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Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

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For the individual settlement, see Dudley. For the borough, see Metropolitan Borough of Dudley.
Dudley Metropolitan Borough
The word Dudley in blue text with a green arc over the top of the word.
Type
Type
Leadership
Pete Lee,
Conservative
since 15 May 2025[1]
Patrick Harley,
Conservative
since 16 May 2019
Balvinder Heran
since 1 October 2024[2]
Structure
Seats72 councillors
Representation of each seat as a coloured dot with colours referring to the political parties
Political groups
Administration (35)
  Conservative (35)
Other parties (37)
  Labour (24)
  Black Country Party (6)
  Liberal Democrats (5)
  Reform UK (1)
  Independent (1)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
2 May 2024
Next election
7 May 2026
Motto
Unity and Progress
Meeting place
Council House, Priory Road, Dudley, DY1 1HF
Dudley Metropolitan Borough shown within West Midlands
Website
www.dudley.gov.uk

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, also known as Dudley Council, is the local authority for the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands, England. The town of Dudley had been a borough since the thirteenth century, being reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1974 the council has been a metropolitan borough council. It provides the majority of local government services in the borough. The council has been a member of the West Midlands Combined Authority since 2016.

The council has been under no overall control since the 2024 election, with the leader of the council being a Conservative. It is based at Dudley Council House.

History

[edit]

The town of Dudley had been a seigneurial borough from the thirteenth century, under the control of the lord of the manor.[3] More modern forms of local government for the town began in 1791 when a body of improvement commissioners was established to pave, light and clean the streets, and supply water.[4] The commissioners were replaced in 1853 with an elected local board.[5]

The town was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1865, governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Dudley", generally known as the corporation, town council or borough council.[6] The old local board's functions passed to the new borough council, which also replaced the ancient borough corporation.[7]

When elected county councils were established in 1889, Dudley was considered large enough to provide its own county-level functions, and so it was made a county borough, independent from Worcestershire County Council, whilst remaining part of the geographical county of Worcestershire (despite being an exclave detached from the rest of the county).[8][9] The County Borough of Dudley was enlarged on several occasions, notably in 1966 when it absorbed the majority of the abolished urban districts of Brierley Hill, Coseley and Sedgeley, alongside boundary adjustments with several other neighbours. As part of the 1966 reforms the borough was transferred to the geographical county of Staffordshire.[10][11][12]

The modern metropolitan borough and its council were established in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, as one of seven boroughs in the new metropolitan county of the West Midlands. The new borough covered the combined area of the old county borough of Dudley plus the municipal boroughs of Halesowen and Stourbridge (the latter having absorbed the main part of the abolished Amblecote Urban District in the 1966 reforms). The enlarged district was named Dudley, and the borough status previously held by the county borough passed to the new district on its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor, continuing Dudley's series of mayors dating back to at least the sixteenth century.[13][14]

From 1974 until 1986 the council was a lower-tier authority, with upper-tier functions provided by the West Midlands County Council. The county council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to the county's seven borough councils, including Dudley, with some services provided through joint committees.[15]

Since 2016 the council has been a member of the West Midlands Combined Authority, which has been led by the directly elected Mayor of the West Midlands since 2017. The combined authority provides strategic leadership and co-ordination for certain functions across the county, but Dudley Council continues to be responsible for most local government functions.[16][17]

The council bid for the borough to be awarded city status in 2011 and again in 2021, but was unsuccessful on both occasions.[18][19][20]

Governance

[edit]

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council provides both county-level and district-level services, with some functions across the West Midlands provided via joint committees with the other West Midlands authorities, overseen by the combined authority and mayor. There are no civil parishes in the borough, which is an unparished area.[21]

Political control

[edit]

The council has been under no overall control since the 2024 election, which saw the Conservatives lose their majority. They retained the leadership of the council, forming a minority administration.[22]

Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[23][24]

Party in control Years
Labour 1974–1976
Conservative 1976–1980
No overall control 1980–1982
Conservative 1982–1984
No overall control 1984–1986
Labour 1986–1992
No overall control 1992–1994
Labour 1994–2003
No overall control 2003–2004
Conservative 2004–2012
Labour 2012–2016
No overall control 2016–2021
Conservative 2021–2024
No overall control 2024–present

Leadership

[edit]
See also: Mayor of Dudley

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Dudley. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:

Councillor Party From To
Joe Jones[25][26][27] Labour 1 Apr 1974 May 1975
Tom Clitheroe[27][28] Labour May 1975 May 1976
Joe Rowley[28][29] Conservative May 1976 May 1978
Jack Edmonds[29][30] Conservative May 1978 May 1984
Fred Hunt[31][32][33] Labour May 1984 May 1998
Tim Sunter[34][35] Labour 21 May 1998 May 2003
David Caunt[36][37] Conservative 15 May 2003 21 May 2009
Anne Millward[38][39] Conservative 21 May 2009 May 2011
Les Jones[40][41] Conservative 19 May 2011 May 2012
David Sparks[42][43][44] Labour 17 May 2012 1 Dec 2014
Pete Lowe[43][45] Labour 1 Dec 2014 18 May 2017
Patrick Harley[46][47] Conservative 18 May 2017 26 Sep 2018
Pete Lowe[48][49][50] Labour 26 Sep 2018 15 Nov 2018
Qadar Zada[50][51] Labour 15 Nov 2018 May 2019
Patrick Harley[52] Conservative 16 May 2019

Composition

[edit]

Following the 2024 election,[53] and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to June 2025, including the formation of a new Black Country Party in May 2025,[54][55] the composition of the council was:[56][57]

Party Councillors
Conservative 35
Labour 24
Black Country Party 6
Liberal Democrats 5
Reform UK 1
Independent 1
Total 72

The next election is due in May 2026.[57]

Premises

[edit]

The council has its main offices at Dudley Council House on Priory Road, which was built in phases between 1928 and 1935 for the old county borough council.[58]

Elections

[edit]
See also: Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2004 the council has comprised 72 councillors representing 24 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) being elected each time for a four-year term of office. Elections for the Mayor of the West Midlands are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no borough council elections.[59] New ward boundaries are being prepared to take effect from the 2024 election, which will require all seats to be contested at that election.[60][61]

Wards

[edit]

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'.[62]

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

Members of parliament

[edit]

Following the 2023 review of constituencies and the July 2024 UK general election, the members of parliament for constituencies within Dudley MBC area are:

Constituency Member of Parliament Political Party
Dudley Sonia Kumar Labour
Stourbridge Cat Eccles Labour
Halesowen Alex Ballinger Labour
Kingswinford and South Staffordshire Mike Wood Conservative
Tipton and Wednesbury Antonia Bance Labour

Chief Executives

[edit]
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
2019–2024 Kevin John O'Keefe
2024–present Balvinder Heran

Mayor of Dudley and Civic Awards

[edit]

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.[63] 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[64] 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.[65]

Civic arms and motto

[edit]

Dudley's coat of arms was designed in 1975.[6] 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.[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Rademacher, Beverly (16 May 2025). "New Mayor of Dudley pledges support for five charities including the Alzheimer's Society". Express and Star. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  2. ^ Warburton, Olivia (29 April 2025). "Dudley Council appoints Balvinder Heran as new Chief Executive". Stourbridge News. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  3. ^ A History of the County of Worcester: Volume 3. London: Victoria County History. 1913. pp. 90–105. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  4. ^ Dudley Town Act 1791
  5. ^ Public Health Supplemental Act 1853 (No. 1). 1853. p. 217. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Dudley's Little Book of History (Heritage open days booklet published by Dudley MBC)Dudley's little book of history
  7. ^ "Dudley: Local Board of Health". Birmingham Daily Post. 8 June 1865. p. 8. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  8. ^ Local Government Act 1888
  9. ^ "Diagram of Worcestershire, 1899". The National Library of Scotland. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  10. ^ Local Government Act 1958
  11. ^ "Dudley Municipal Borough / County Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  12. ^ "Staffordshire: Diagram showing administrative boundaries, 1966". National Library of Scotland. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  13. ^ "The Metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/137, retrieved 14 February 2024
  14. ^ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 5 April 2024
  16. ^ "The West Midlands Combined Authority Order 2016", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2016/653, retrieved 11 June 2024
  17. ^ "Understand how your council works". gov.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Dudley fails to get Queen's Diamond Jubilee city status". BBC News. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  19. ^ "Dudley – A City In The Making". www.dudley.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  20. ^ Vukmirovic, James (19 May 2022). "Disappointment as Dudley misses out on city status". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  21. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  22. ^ Smith, Martyn (15 May 2024). "Council remains Conservative-led after deal struck". BBC News. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  23. ^ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Dudley" in search box to see specific results.)
  24. ^ "Local elections 2019: What happens when councils change hands?". BBC News. 30 April 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  25. ^ "Voters reject rent protest". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 11 May 1973. p. 3. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  26. ^ "Chief guest Joe just makes it". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 19 May 1976. p. 10. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  27. ^ a b "Lecturer gets top council job". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 6 May 1975. p. 3. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  28. ^ a b "8 vital victories and the Tories take over". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 7 May 1976. p. 8. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  29. ^ a b "Ex-leader stays on zoo board". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 13 May 1978. p. 4. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  30. ^ Benjamin, David (16 May 1986). "Council chief on Labour carpet". Sandwell Evening Mail. West Bromwich. p. 14. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  31. ^ "Labour boosts power in mayor deal". Sandwell Evening Mail. West Bromwich. 14 May 1984. p. 5. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  32. ^ "Council leader to resign post". Black Country Evening Mail. Birmingham. 5 May 1998. p. 1. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  33. ^ Holder, Bev (21 June 2023). "Tribute to former Dudley Mayor and Labour Party stalwart". Stourbridge News. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  34. ^ "New leader's concern for identity of borough". Dudley Chronicle. 15 May 1998. p. 3. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  35. ^ "Political control of borough in balance". Dudley Chronicle. 8 May 2003. p. 5. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  36. ^ "Council minutes, 15 May 2003". Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  37. ^ "Dudley Council leader to step down". Stourbridge News. 28 April 2009. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  38. ^ "Council minutes, 21 May 2009". Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  39. ^ "Shock results as top Tories are ousted". Dudley News. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  40. ^ "Council minutes, 19 May 2011". Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  41. ^ "Cllr Les Jones resigns as Dudley Tory party leader". Stourbridge News. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  42. ^ "Council minutes, 17 May 2012". Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  43. ^ a b "Council minutes, 1 December 2014". Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  44. ^ "New Dudley deputy speaks of pride in council services". Dudley News. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  45. ^ "Tories take control of Dudley Council from Labour". BBC News. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  46. ^ "Council minutes, 18 May 2017". Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  47. ^ "Conservative Party loses control of Dudley Council". BBC News. 27 September 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  48. ^ "Council minutes, 26 September 2018". Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  49. ^ Madeley, Peter (2 November 2018). "Dudley Council leader Pete Lowe to step down". Express and Star. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  50. ^ a b "Council minutes, 15 November 2018". Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  51. ^ "Deputy 'will make fantastic mayor'". BBC News. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  52. ^ "Council minutes, 16 May 2019". Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  53. ^ "Elections 2024: Dudley election result". BBC News. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  54. ^ Headley, Shannen (30 May 2025). "New political party launches in Black Country". BBC News. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  55. ^ "The Black Country Party". The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  56. ^ Andrews, Mark (23 June 2025). "Ex-Tory becomes Dudley's first Reform UK councillor". Express and Star. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  57. ^ a b "Dudley". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  58. ^ Historic England. "Council House (1393758)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  59. ^ "The Borough of Dudley (Electoral Changes) Order 2003", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2003/2767, retrieved 14 February 2024
  60. ^ "Dudley". Local Government Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  61. ^ "Local Government Boundary Review". www.dudley.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  62. ^ "Community Forums". www.dudley.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  63. ^ "Dudley MBC, Mayor of Dudley". Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council.
  64. ^ "Charities | Dudley | Mayor Of Dudley". mayorofdudley. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  65. ^ "Mayor's Ball and Civic Awards | Dudley | Mayor Of Dudley". mayorofdudley. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
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