South Ribble

Infobox UK District
name = Borough of South Ribble


status = Borough
region = North West England
admincounty = Lancashire
area = Ranked 230th
112.96 km²
adminhq = Leyland
onscode = 30UN
population = Ranked English district rank|ONS=30UN
English district population|ONS=30UN
English district density|ONS=30UN / km²
ethnicity = 98.0% White
1.5 S. Asian [ [http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=277025&c=south+ribble&d=13&e=13&g=464066&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1206541938031&enc=1&dsFamilyId=1812 Check Browser Settings ] ]
politics =
South Ribble Borough Council
http://www.southribble.gov.uk
leadership = Leader & Cabinet
executive = English district control|ONS=30UN
mp = David Borrow, Nigel Evans, Mark Hendrick
year = 2005

South Ribble is a non-metropolitan district and borough of Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Leyland. In May 2007 it was officially declared "Excellent" by the Audit Commission, gaining its place among the best 5 district councils in the country.

On 4 October 2007, a team from South Ribble won the LGC Challenge, beating 40+ other authorities, including larger metropolitan and unitary councils.

South Ribble Borough Council is currently in discussions with Chorley Borough Council (a neighbouring authority) to merge its Finance, Procurement, Audit and other centralised functions into a single body, effectively outsourcing these functions into a yet unknown format.

Other notable population areas within South Ribble are Penwortham, Longton, Hutton (headquarters of the Lancashire Police), Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall and Moss Side.

The district was formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, from Leyland and Walton-le-Dale urban districts, along with part of Preston Rural District.

In 2006, the Labour and Liberal Democrat Councillors then in control at South Ribble Borough Council wanted to merge South Ribble with Preston City Council to form a unitary authority, independent from Lancashire County Council, under the recent Local Government White Paper. [ [http://www.lep.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=73&ArticleID=1843174 Councils Get Merger Deadlines] Lancashire Evening Post. October 26, 2006.] However, a determined campaign was fought by the Conservative Councillors and the local residents said "NO" to the merger. On 7 December 2006, the Labour and Liberal Democrat Councillors were forced to make a u-turn and vote against the merger, in favour of an improved relationship with Lancashire County Council.

In the 2007 local elections, South Ribble witnessed a landslide Conservative victory, gaining 24 seats to hold 44 of 55 on the borough council. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2007/councils/html/30un.stm |title=South Ribble |accessdate=2007-05-17 |format= |work= |publisher=BBC News ]

The Parliamentary Constituency of South Ribble includes the West Lancashire communities of Tarleton, Hesketh Bank and Meols.

Parishes

The former urban district areas of Leyland and Walton-le-Dale are unparished areas. The rest of the district is divided into the following civil parishes:

* Cuerdale
* Farington
* Hutton
* Little Hoole
* Longton
* Much Hoole
* Penwortham "(town)"
* Samlesbury

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.southribble.gov.uk/ South Ribble Borough Council]
* [http://www.south-ribble-nwa.org.uk/ South Ribble Neighbourhood Watch Association]
* [http://www.leylandtown.info Leyland Lancashire - A Community website]