# West Berkshire Council

West Berkshire Council is the local authority of West Berkshire in Berkshire, England. The council was created in 1974 as Newbury District Council, and was a lower-tier district council until 1998. The district was renamed West Berkshire on 1 April 1998 when the council became a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council.
The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since 2023. It is based at the Council Offices in Newbury.

## History

The council was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as the Newbury District Council. It replaced Bradfield Rural District Council, Hungerford Rural District Council, Newbury Borough Council, Newbury Rural District Council and Wantage Rural District Council.
From 1974 until 1998 Newbury District Council was a lower-tier district authority, with Berkshire County Council being the upper-tier authority for the area. In 1998 Berkshire County Council was abolished and the county's six districts became unitary authorities, taking over the functions of the county council within their respective areas. During the transition period the council decided to change the district's name from Newbury to West Berkshire with effect from 1 April 1998, being the same day the council became a unitary authority.
In 2018, the Court of Appeal ruled that in entering a entering a development agreement with St. Modwen Properties to develop an industrial estate in Newbury, the Council had "effectively agreed to act unlawfully in the future". The disposal of the land in question was seen by the Council as a "land transaction" rather than a public works contract, and the opportunity to acquire the land was advertised so as to secure interested bids and "best consideration" in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972. The agreement allowed the developer the option to draw down land under a series of long leases, but if an option was taken up, the developer was contractually obliged to develop the site. The Court of Appeal, overruling the Administrative Court's judgment at first instance, held that such "contingent obligations" met the criteria for being considered a public works contract, whose procurement should have been undertaken in accordance with the full requirements of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The development agreement was ruled "ineffective".

## Governance

West Berkshire Council provides both district-level and county-level functions. The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a second tier of local government.

### Political control

The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since the 2023 election.
Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:
Newbury District Council
| Party in control | Years |
| No overall control | 1974–1976 |
| Conservative | 1976–1991 |
| Liberal Democrats | 1991–1998 |
West Berkshire Council (unitary authority)
| Party in control | Years |
| Liberal Democrats | 1998–2003 |
| No overall control | 2003–2005 |
| Conservative | 2005–2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | 2023–present |

### Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1999 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| Keith Lock | Liberal Democrats | 1999 | 2001 |
| Lena Rust | Liberal Democrats | 2001 | May 2003 |
| Royce Longton | Liberal Democrats | 2003 | 2005 |
| Graham Jones | Conservative | 10 May 2005 | 27 Sep 2012 |
| Gordon Lundie | Conservative | 27 Sep 2012 | 5 Nov 2015 |
| Roger Croft | Conservative | 5 Nov 2015 | 24 Mar 2017 |
| Graham Jones | Conservative | 9 May 2017 | May 2019 |
| Lynne Doherty | Conservative | 21 May 2019 | May 2023 |
| Lee Dillon | Liberal Democrats | 25 May 2023 | 30 Apr 2024 |
| Jeff Brooks | Liberal Democrats | 9 May 2024 | |

### Composition

Following the 2023 election and a subsequent change of allegiance in October 2023, the composition of the council was:
| Party | Party | Councillors |
| | Liberal Democrats | 28 |
| | Conservative | 11 |
| | Green | 2 |
| | Labour | 1 |
| | Independent | 1 |
| Total | Total | 43 |
The Greens, Labour and independent councillors sit together as the "Minority Group". The next election is due in 2027.

## Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 43 councillors representing 24 wards, which each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.

## Premises

The council's headquarters are the Council Offices on Market Street in Newbury. The building was purpose-built for Newbury District Council at a cost of £3.5 million and was completed in 1982.