High Peak Borough Council

High Peak Borough Council is the local authority for High Peak, a borough of Derbyshire, England. It forms part of the two-tier system of local government for High Peak, alongside Derbyshire County Council. The administrative base of High Peak Borough Council is split between sites in the towns of Buxton and Glossop. Full council meetings are usually held at the Octagon, Buxton. The whole council is elected once every four years. As of 2019, the council is controlled by the Labour Party.

High Peak Borough Council
Coat of arms or logo
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Executive
Leader of Council
Anthony McKeown, Labour and Co-operative
Deputy Leader of Council
Damien Greenhalgh, Labour and Co-operative
Mayor of the High Peak
Ollie Cross
Chief Executive
Andrew Stokes
Structure
21 / 43
17 / 43
3 / 43
2 / 43
Elections
First past the post
Last election
2 May 2019
Next election
4 May 2023
Meeting place

Buxton Town Hall
SK17 6EL

Municipal Buildings, Glossop
SK13 8AF
Full Council meetings are held at the Octagon, Buxton
Website
http://www.highpeak.gov.uk
Footnotes
The council meeting places have changed due to the closure and sale of the council's former base at Chinley[1]

In February 2008, the council formed a strategic alliance with the neighbouring Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, an arrangement where both councils share a number of services and staff to keep costs as low as possible.[2]

History

High Peak Borough Council was formed on 1 April 1974 by absorbing the municipal boroughs of Buxton and Glossop, the urban districts of New Mills and Whaley Bridge and the rural district of Chapel-en-le-Frith, all of which had previously been in the administrative county of Derbyshire, as well as the rural district of Tintwistle which had been in the administrative county of Cheshire.

At the May 2011 election the Conservative Party lost overall control of the council and it became No overall control, with the Labour Party having the largest number of seats but being short of a majority.

Shortly after taking office in 2007, the Conservative Party implemented a number of policies including contracting out the refuse and recycling services. The contract began in August 2008, and was continued by the succeeding Labour administration.

In June 2009, the ruling Conservative administration took the decision to dispose of the former council headquarters in Chinley, which also housed the location of full council meetings. The council said that disposal of the site would save £200,000 per year.[3] The site has now been sold.

In April 2022, the Labour Party lost its majority control in the council, though still controlling to preside over the council with a minority-led government.[4]

Administration
For historical political control and leadership, see High Peak Borough Council elections.

The council, made up of 43 councillors, is currently under no overall control. From the 2019 local election until the Cote Heath by-election on 7 April 2022, it was controlled by the Labour Party, which won 22 seats at the 2019 local election.[5]

Political party Seats
Labour 21
Conservatives 17
Liberal Democrats 3
Green 2

Leadership

The council is run by the "Leader and cabinet" model, where the Leader of the council – normally leader of the majority party – is selected by fellow councillors, who also select the Executive. At the 2019 local election, the Labour Party gained 5 seats and took control with a majority of six. Anthony McKeown became the Leader of the council and Damien Greenhalgh became the Deputy Leader of the council.

Executive

At the 2019 election, the Conservative Party lost its majority control of the council and the Labour and Co-operative Party became the largest party with 22 seats, gaining a majority of 6. The Executive's membership including the Leader and Deputy Leader remained at five councillors.

Role Councillor
Leader of the Council Anthony McKeown[6]
Deputy Leader of the council
(and Executive Member for Regeneration, Tourism and Leisure)		 Damien Greenhalgh[6]
Executive Member for Housing and Licensing Fiona Sloman[6]
Executive Member for Finance Alan Barrow[6]
Executive Member for Climate Change, Environment and Community Safety Jean Todd[6]

Mayor of the Borough of High Peak

The current Mayor is Ollie Cross, who was elected as Mayor of High Peak for 2022/2023. The current Deputy Mayor is Graham Oakley.

Former Mayors of the Borough of High Peak include:[7]

  • Paul Hardy (2021/2022)
  • Ed Kelly (2019/2020 and 2020/21 due to COVID-19)
  • Linda Grooby (2018/2019)
  • Matt Stone (2017/2018)
  • Stuart Young (2015/16)
  • Alan Barrow (2014/15)
  • Tony Kemp (2013/14)
  • Pat Jenner, (2012/13)
  • David Lomax (2011/12)
  • Graham Oakley (2010/11)

Electoral wards and councillors
Map of electoral wards in High Peak

Below is a list of all 43 serving councillors:[8]

Ward Political Party Councillor
Barms Labour Rachel QUINN
Blackbrook Conservative Eve BURTON
Liberal Democrats Edith LONGDEN
Burbage Conservative Samantha FLOWER
Buxton Central Labour Matthew STONE
Jean TODD
Chapel East Conservative Jim PERKINS
Chapel West Conservative Cath SIZELAND
Stewart YOUNG
Corbar Labour Madeline HALL
Conservative Tony KEMP
Cote Heath Conservative Linda GROOBY
Labour Kevin KIRKHAM
Dinting Conservative Jean WHARMBY
Gamesley Labour and Co-operative Anthony McKEOWN
Hadfield North Labour Ed KELLY
Hadfield South Labour Robert McKEOWN
Edward SIDDALL
Hayfield Conservative Eva LAWSON
Hope Valley Green Joanna COLLINS
Charlotte FARRELL
Howard Town Labour Rachel ABBOTTS
Labour and Co-operative Damien GREENHALGH
Limestone Peak Conservative Peter ROBERTS
New Mills East Labour Alan BARROW
Ian HUDDLESTONE
New Mills West Liberal Democrats Ray ATKINS
Labour and Co-operative Lance DOWSON
Old Glossop Conservative Jamie DOUGLAS
Paul HARDY
Padfield Labour Ollie CROSS
Sett Conservative Tony ASHTON
Simmondley Labour Stewart GARDNER
Conservative John HAKEN
St John's Conservative George WHARMBY
Stone Bench Labour David KERR
Fiona SLOMAN
Temple Conservative Emily THRANE
Tintwistle Labour Rob BAKER
Whaley Bridge Liberal Democrats David LOMAX
Labour Kath THOMSON
Shannon-Kate THOMSON
Whitfield Labour Graham OAKLEY

Arms
Coat of arms of High Peak Borough Council
Notes
Granted 1976[9]
Crest
On a wreath Or and Vert a piece of Blue john stone Proper within a chevron Sable.
Escutcheon
Sable three piles Or on a base enarched Vert fimbrated Or a fountain.
Supporters
On either side a stag Or attired and unguled Sable gorged with a mural crown Vert and resting the interior hind leg on a piece of Blue John Stone Proper.
Motto
Consilio Semper Publico (Ever in the Public Interest)

References
  1. "For sale signs go up at council complex". Buxton Advertiser. 27 May 2010. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
  2. "Tenders and contracts". Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  3. "Chinley offices closure deadline". Buxton Advertiser. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  4. Roberts, Georgia; Burman, Heather (8 April 2022). "Labour loses control of High Peak Borough Council after by-election". BBC News. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  5. "High Peak Borough Council - Elections". Archived from the original on 15 May 2007. Retrieved 11 May 2007.
  6. "The Executive". High Peak Borough Council. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  7. "Mayors and Mayoresses of High Peak since 1973" (PDF). High Peak Borough Council. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  8. "Your Council". High Peak Borough Council. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  9. "East Midlands Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
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