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Borough of Brentwood

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Borough of Brentwood
Non-metropolitan district, Borough
High Street in Brentwood, the largest town in the borough
High Street in Brentwood, the largest town in the borough
Brentwood shown within Essex
Brentwood shown within Essex
Map
Interactive map of Borough of Brentwood
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionEast of England
Non-metropolitan countyEssex
StatusNon-metropolitan district, Borough
Admin HQBrentwood
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyBrentwood Borough Council
 • LeadershipAlternative - Sec. 31 (No overall control)
 • MPsAlex Burghart
Area
 • Total
59.12 sq mi (153.12 km2)
 • Rank165th (of 296)
Population
 (2024)
 • Total
79,326
 • Rank282nd (of 296)
 • Density1,341.8/sq mi (518.06/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
[1]
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[1]
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
GSS codeE07000068
OS grid referenceTQ595938

The Borough of Brentwood is a local government district with borough status in Essex, England. The borough is named after its main town of Brentwood, where the council is based; it includes several villages and the surrounding rural area.

The neighbouring districts are Epping Forest, Chelmsford, Basildon, Thurrock and the London Borough of Havering.

History

[edit]

The former Brentwood Urban District had been created in 1899.[2] Urban districts were abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. A new non-metropolitan district was created on 1 April 1974 covering the whole of the former Brentwood Urban District plus parts of another two districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[3]

The new district was named Brentwood after its main town.[4] The district was awarded borough status on 10 March 1993, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[5]

Under upcoming local government reform plans the area of the district will be combined with the Chelmsford and Maldon districts to form the new Mid Essex unitary authority from 2028.[6]

Governance

[edit]
Brentwood Borough Council
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Nicky Cuthbert,
Liberal Democrat
since 20 May 2026[7]
Barry Aspinall,
Liberal Democrat
since 17 May 2023
Jonathan Stephenson
since 2019[8]
Structure
Seats39[9]
Image
Political groups
Administration (20)
  Liberal Democrats (16)
  Labour (2)
  Independent (2)

Other parties (19)

  Conservatives (11)
  Reform UK (8)
Elections
Last election
7 May 2026
Next election
2027
Meeting place
Image
Town Hall, Ingrave Road, Brentwood, CM15 8AY
Website
www.brentwood.gov.uk

Brentwood Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Essex County Council. Parts of the borough are also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[10]

Political control

[edit]

The council went under no overall control at the 2023 election. A Liberal Democrat and Labour coalition subsequently formed an administration.[11] Following the 2026 election, the coalition was expanded to also include two independent councillors.[12]

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:[13][14][15]

Party in controlYears
Conservative1974–1990
No overall control1990–1991
Liberal Democrats1991–2003
No overall control2003–2004
Conservative2004–2014
No overall control2014–2015
Conservative2015–2023
No overall control2023–present

Leadership

[edit]

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Brentwood. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1991 have been:

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Chris Dale[16]Liberal DemocratsMay 1991Oct 1995
David Gottesmann[17]Liberal DemocratsOct 1995May 2002
Vicky Cook[18]Liberal Democrats22 May 2002Jun 2004
Brandon Lewis[19][20]Conservative23 Jun 200418 Mar 2009
Louise McKinlay[21][22]Conservative13 May 2009May 2014
Barry Aspinell[23]Liberal Democrats11 Jun 2014May 2015
Louise McKinlay[24][25]Conservative20 May 201515 May 2019
Chris Hossack[26][27]Conservative15 May 20197 May 2023
Barry Aspinell[28]Liberal Democrats17 May 2023

Composition

[edit]

Following the 2026 election,[29] and a subsequent change of allegiance later in May 2026 the composition of the council was:[30]

PartyCouncillors
Liberal Democrats16
Conservative11
Reform8
Labour2
Independent2
Total39

The two independent councillors sit as the "Brentwood Alliance", which forms part of the council's administration alongside the Liberal Democrats and Labour.[30]

Premises

[edit]

The council is based at Brentwood Town Hall on Ingrave Road, which had been built in 1957 for the former Brentwood Urban District Council.[31]

Elections

[edit]

Since the last boundary changes in 2002, the council has comprised 37 councillors representing 15 wards; each ward elects one, two or three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with roughly a third of the council being elected each time for a four-year term. In the fourth year of the cycle, when there are no elections for the borough council, elections for Essex County Council are held instead.[32]

Geography

[edit]
Image
Mountnessing, one of the settlements of the borough

There are still large areas of woodland including Shenfield Common, Hartswood (named after its last private owner, a Mr. Hart), Weald Country Park, and Thorndon Country Park.

Transport

[edit]

The main transport links run through the borough in a south-west to north-east direction, with other important links running west to east.

Railway

[edit]

Railway stations at Shenfield and Ingatestone facilitate services along the Great Eastern Main Line to Colchester, Clacton, Ipswich and London Liverpool Street; these are operated by Greater Anglia.[33]

Brentwood and Shenfield stations are served by Greater Anglia trains between Liverpool Street, Billericay, Southend Airport and Southend Victoria; some peak hour services run to Southminster.[33] Elizabeth line stopping trains run between London Paddington, Brentwood and Shenfield; this route is operated by MTR.[34]

Also within the borough is West Horndon station, on the London, Tilbury & Southend line; c2c provides direct trains to London Fenchurch Street, Basildon, Southend Central and Shoeburyness.[35]

Roads

[edit]

A major trunk road running through the borough is the A12 dual-carriageway, running from East London to Chelmsford, Colchester, the ports of Harwich and Felixstowe, Ipswich and Lowestoft. The old Roman road (A1023) passes through the centre of Brentwood and joins the A12, which by-passes the town. Within different parts of Brentwood, the A1023 is called (from west to east) Brook Street, London Road, High Street, Shenfield Road, and Chelmsford Road.

The other main road in the borough is the A127 Southend Arterial Road, which separates from the A12 near Romford and then proceeds easterly to Southend-on-Sea.

Media

[edit]

The borough is served by a dedicated community radio station, Phoenix FM.

Education

[edit]

Secondary schools

[edit]

Primary schools

[edit]
  • Bentley St. Paul's Church of England School
  • Blackmore Primary School
  • Doddinghurst CofE Junior School
  • Doddinghurst Infant School
  • Hogarth Primary School
  • Holly Trees Primary School
  • Hutton All Saints Church of England Primary School
  • Ingatestone and Fryerning Church of England Primary School
  • Ingatestone Infant School
  • Ingrave Johnstone Church of England Primary School
  • Kelvedon Hatch Community Primary School
  • Larchwood Primary School
  • Long Ridings Primary School
  • Mountnessing Church of England Primary School
  • St. Helen's Catholic Infant School
  • St. Helen's Catholic Junior School
  • St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Primary School
  • St. Mary's Church of England Primary School
  • St. Peter's Church of England Primary School
  • St. Thomas of Canterbury Church of England Infant School
  • St. Thomas of Canterbury Church of England Junior School
  • Warley Primary School
  • West Horndon Primary School
  • Willowbrook Primary School (formerly Brookfield School)

Special schools

[edit]
  • The Endeavour School
  • Grove House School

Civil parishes and settlements in the borough

[edit]
Image
Ingatestone, one of the settlements of the borough

There are nine civil parishes in the borough. The former Brentwood Urban District is an unparished area, directly administered by Brentwood Borough Council.[36][37]

Twinning

[edit]

Brentwood is twinned with Roth bei Nürnberg in Germany and Montbazon in France.

Arms

[edit]
Coat of arms of Borough of Brentwood
Image
Notes
Originally granted to Brentwood Urban District Council on 1 August 1951.
Crest
On a wreath of the colours rising from the battlements of a tower Azure a demi stag Or.
Escutcheon
Per fesse rayonée Argent and Gules in chief a Cornish chough Proper between two pilgrim's staves erect Sable in base three ancient crowns two and one Or.
Motto
Ardens Fide (Burning Faith)[38]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Brentwood Local Authority (E07000068)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Brentwood Urban District". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
  4. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
  5. ↑ "Bulletin of Changes of Local Authority Status, Names and Areas 1 April 1992 – 31 March 1993" (PDF). Department of The Environment. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 December 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  6. ↑ "Local Government Reorganisation Statement made on 25 March 2026". UK Parliament. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
  7. ↑ Bennett, Robyn (29 May 2026). "Cllr Nicky Cuthbert elected as new Mayor of Brentwood". Romford Recorder. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  8. ↑ Ferris, Mick (10 September 2019). "New CEO for Brentwood Council". Yellow Advertiser. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  9. ↑ "Your Councillors". Brentwood Borough Council. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  10. ↑ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  11. ↑ Dedman, Simon (19 May 2023). "Brentwood Council: Lib Dems to run authority with Labour". BBC News. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  12. ↑ Meyler, Piers (28 May 2026). "Brentwood Council leader announced after 'significant' shift in politics". Essex Live. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Brentwood" in search box to see specific results.)
  14. ↑ "Brentwood". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  15. ↑ "Lib Dems gain two seats from Tories in local election". Brentwood Weekly News. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  16. ↑ "New faces at the top". Brentwood and Ongar Gazette. 23 May 1991. p. 5. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  17. ↑ "Deputy named Lib Dem leader". Brentwood Gazette. 5 October 1995. p. 1. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  18. ↑ "Council minutes, 22 May 2002" (PDF). Brentwood Borough Council. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  19. ↑ "Council minutes, 23 June 2004" (PDF). Brentwood Borough Council. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  20. ↑ "Council minutes, 18 March 2009" (PDF). Brentwood Borough Council. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  21. ↑ "Council minutes, 13 May 2009" (PDF). Brentwood Borough Council. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  22. ↑ Moore, Alison (30 May 2014). "Tories out of power in Pickles borough". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  23. ↑ "Council minutes, 11 June 2014" (PDF). Brentwood Borough Council. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  24. ↑ "Council minutes, 20 May 2015". Brentwood Borough Council. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  25. ↑ Meyler, Piers (1 March 2019). "Brentwood Borough Council leader denies resigning post to become MP". Essex Live. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  26. ↑ "Council minutes, 15 May 2019" (PDF). Brentwood Borough Council. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  27. ↑ "Brentwood Borough Council: Leader to stand down after 20 years". BBC News. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  28. ↑ "Council minutes, 17 May 2023". Brentwood Borough Council. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  29. ↑ "Your councillors by party". Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  30. 1 2 "Brentwood". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  31. ↑ Bettley, J.; Pevsner, N. (2007). The Buildings of England Series: Essex. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300116144.
  32. ↑ "The Borough of Brentwood (Electoral Changes) Order 2001", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2001/2441, retrieved 3 June 2023
  33. 1 2 "Timetables". Greater Anglia. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  34. ↑ "Elizabeth line timetables". Transport for London. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  35. ↑ "Timetables". c2c. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  36. ↑ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  37. ↑ "Parish Council contact details". Brentwood Borough Council. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  38. ↑ "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 8 March 2021.

51°36′N 0°18′E / 51.6°N 0.3°E / 51.6; 0.3

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