Wilson | Conservative | 19 May 2021 | 15 May 2024 |
| Chris Watkins | Labour | 2 May 2024 | |

### Composition

Following the 2024 election the composition of the council was:
| Party | Party | Councillors |
| | Labour | 20 |
| | Conservative | 16 |
| | Green | 2 |
| Total | Total | 38 |
The next election is due in 2026.

### Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2024 the council has comprised 38 councillors representing 19 wards, with each ward electing two councillors. Elections are held in alternate years, with half the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office.

### Premises

The council is based at Nuneaton Town Hall on Coton Road in Nuneaton. The building was purpose-built for the old Nuneaton Borough Council and opened in 1934.

## Subdivisions

Nuneaton and Bedworth are divided into 19 wards, each represented by 2 councillors, giving a total of 38 councillors. The borough has no civil parishes.
| Ward name | Approximate coverage | Population (2001 census) | Population (2011 census) |
| Arbury | Heath End, Glendale, Bermuda, Arbury | 5,482 | 6,736 |
| Attleborough | Attleborough, Maple Park, SW Whitestone | 7,564 | 7,676 |
| Bede | Collycroft (east), Furnace Fields (north), Bedworth town centre, Burnside, Water Tower estate | 6,760 | 6,666 |
| Bulkington | Bulkington, Weston-in-Arden, Ryton, Marston Jabbett, Bramcote (west) | 6,303 | 6,146 |
| Camp Hill | Camp Hill | 7,325 | 7,321 |
| Chilvers Coton | Chilvers Coton | | |
| Eastboro | Eastboro | | |
| Exhall | Exhall (west), Ash Green, Neals Green, Keresley End | 7,381 | 8,006 |
| Galley Common | Galley Common, Chapel End, Whittleford | 7,593 | 8,233 |
| Heath | Bedworth Heath, Goodyers End, Market End | 6,377 | 7,473 |
| Milby | Milby | | |
| Poplar | Furnace Fields (south), Coalpit Field, Exhall (east), Hawkesbury Village | 6,850 | 8,043 |
| Slough | Collycroft (west), Mount Pleasant, Bedworth Woodlands, Woodland Park | 7,058 | 7,041 |
| St Mary's | St Mary's | | |
| St Nicolas | Horeston Grange, Hinckley Road, The Long Shoot, St Nicolas Park (south) | 7,073 | 6,943 |
| Stockingford East | Stockingford East | | |
| Stockingford West | Stockingford West | | |
| Weddington | Weddington, St Nicolas Park (north) | 7,286 | 7,256 |
| Whitestone | Whitestone (except SW part), Attleborough Fields | 7,435 | 6,877 |
| TOTAL | NUNEATON & BEDWORTH | 119,132 | 125,252 |
For a sortable list of wards in Nuneaton and Bedworth by population, see List of wards in Nuneaton and Bedworth by population.

## Twinnings

Nuneaton and Bedworth is twinned with:
* Roanne, France
* Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain
* Cottbus, Germany