City of Chelmsford
City and borough
Chelmsford Cathedral in Chelmsford, the administrative centre of the district
Chelmsford Cathedral in Chelmsford, the administrative centre of the district
Chelmsford shown within Essex
Chelmsford shown within Essex
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryEngland
RegionEast of England
Non-metropolitan countyEssex
Admin HQChelmsford
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyChelmsford City Council
 • LeadershipLeader & Cabinet (Liberal Democrat)
 • MPsVicky Ford
Kemi Badenoch
John Whittingdale
Area
 • Total132.14 sq mi (342.24 km2)
 • Rank107th (of 296)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total181,763
 • Rank113th (of 296)
 • Density1,400/sq mi (530/km2)
 • Ethnicity
94.6% White
2.0% S.Asian
1.3% Black
1.2% Mixed Race
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code22UF (ONS)
E07000070 (GSS)
OS grid referenceTL713070
Click the map for an interactive fullscreen view

The City of Chelmsford (/ˈtʃɛlmzfəd/) is a local government district with borough and city status in Essex, England. It is named after its main settlement, Chelmsford, which is also the county town of Essex. As well as the settlement of Chelmsford itself, the district also includes the surrounding rural area and the town of South Woodham Ferrers.

The neighbouring districts are Uttlesford, Braintree, Maldon, Rochford, Basildon, Brentwood and Epping Forest.

History

Chelmsford's first elected council was a local board of health established in 1850.[1] This replaced a body of improvement commissioners which had previously administered the town under the Chelmsford Improvement Act 1789 (29 Geo. 3. c. 44).[2] The local board in turn was replaced by the Chelmsford Corporation in 1888 when the town was incorporated to become a municipal borough.[3][4]

The current district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering two former districts which were abolished at the same time:[5]

The new district was named Chelmsford after its main town.[6] The new council was initially called "Chelmsford District Council". Charter trustees were established for the area of the former municipal borough so as to allow the town to continue to have a mayor. The new district was granted borough status in 1977, changing the name of the council to "Chelmsford Borough Council" and allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor instead, with the charter trustees then being disbanded.[7]

On 1 June 2012 the district was granted city status to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, and the council therefore changed its name to "Chelmsford City Council".[8][9][10]

Governance

Chelmsford City Council
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Linda Mascot,
Liberal Democrat
since 24 May 2023[11]
Stephen Robinson,
Liberal Democrat
since 22 May 2019
Nick Eveleigh
since February 2018[12]
Structure
Seats57
Political groups
Administration (33)
  Liberal Democrats (33)

Opposition (24)

  Conservatives (20)
  Independent (4)
Elections
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
Chelmsford Civic Centre, Duke Street, Chelmsford, CM1 1JE
Website
www.chelmsford.gov.uk

Chelmsford City Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Essex County Council. Parts of the district are also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[13]

Political control

The council has been controlled by the Liberal Democrats since the 2019 election.[14]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[15][16]

Party in controlYears
No overall control1974–1976
Conservative1976–1983
Alliance1983–1988
Liberal Democrats1988–1991
Conservative1991–1995
Liberal Democrats1995–1999
No overall control1999–2003
Conservative2003–2019
Liberal Democrats2019–present

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Chelmsford. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2003 have been:[17]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Roy Whitehead Conservative200322 May 2019
Stephen Robinson Liberal Democrats22 May 2019

Composition

Following the 2023 election and a subsequent change of allegiance in July 2023, the composition of the council was:[18]

PartyCouncillors
Liberal Democrats33
Conservative20
Independent4
Total57

Three of the independent politicians sit together as the "Chelmsford Independents Group".[19] The next election is due in 2027.

Premises

The council is based at Chelmsford Civic Centre on Duke Street in Chelmsford. The building was purpose-built for the former borough council and was opened in 1935.[20]

Elections

Since the last full review of boundaries in 2003 the council has comprised 57 councillors elected from 24 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[21]

Geography

South Woodham Ferrers, the only town in the district

The district has two major centres, the principal settlement Chelmsford in the centre and the town of South Woodham Ferrers to the south east. The remainder of the district is predominantly rural, with many villages and hamlets.

The River Chelmer flows into the district near North End and flows to Chelmsford where the River Can converges with it at the city centre. The River Chelmer then flows out of the district between Boreham and Little Baddow. The River Can's source is in the north west of the district. The River Wid flows from the south of the borough through Widford towards the centre past Writtle to join the River Can between Writtle and Chelmsford. The River Crouch flows along the part of the southeastern border below South Woodham Ferrers. Hanningfield Reservoir, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, is located in the south of the borough.

Transport

The rail links, both national and international, which run through the borough, are all operated by Greater Anglia. Two national rail services operate. The Great Eastern Main Line runs through the centre, stopping at Chelmsford railway station. Services via Chelmsford operate between London Liverpool Street and Ipswich, Clacton, Harwich, Braintree or Norwich. The Crouch Valley Line also runs through the far south-east tip of the borough, stopping at South Woodham Ferrers, running services between Wickford and Southminster.

The Amsterdam Express, a rail/sea/rail international service owned by also stops at Chelmsford, on its route between London and the Netherlands, via North Sea ferries.

There are several primary routes within the borough. One of these, the A12, is also a trunk road and runs from London and the M25, centrally in a north-easterly direction through the borough bypassing the city of Chelmsford onwards to Suffolk and Norfolk. Two other significant primary routes are the A130 which runs north-south across Essex and the A414, which begins as a primary route in Chelmsford but its terminus us Maldon in Essex. The A414 then runs west through Essex, meets the M11 and then its path continues into Hertfordshire via Harlow. Various other A- and B-Roads connect the borough, especially the city of Chelmsford to the rest of the county and beyond.

There is, additionally, a large integrated bus network provided primarily by First Essex which connects the city to towns and villages across the county. Other smaller operators also provide services, such as Stephensons of Essex and Arriva Essex.

Parishes

There are 29 civil parishes in the district. The former Chelmsford Municipal Borough is an unparished area, directly administered by Chelmsford City Council. The parish council for South Woodham Ferrers takes the style "Town Council", whilst the parish of Mashbury has a parish meeting rather than a parish council due to its small population.[22]

Education

Educational establishments in the borough include:

Tourism

Henry VIII's former Palace of Beaulieu is situated in Boreham, now occupied by the New Hall School. Also located in the borough include the RHS Garden, Hyde Hall at Rettendon, and numerous open spaces in Chelmsford, including Admirals and Central Parks. Writtle, where Robert the Bruce is said to have married his second wife Elizabeth de Burgh in 1302, has English Royal connections, with King John building a hunting lodge there in 1211. Much of the site now lies within the grounds of Writtle College, the internationally famous centre for horticulture and agriculture. A few miles away is the village of Pleshey, where stand the ruins of a once important castle mentioned in William Shakespeare's play Richard II. The entire circuit of the castle walls can still be traced in the village streets. American tourists often visit the village of Springfield, Essex, the origin of "Springfield" as a popular place name, first giving its name to the important City of Springfield, Massachusetts, and subsequently Springfield, Illinois, the state capital of Illinois, and Springfield, Missouri, among numerous others.

Freedom of the City

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the City of Chelmsford.

Individuals

Arms

Coat of arms of City of Chelmsford
Notes
Granted 3 March 1975.
Crest
On a wreath of the colours a garb Or transfixed with a seaxe and a sword in saltire points upwards both Proper.
Escutcheon
Argent three bars wavy Azure on a chief indented Gules a saltire couped between two mullets Argent.
Supporters
Dexter a lion Azure supporting an episcopal crozier Or sinister a like lion supporting an abbatical crozier Or with veil proper upon a compartment comprising a triple arched stone bridge above water barry wavy.
Motto
Many Minds One Heart[25]

References

  1. ↑ "Chelmsford Board of Health". Chelmsford Chronicle. 13 September 1850. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  2. ↑ An act for paving the footways of the several streets, public passages and places within the town of Chelmsford, and hamlet of Moulsham, in the parish of Chelmsford, in the county of Essex, and for cleaning, lighting, and watching the said town and hamlet, and for removing and preventing nuisances, annoyances, and encroachments therein (29 Geo. 3. c. 44)
  3. ↑ "The Incorporation of Chelmsford: Reception of the Charter yesterday". Essex Weekly News. Chelmsford. 20 September 1888. p. 3. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  4. ↑ "Chelmsford Municipal Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  5. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
  6. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
  7. ↑ Department of the Environment (30 January 1978). "Alteration of Status of Local Authorities 1975–1978" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 June 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  8. ↑ "Chelmsford, Perth and St Asaph gain city status to mark the Diamond Jubilee". The official website of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  9. ↑ "Written Ministerial Statement - Diamond Jubilee Civic Honours Competition" (PDF). Cabinet Office. 14 March 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  10. ↑ "No. 60167". The London Gazette. 11 June 2012. p. 11125.
  11. ↑ "Mayor of Chelmsford". Chelmsford City Council. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  12. ↑ "Chelmsford City Council appoints new chief executive, Nick Eveleigh, following death of Steve Packham". Chelmsford and Mid Essex Times. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  13. ↑ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  14. ↑ Walker, Peter (3 May 2019). "Lib Dems enjoy local election 'surge' as Tory councils are toppled". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  15. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  16. ↑ "Chelmsford". BBC News Online. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
  17. ↑ "Council minutes". Chelmsford City Council. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  18. ↑ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  19. ↑ "Find a councillor". Chelmsford City Council. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  20. ↑ "History of Chelmsford's Civic Centre War Memorial". Chelmsford War Memorial. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  21. ↑ "The Borough of Chelmsford (Electoral Changes) Order 2001", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2001/2439, retrieved 4 June 2023
  22. ↑ "Parish tier councils". Chelmsford City Council. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  23. ↑ Shephard, James (27 February 2009). "EXCLUSIVE: St Peter's College in Chelmsford to shut | This is Essex". Thisistotalessex.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 September 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  24. ↑ "County mourns generous man'". March 2007.
  25. ↑ "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 8 March 2021.

51°44′07″N 0°28′45″E / 51.73528°N 0.47917°E / 51.73528; 0.47917

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