Dudley Metropolitan Borough
Leader & Cabinet
The word Dudley in blue text with a green arc over the top of the word.
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1974
Preceded byDudley Borough, Stourbridge Borough, Halesowen Borough
Leadership
Leader of the Council
Patrick Harley, Conservative
Deputy Leader
Paul Bradley, Conservative
Chief Executive
Kevin John O'Keefe LLB
Deputy Chief Executive
Balvinder Heran
Mayor
Andrea Goddard
Structure
Seats72 councillors
Political groups
Administration (43)
  Conservative (43)
Other parties (29)
  Labour (27)
  Liberal Democrat (1)
Independent councillors (1)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
4 May 2023 (one third)
Next election
2024 (all seats due to ward boundary changes)
Motto
Unity and Progress
Meeting place
Council House, Dudley
Dudley Metropolitan Borough shown within West Midlands
Website
www.dudley.gov.uk

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council is the local authority for Dudley metropolitan borough. It is more commonly known as Dudley Council or Dudley MBC.

The present authority was formed as a result of further reorganisation of local government in 1974. It incorporates the areas of Dudley, Brierley Hill, Stourbridge and Halesowen.

History

The council’s origins are from 1865 when it was incorporated as a municipal borough which allowed the development of an elected town council. This consisted of a mayor, alderman and councillors.[1]

In 1888 Dudley Council became a county borough and so the council took responsibility for neighbouring towns and districts.

In April 1966, under the West Midlands order of the borough, Dudley was extended to take in former Brierley Hill and Sedgley Urban Districts as well as parts of the Coseley Urban District.

Governance

Dudley Council has its main offices in Dudley town centre (where Dudley Council House is located), along with additional smaller offices throughout the borough. The council is made up of 72 councillors representing 24 wards.

On its formation in 1974, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley was controlled by the Labour Party. Since then the controlling party has frequently changed, sometimes with no political party having a clear majority.[2]

The Tories currently have control of Dudley Council as a majority run administration. After a no overall control result in the previous local elections the Tories gained control of Dudley council in the 2021 local elections.[3][4]

Current councillors by political party
Party Councillors
Conservative Party 43
Labour Party 27
Liberal Democrats 1
Independent 1

Wards

The 24 wards of the Dudley Borough are each represented by 3 councillors. The council groups wards together into 5 Community Forums to enable community engagement under the banner 'Your home, your forum'.[5]

Community Forum Ward name
Brierley Hill Brierley Hill
Brockmoor and Pensnett
Kingswinford North and Wall Heath
Kingswinford South
Wordsley
Stourbridge Amblecote
Lye and Stourbridge North
Norton
Pedmore and Stourbridge East
Wollaston and Stourbridge Town
Dudley Castle and Priory
Netherton, Woodside and St. Andrews
Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood
St. James's
St. Thomas's
Dudley North Coseley East
Gornal
Sedgley
Upper Gornal and Woodsetton
Halesowen Belle Vale
Cradley and Wollescote
Halesowen North
Halesowen South
Hayley Green and Cradley South

During 2023 The Local Government Boundary Commission England carried out consultation on the ward boundaries in Dudley borough. Final recommendations are due to be published in October 2023 and come into effect for elections in May 2024.[6]

Members of parliament

Current members of parliament for constituencies within Dudley MBC area are:

Constituency Member of Parliament Political Party
Dudley North Marco Longhi Conservative
Dudley South Mike Wood Conservative
Stourbridge Suzanne Webb Conservative
Halesowen and Rowley Regis James Morris Conservative
Wolverhampton South East Pat McFadden Labour

Chief Executives

Dates Name
1973-1986 John Francis Mulvehill
1986 Leslie Thomas Barnfield
1986-1988 Tom Headley Meredith
1988-1999 Alistair Vivian Astling
1999-2008 Andrew Sparke
2009-2015 John Polychronakis
2015-2019 Sarah Norman
2019–present Kevin John O’Keefe

Mayor of Dudley and Civic Awards

The Mayor presides over meetings of the full Council to ensure that business is carried out properly and efficiently, with due regard to the rights of Councillors and the interest of the Community.[7] The Mayor of the Borough is elected at the Annual Meeting of the Council (usually in May each year) from the existing elected councillors.

The Mayor also nominates charities they wish to support during their mayoral year[8] and hosts the annual Mayors Ball and Civic Awards. The Civic Awards aim to recognise individuals and groups who make a difference in the borough. Each award is named for a local personality in that field.[9]

Civic arms and motto

Dudley’s coat of arms was designed in 1975.[1] It symbolises each of the authorities that came together to form the present borough. Key themes on the civic arms reflect the area’s pride in its industrial past.

The council adopted “Unity and Progress” as its motto in 1974.[1]

City status bid

In 2021, the council proposed the borough (rather than simply the town) of Dudley become a city, as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.[10] The bid was unsuccessful,[11] having also been unsuccessful in 2011.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Dudley's Little Book of History (Heritage open days booklet published by Dudley MBC)Dudley's little book of history
  2. "Local elections 2019: What happens when councils change hands?". BBC News. 30 April 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  3. "Elections 2021: 'Amazing night' for Tories as they take control of Dudley". BBC News. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  4. "Midlands Election 2021: Conservatives Take Control of Dudley". ITV News. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  5. "Community Forums". www.dudley.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  6. "Local Government Boundary Review". www.dudley.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  7. "Dudley MBC, Mayor of Dudley". Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council.
  8. "Charities | Dudley | Mayor Of Dudley". mayorofdudley. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  9. "Mayor's Ball and Civic Awards | Dudley | Mayor Of Dudley". mayorofdudley. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  10. "Dudley – A City In The Making". www.dudley.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  11. Vukmirovic, James. "Disappointment as Dudley misses out on city status". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  12. "Dudley fails to get Queen's Diamond Jubilee city status". BBC News. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
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