Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
Encyclopedia
The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough
of Greater Manchester
, in North West England
. It is named after its largest component town, Wigan
and also includes the towns of Leigh
, Ashton-in-Makerfield
, Ince-in-Makerfield
, and Hindley
. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an amalgamation
of several former local government districts and parishes. The borough has three civil parishes and lies directly to the west of the City of Salford
and southwest of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton
.
. It was formed from the former county borough
of Wigan along with other local government units from the administrative county of Lancashire
. These were the Municipal Borough of Leigh
, the urban district
s of Abram, Aspull, Atherton
, Hindley
, Ince-in-Makerfield, Orrell
, Standish
and Tyldesley
. Ashton-in-Makerfield
, the Golborne Urban District except for the parish of Culcheth and Glazebury
in Warrington, the Higher End
part of Billinge and Winstanley Urban District
and the civil parishes of Haigh
, Shevington
and Worthington
from the Wigan Rural District
were included.
Before its creation, the name Wigan-Leigh was used in the Redcliffe-Maud Report
. It was suggested that the new metropolitan borough be named Makerfield
. However both names were rejected by a vote of 12 to 2.
According to an opinion poll in 2003, 26% of 299 residents surveyed felt they belonged "very strongly" or "fairly strongly" (4% very strongly) to Greater Manchester, 64% (28% very strongly) to the borough of Wigan, and 63% (31% very strongly) to Lancashire.
The metropolitan borough was created from a highly industrialised area of Lancashire that was part of the Lancashire Coalfield
and had an important textile industry.
to the north-east and east, and the City of Salford
to the east. Outwith Greater Manchester, in the south it borders Warrington
(a unitary authority in Cheshire
); to the south-west it borders the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens
in Merseyside
. To the west it borders the West Lancashire
district, and to the north it borders the Chorley
borough, both in Lancashire
.
Wigan has four Local Nature Reserve
s: Borsdane Wood between Hindley and Aspull, Orrell Water Park in Orrell, Wigan Flashes and Low Hall Park at Platt Bridge.
and Mayoress of Wigan
For the first 12 years after the county was created in 1974, the borough had a two-tier system of local government, and Wigan Council shared power with the Greater Manchester County Council
. The county council was abolished in 1986 by the Local Government Act 1985
. In April 2011 however, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority
became the top tier of local government within Greater Manchester covering all 10 borough including Wigan.
The first elections
to the borough council were held on 10 May 1973. The Metropolitan Borough Council is divided into 25 wards, each of which elects three councillors. Elections are by third, with one councillor from each ward up for re-election in each election year. The borough council has a leader and cabinet system. The current leader is Peter Smith
, who also sits in the House of Lords
as a Labour Party life peer, under the title Lord Smith of Leigh. He became leader in 1991. The council rejected the idea of a directly-elected mayor
following a consultation in 2001.
The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is traditionally a Labour stronghold - the council has been Labour Party-controlled since its creation. The local elections in 1998
resulted in a council with only 2 non-Labour members.
Labour had a majority with 43 seats at the 2006 election. The second largest party on the council was the local Community Action Party
, also active in St Helens and Warrington, which had 15 seats. Community Action first contested Wigan elections in 2002, and won 18 seats in the 2004 election
following the re-warding - their councilors are for wards in the middle of the borough, between Wigan and Leigh. The Conservative Party
had nine seats, and the Liberal Democrats eight.
At the 2008 elections Labour was the largest party with 41 seats out of a total of 75, the Conservative Party had 14 seats, Community Action Party 8 seats, Independent 7 seats, Liberal Democrats 4 seats and one was vacant.
As of November 2010 (after May elections), Labour is the largest party with 51 seats out of a total of 75, the Conservative Party with 8 seats, 7 Independent, Community Action Party with 4 seats and Liberal Democrats with 3 seats (1 member currently suspended) and the 'Independent Conservative' members with 2 seats.
As of June 2011 (after May elections), Labour continue to be the largest party with 58 seats out of a total of 75, the Independent Councillor group with 8 seats form the Official Opposition, the Conservative Party have 5 seats, the Liberal Democrats hold 2 seats, Community Action Party hold 1 seat and 1 Independent Councillor.
The council uses Wigan Town Hall as its main headquarters. Leigh Town Hall is used as a secondary base.
, with a Township Manager and a Township Forum each.
. Ecclesiastical parishes in the west of the borough are part of the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool
and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool, Anglican parishes in the east of the Metropolitan Borough are part of the Diocese of Manchester
and the northern section part of the Diocese of Blackburn
.
, Makerfield
, Leigh
, and Bolton West
.(Atherton is the only Wigan ward included in Bolton West, with the rest of the constituency made up of districts from Bolton Borough). New constituency boundaries recommended by the Boundary Commission
for the 2010 UK election saw the link to Salford broken by the removal of Wigan areas from the Worsley
constituency. This resulted in the previous Worsley Constituency wards of Tyldesley and Astley-Mosley Common being placed in the Leigh Constituency
with the Atherton ward going to Bolton West. Makerfield is the only constituency to have returned Labour MPs continuously since 1906.
itself. It also has one of the lowest ethnic minority populations, with the 2001 census reporting 98.7% of the population as White. Unemployment is around average for England and Wales. Approximately 9.5% of the population is "permanently sick or disabled" compared to an average of 5.5%.
The population of the borough has remained roughly static since the 1970s at around 300,000, second only to Manchester
within Greater Manchester
.
The ONS identify a Wigan Urban Area
as being the west of the district, including Skelmersdale and Upholland in West Lancashire
, with a population of 166,840. It considers the east of the borough to be part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area
. Ashton-in-Makerfield, Aspull, Golborne and Shevington are identified as standalone urban areas. However the entirety of the Borough forms part of the Manchester Larger Urban Zone
in Wigan MBC is co-ordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). The borough is served by an extensive bus network with most services operated by First Manchester
, Arriva North West and South Lancs Travel. Wigan town centre is the main hub of the bus network in the borough with a large bus station. Leigh is a secondary hub also with a bus station. Frequent services operate from the two bus stations to Bolton, Manchester, The Trafford Centre, St Helens and Chorley, as well as local inter-urban routes, with 3 high frequency services between Wigan and Leigh bus stations, operated by First Manchester. Several railway lines cross the borough. Wigan Wallgate railway station
is served by Northern trains on the Manchester to Southport
and Kirkby
lines. There are services to all stations towards Manchester, serving all city centre stations including the 2 major stations, Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly via 2 routes: 1 through Bolton
and one via Atherton
, with connections there to other local and national destinations. Wigan North Western railway station
is on the West Coast Mainline served by Northern and Virgin Trains
. There are services to Liverpool Lime Street
, Blackpool North
, London Euston, Birmingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Other stations in the borough are Atherton
, Hag Fold, Bryn
(serving Ashton in Makerfield), Gathurst
(serving Shevington), Hindley
, Ince
, Orrell
, and Pemberton
. Appley Bridge railway station lies just outside Wigan at the border with West Lancashire, it is manged by TfGM and serves the far north-western area of Wigan Borough. There is also a long running campaign for Golborne railway station to be re-opened.
Leigh is one of the largest towns in the UK without a railway station. Westleigh station, on the Bolton and Leigh Railway
, closed in 1954. Leigh and Tyldesley stations on a loop of the Manchester to Wigan Line
, were closed in 1969. There are proposals to use the line of the railway via Tyldesley towards Manchester as a guided busway but this not universally popular.
The Leeds and Liverpool
and Bridgewater
canals pass through the borough, as does the M6 motorway
, which crosses the west of the borough, and serves Ashton-in-Makerfield at junctions 23 and 24 (north only) and 25 (south only), Wigan at junction 25 (south only), Wigan/Orrell at junction 26 and Standish junction 27. The M58 motorway
, to northern Liverpool
, terminates at junction 26 of the M6 near Orrell. The dual carriageway
A580
East Lancashire Road linking Liverpool to Manchester crosses the south of the borough.
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
of Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
. It is named after its largest component town, Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
and also includes the towns of Leigh
Leigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
, Ashton-in-Makerfield
Ashton-in-Makerfield
Ashton-in-Makerfield is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester. It is situated south of Wigan, north-northwest of Warrington and west of the city of Manchester. In 2001 it had a population of 28,505....
, Ince-in-Makerfield
Ince-in-Makerfield
Ince-in-Makerfield, usually known just as Ince is a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England.Ince is contiguous to Wigan and serves as a residential suburb of Wigan, Being divided locally by a train line into two separate areas - Higher Ince and Lower Ince,...
, and Hindley
Hindley, Greater Manchester
Hindley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. Lying three miles east of Wigan it covers an area of 1044 hectares. Historically a part of Lancashire, Hindley which includes Hindley Green borders the towns of Ince-in-Makerfield and Leigh within Wigan...
. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an amalgamation
Amalgamation (politics)
A merger or amalgamation in a political or administrative sense is the combination of two or more political or administrative entities such as municipalities , counties, districts, etc. into a single entity. This term is used when the process occurs within a sovereign entity...
of several former local government districts and parishes. The borough has three civil parishes and lies directly to the west of the City of Salford
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
and southwest of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton
Metropolitan Borough of Bolton
The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Bolton, but covers a far larger area which includes Blackrod, Farnworth, Horwich, Kearsley and Westhoughton, and a suburban and rural element from the West Pennine...
.
History
Wigan metropolitan borough was created on 1 April 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
. It was formed from the former county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
of Wigan along with other local government units from the administrative county of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. These were the Municipal Borough of Leigh
Municipal Borough of Leigh
The Municipal Borough of Leigh was, from 1894 to 1974, a local government district of the administrative county of Lancashire, England, consisting of the townships of Pennington, Westleigh, Bedford and part of the township of Atherton and named after the ancient Parish of Leigh...
, the urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
s of Abram, Aspull, Atherton
Atherton Urban District
Atherton was, from 1863 to 1974, a local government district in Lancashire, England.-History:The township of Atherton historically lay in the large ecclesiastical parish of Leigh and Leigh Poor Law Union formed in 1837....
, Hindley
Hindley, Greater Manchester
Hindley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. Lying three miles east of Wigan it covers an area of 1044 hectares. Historically a part of Lancashire, Hindley which includes Hindley Green borders the towns of Ince-in-Makerfield and Leigh within Wigan...
, Ince-in-Makerfield, Orrell
Orrell, Greater Manchester
Orrell is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The area is contiguous to the town of Wigan itself and the centre of the district is situated to the west of the town centre...
, Standish
Standish, Greater Manchester
Standish is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is located on the A49 road between the towns of Chorley and Wigan, a short distance from Junction 27 of the M6 motorway....
and Tyldesley
Tyldesley Urban District
Tyldesley cum Shakerley Urban District and its successor Tyldesley Urban District was, from 1894 to 1974, a local government district in Lancashire, England.-History:...
. Ashton-in-Makerfield
Ashton-in-Makerfield
Ashton-in-Makerfield is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester. It is situated south of Wigan, north-northwest of Warrington and west of the city of Manchester. In 2001 it had a population of 28,505....
, the Golborne Urban District except for the parish of Culcheth and Glazebury
Culcheth and Glazebury
Culcheth and Glazebury is a civil parish within the Unitary Authority of Warrington Borough in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England.-Culcheth:...
in Warrington, the Higher End
Higher End
Higher End or Billinge Higher End is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.-Governance:Billinge lies within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire...
part of Billinge and Winstanley Urban District
Billinge and Winstanley Urban District
Billinge was, from 1894 to 1974, a local government district in the administrative county of Lancashire, England....
and the civil parishes of Haigh
Haigh, Greater Manchester
Haigh is a village and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it is located next to the village of Aspull. The western boundary is the River Douglas which separates the township from Wigan. To the north a small brook...
, Shevington
Shevington
Shevington is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England.Lying within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire, Shevington lies approximately from Wigan town centre and at the 2001 census had a population of 9,786.-Topynomy:Shevington, a...
and Worthington
Worthington, Greater Manchester
Worthington is a civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England, about north of Wigan. The parish is very sparsely populated, at the 2001 census having a population of 135, and does not have an active parish council or parish meeting.It used to have a...
from the Wigan Rural District
Wigan Rural District
Wigan was a rural district in Lancashire, England from 1894 to 1974. It comprised an area to the north, but did not include the town Wigan.The district was created by the Local Government Act 1894 as the successor to the Wigan Rural Sanitary District....
were included.
Before its creation, the name Wigan-Leigh was used in the Redcliffe-Maud Report
Redcliffe-Maud Report
The Redcliffe–Maud Report is the name generally given to the report published by the Royal Commission on Local Government in England 1966–1969 under the chairmanship of Lord Redcliffe-Maud.-Terms of reference and membership:...
. It was suggested that the new metropolitan borough be named Makerfield
Makerfield
Makerfield is an area in North West England. It is now split between the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, and the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens in Merseyside, both within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire....
. However both names were rejected by a vote of 12 to 2.
According to an opinion poll in 2003, 26% of 299 residents surveyed felt they belonged "very strongly" or "fairly strongly" (4% very strongly) to Greater Manchester, 64% (28% very strongly) to the borough of Wigan, and 63% (31% very strongly) to Lancashire.
The metropolitan borough was created from a highly industrialised area of Lancashire that was part of the Lancashire Coalfield
Lancashire Coalfield
The Lancashire Coalfield in north-west England was one of the most important British coalfields.-Geography and geology:The geology of the coalfield consists of the coal seams of the Upper, Middle and Lower Coal Measures, layers of sandstones, shales and coal of varying thickness, which were laid...
and had an important textile industry.
Geography
Wigan borough covers an area of 77 square miles (199.4 km²) and is the 9th largest metropolitan borough, out of 36, in England. The borough is the most north western in Greater Manchester. Within Greater Manchester, it borders the Metropolitan Borough of BoltonMetropolitan Borough of Bolton
The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Bolton, but covers a far larger area which includes Blackrod, Farnworth, Horwich, Kearsley and Westhoughton, and a suburban and rural element from the West Pennine...
to the north-east and east, and the City of Salford
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
to the east. Outwith Greater Manchester, in the south it borders Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
(a unitary authority in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
); to the south-west it borders the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens
Metropolitan Borough of St Helens
The Metropolitan Borough of St Helens is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It is named after its largest town St Helens, and covers an area which includes the settlements of Newton-le-Willows, Earlestown, Haydock, Rainhill, Eccleston, Clock Face, Billinge and...
in Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
. To the west it borders the West Lancashire
West Lancashire
West Lancashire is a non-metropolitan district with the status of a borough in Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Ormskirk. The other town in the borough is Skelmersdale....
district, and to the north it borders the Chorley
Chorley (borough)
Chorley is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. It is named after its largest settlement, the town of Chorley.-Creation:...
borough, both in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
.
Wigan has four Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
s: Borsdane Wood between Hindley and Aspull, Orrell Water Park in Orrell, Wigan Flashes and Low Hall Park at Platt Bridge.
Local government
See also: Mayor of WiganMayor of Wigan
The Mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is the "First Citizen", Chairman of the Wigan Council and elected representative of the Wigan Borough on a national and international level...
and Mayoress of Wigan
Mayoress of Wigan
The Mayoress of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is the title traditionally given to the wife of the current Mayor of Wigan in office, The Mayoress attends engagements whilst also being the hostess at functions organised by the Mayor...
For the first 12 years after the county was created in 1974, the borough had a two-tier system of local government, and Wigan Council shared power with the Greater Manchester County Council
Greater Manchester County Council
The Greater Manchester County Council — also known as the Greater Manchester Council — was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater Manchester from 1974 to 1986...
. The county council was abolished in 1986 by the Local Government Act 1985
Local Government Act 1985
The Local Government Act 1985 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. Its main effect was to abolish the county councils of the metropolitan counties that had been set up in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, along with the Greater London Council that had been established in 1965.The...
. In April 2011 however, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Greater Manchester Combined Authority
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority is the top-tier administrative body for the local governance of Greater Manchester, England. The combined authority was established on 1 April 2011 and consists of ten indirectly elected members, each a directly elected councillor from one of the ten...
became the top tier of local government within Greater Manchester covering all 10 borough including Wigan.
The first elections
United Kingdom local elections, 1973
The first elections to the new local authorities established by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales and the new Northern Ireland district councils created by the Local Government Act 1972 took place in 1973...
to the borough council were held on 10 May 1973. The Metropolitan Borough Council is divided into 25 wards, each of which elects three councillors. Elections are by third, with one councillor from each ward up for re-election in each election year. The borough council has a leader and cabinet system. The current leader is Peter Smith
Peter Smith, Baron Smith of Leigh
Peter Richard Charles Smith, Baron Smith of Leigh is a British politician and Life Peer.-Life:Smith has been a member of Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council since 1978 and was chairman of finance committee 1982 to 1991...
, who also sits in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as a Labour Party life peer, under the title Lord Smith of Leigh. He became leader in 1991. The council rejected the idea of a directly-elected mayor
Elected mayors in the United Kingdom
Directly elected mayors are council leaders elected by the general electorate of a council area for local government, instead of being appointed by members of a local authority, which is common in the United Kingdom. The Elected Mayor is elected from a number of candidates who put themselves up for...
following a consultation in 2001.
The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is traditionally a Labour stronghold - the council has been Labour Party-controlled since its creation. The local elections in 1998
Wigan Council election 1998
Elections to Wigan Council were held on 7 May 1998. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour party kept overall control of the council. Overall turnout was 17.4%.After the election, the composition of the council was*Labour 70...
resulted in a council with only 2 non-Labour members.
Labour had a majority with 43 seats at the 2006 election. The second largest party on the council was the local Community Action Party
Community Action Party
The Community Action Party is a minor political party in the United Kingdom, mostly active in Greater Manchester and Merseyside. It advocates free health care and education provision, a managed public transport infrastructure free to all at the point of use and a moratorium on the use of green belt...
, also active in St Helens and Warrington, which had 15 seats. Community Action first contested Wigan elections in 2002, and won 18 seats in the 2004 election
Wigan Council election 2004
Elections to Wigan Council were held on 10 June 2004. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2003 increasing the number of councillors by three. The Labour party kept overall control of the council.-Election result:...
following the re-warding - their councilors are for wards in the middle of the borough, between Wigan and Leigh. The Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
had nine seats, and the Liberal Democrats eight.
At the 2008 elections Labour was the largest party with 41 seats out of a total of 75, the Conservative Party had 14 seats, Community Action Party 8 seats, Independent 7 seats, Liberal Democrats 4 seats and one was vacant.
As of November 2010 (after May elections), Labour is the largest party with 51 seats out of a total of 75, the Conservative Party with 8 seats, 7 Independent, Community Action Party with 4 seats and Liberal Democrats with 3 seats (1 member currently suspended) and the 'Independent Conservative' members with 2 seats.
As of June 2011 (after May elections), Labour continue to be the largest party with 58 seats out of a total of 75, the Independent Councillor group with 8 seats form the Official Opposition, the Conservative Party have 5 seats, the Liberal Democrats hold 2 seats, Community Action Party hold 1 seat and 1 Independent Councillor.
The council uses Wigan Town Hall as its main headquarters. Leigh Town Hall is used as a secondary base.
Townships and wards
The borough is divided into 25 electoral wards, each of which elect three councillors. The present wards were adopted in 2003, following a review by the Boundary Commission, the previous review took place in 1979. The borough was formerly divided in 24 wards. Wigan Council has divided the borough into ten areas by the name of townshipsTownship (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
, with a Township Manager and a Township Forum each.
| Townships | Wards |
|---|---|
| Ashton-in-Makerfield Ashton-in-Makerfield Ashton-in-Makerfield is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester. It is situated south of Wigan, north-northwest of Warrington and west of the city of Manchester. In 2001 it had a population of 28,505.... / Bryn Bryn Bryn is a component ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is part of the larger town of Ashton-in-Makerfield and is geographically indistinguishable from it. It forms a separate local council ward... |
Ashton; Bryn |
| Atherton Atherton, Greater Manchester Atherton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire. It is east of Wigan, north-northeast of Leigh, and northwest of Manchester... |
Atherton |
| Hindley Hindley, Greater Manchester Hindley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. Lying three miles east of Wigan it covers an area of 1044 hectares. Historically a part of Lancashire, Hindley which includes Hindley Green borders the towns of Ince-in-Makerfield and Leigh within Wigan... / Abram Abram, Greater Manchester Abram is a village and electoral ward within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat land on the northeast bank of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, west of Leigh, southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester... |
Abram; Hindley; Hindley Green Hindley Green Hindley Green is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. The village lies to the east of Hindley and is centred on the A577 Atherton Road to its boundary with Leigh.-History:... |
| Leigh Leigh, Greater Manchester Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss.... |
Atherleigh; Leigh North; Leigh South; Leigh West |
| Lowton Lowton Lowton is a village, part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is around from Leigh and south of Wigan. The settlement lies across the A580 East Lancashire Road.... / Golborne Golborne Golborne is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England.It lies south-southeast of Wigan, northeast of Warrington and to the west of the city of Manchester. It has a population of 23,119.... |
Golborne and Lowton West; Lowton East |
| Orrell Orrell, Greater Manchester Orrell is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The area is contiguous to the town of Wigan itself and the centre of the district is situated to the west of the town centre... / Higher End / Winstanley Winstanley, Greater Manchester Winstanley is a area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. The area serves primarily as a residential suburb, and has a total population of 15,849.-Transport:... |
Orrell; Winstanley; |
| Standish Standish, Greater Manchester Standish is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is located on the A49 road between the towns of Chorley and Wigan, a short distance from Junction 27 of the M6 motorway.... / Aspull / Shevington Shevington Shevington is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England.Lying within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire, Shevington lies approximately from Wigan town centre and at the 2001 census had a population of 9,786.-Topynomy:Shevington, a... |
Aspull-New Springs-Whelley; Shevington with Lower Ground; Standish with Langtree |
| Tyldesley Tyldesley Tyldesley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It occupies an area north of Chat Moss near the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, east-southeast of Wigan and west-northwest of the city of Manchester... / Astley Astley, Greater Manchester Astley is a settlement within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England, variously described as a suburb or a village. Astley lies on flat land to the northwest of the city of Manchester, and is crossed by the Bridgewater Canal and the A580 "East Lancashire Road"... |
Astley-Mosley Common Mosley Common Mosley Common is a suburb of Tyldesley at the far-eastern edge of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England.It was anciently a hamlet in the east of the township of Tyldesley cum Shakerley, in the ancient parish of Leigh... ; Tyldesley |
| Wigan North | Ince-in-Makerfield Ince-in-Makerfield Ince-in-Makerfield, usually known just as Ince is a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England.Ince is contiguous to Wigan and serves as a residential suburb of Wigan, Being divided locally by a train line into two separate areas - Higher Ince and Lower Ince,... ; Wigan Central; Wigan West |
| Wigan South | Douglas; Pemberton Pemberton, Greater Manchester Pemberton is an area of Wigan, and an electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the southwestern bank of the River Douglas, contiguous to Wigan's town centre, and east of the M6 motorway... ; Worsley Mesnes Worsley Mesnes Worsley Mesnes is a mainly residential area of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.Locally, the name is pronounced .... |
Parishes
The borough has three civil parishes: Haigh, Shevington and Worthington. The rest of the borough is an unparished areaUnparished area
In England, an unparished area is an area that is not covered by a civil parish. Most urbanised districts of England are either entirely or partly unparished. Many towns and some cities in otherwise rural districts are also unparished areas and therefore no longer have a town council or city...
. Ecclesiastical parishes in the west of the borough are part of the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool
Anglican Diocese of Liverpool
The Diocese of Liverpool is a Church of England diocese based in Liverpool, covering Merseyside north of the River Mersey along with West Lancashire, Wigan in Greater Manchester, Warrington and Widnes in Cheshire...
and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool, Anglican parishes in the east of the Metropolitan Borough are part of the Diocese of Manchester
Anglican Diocese of Manchester
The Diocese of Manchester is a Church of England diocese in the Province of York, England. Based in the city of Manchester, the diocese covers much of the county of Greater Manchester and small areas of the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire.-History:...
and the northern section part of the Diocese of Blackburn
Diocese of Blackburn
The Diocese of Blackburn is a Church of England diocese, covering much of Lancashire, created in 1926 from part of the Diocese of Manchester. The Diocese includes the towns of Blackburn, Blackpool, Burnley, and the cities of Lancaster, and Preston, as well as a large part of the Ribble Valley...
.
Parliamentary
The Wigan Metropolitan Borough is currently covered by four parliamentary constituencies, WiganWigan (UK Parliament constituency)
Wigan is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
, Makerfield
Makerfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Makerfield is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
, Leigh
Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)
Leigh is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
, and Bolton West
Bolton West (UK Parliament constituency)
Bolton West is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
.(Atherton is the only Wigan ward included in Bolton West, with the rest of the constituency made up of districts from Bolton Borough). New constituency boundaries recommended by the Boundary Commission
Boundary Commission
Boundary Commission may refer to:* Boundary Commissions of the United Kingdom* Boundary Commission between the United Kingdom and Ireland* Boundary Commission of the Pacific Northwest* Boundary Commission of Maine...
for the 2010 UK election saw the link to Salford broken by the removal of Wigan areas from the Worsley
Worsley (UK Parliament constituency)
Worsley was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
constituency. This resulted in the previous Worsley Constituency wards of Tyldesley and Astley-Mosley Common being placed in the Leigh Constituency
Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)
Leigh is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
with the Atherton ward going to Bolton West. Makerfield is the only constituency to have returned Labour MPs continuously since 1906.
Coat of arms
Wigan Metropolitan Borough's new coat of arms is based on various elements from the arms of the predecessor districts.Demography
With a population of around 300,000, Wigan is the second most populous borough of Greater Manchester, after ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
itself. It also has one of the lowest ethnic minority populations, with the 2001 census reporting 98.7% of the population as White. Unemployment is around average for England and Wales. Approximately 9.5% of the population is "permanently sick or disabled" compared to an average of 5.5%.
Population change
The table below details the population change since 1801, including the percentage change since the last available census data. Although the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan has only existed 1974, figures have been generated by combining data from the towns, villages, and civil parishes that would later be constituent parts of the borough.| Population growth Population growth Population growth is the change in a population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals of any species in a population using "per unit time" for measurement.... in Wigan since 1801 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1941 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 |
| Population | 41,413 | 50,464 | 60,760 | 69,400 | 78,349 | 93,271 | 120,001 | 146,732 | 173,462 | 212,665 | 239,399 | 269,503 | 267,754 | 266,040 | 266,436 | 266,839 | 284,309 | 302,929 | 307,721 | 310,866 | 301,415 |
| % change | – | +21.9 | +20.4 | +14.2 | +12.9 | +19.0 | +28.7 | +22.3 | +18.2 | +22.6 | +12.6 | +12.6 | −0.6 | −0.6 | +0.1 | +0.2 | +6.5 | +6.5 | +1.6 | +1.0 | −3.0 |
| Source: Vision of Britain |
|||||||||||||||||||||
The population of the borough has remained roughly static since the 1970s at around 300,000, second only to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
within Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
.
The ONS identify a Wigan Urban Area
Wigan Urban Area
The Wigan Urban Area is an area of land defined by the Office for National Statistics consisting of the built-up, or 'urbanised' area containing Wigan in Greater Manchester and Skelmersdale in West Lancashire....
as being the west of the district, including Skelmersdale and Upholland in West Lancashire
West Lancashire
West Lancashire is a non-metropolitan district with the status of a borough in Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Ormskirk. The other town in the borough is Skelmersdale....
, with a population of 166,840. It considers the east of the borough to be part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area
Greater Manchester Urban Area
The Greater Manchester Urban Area is an area of land defined by the Office for National Statistics consisting of the large conurbation that encompasses the city of Manchester and the continuous metropolitan area that spreads outwards from it, forming much of Greater Manchester in North West England...
. Ashton-in-Makerfield, Aspull, Golborne and Shevington are identified as standalone urban areas. However the entirety of the Borough forms part of the Manchester Larger Urban Zone
Transport
Public transportPublic transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
in Wigan MBC is co-ordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). The borough is served by an extensive bus network with most services operated by First Manchester
First Manchester
First Manchester is one of the bus companies serving Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America...
, Arriva North West and South Lancs Travel. Wigan town centre is the main hub of the bus network in the borough with a large bus station. Leigh is a secondary hub also with a bus station. Frequent services operate from the two bus stations to Bolton, Manchester, The Trafford Centre, St Helens and Chorley, as well as local inter-urban routes, with 3 high frequency services between Wigan and Leigh bus stations, operated by First Manchester. Several railway lines cross the borough. Wigan Wallgate railway station
Wigan Wallgate railway station
Wigan Wallgate railway station is one of two main railway stations serving the town of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. The station is on 2 lines, the Manchester-Southport Line and the Manchester-Kirkby Line. It is north west of Manchester Victoria...
is served by Northern trains on the Manchester to Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
and Kirkby
Kirkby
Kirkby is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in the metropolitan county of Merseyside in England. The town was developed from the 1950s through 1970s as a means to house the overspill of Liverpool. It is situated roughly north of Huyton, the administrative HQ of the borough and about...
lines. There are services to all stations towards Manchester, serving all city centre stations including the 2 major stations, Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly via 2 routes: 1 through Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
and one via Atherton
Atherton
Atherton may refer to:Places:* Atherton, California, a town in San Mateo County in the San Francisco Bay Area* Atherton, Greater Manchester, a town in North West England* Atherton, Ontario, a hamlet in Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada...
, with connections there to other local and national destinations. Wigan North Western railway station
Wigan North Western railway station
Wigan North Western railway station is one of two railway stations serving the town centre of Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.It is a moderately-sized station on the West Coast Main Line. It is operated by Virgin Trains, and is also served by Northern Rail...
is on the West Coast Mainline served by Northern and Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
. There are services to Liverpool Lime Street
Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
, Blackpool North
Blackpool North railway station
Blackpool North railway station is the main railway station serving the seaside resort of Blackpool in Lancashire, England. It is the terminus of the main Blackpool branch line from Preston....
, London Euston, Birmingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Other stations in the borough are Atherton
Atherton railway station
Atherton railway station serves the town of Atherton, Greater Manchester, and is the main station on the line between Wigan and Manchester on the Manchester to Southport Line, and according to Strategic Rail Authority figures) is the busiest station on the line .The station is located 19 km...
, Hag Fold, Bryn
Bryn railway station
Bryn railway station is in Bryn, in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. It is the nearest station to Ashton-In-Makerfield. The station is situated on Liverpool to Wigan Line...
(serving Ashton in Makerfield), Gathurst
Gathurst railway station
On the outskirts of the town of Wigan, Greater Manchester, the semi-rural Gathurst is a recently refurbished two-platform station on the Southport line 2¾ miles north west of Wigan Wallgate station...
(serving Shevington), Hindley
Hindley railway station
Hindley railway station serves the area of Hindley in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan.Hindley is one of the principal stations that lie on the Wigan to Manchester line, just before the route branches to use either the Atherton line or the Eastern Branch line via Westhoughton and Bolton...
, Ince
Ince railway station
Ince railway station serves the Ince area of Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester. The station is on the Manchester-Southport Line 28 km north west of Manchester Victoria....
, Orrell
Orrell railway station
Orrell railway station serves the Orrell area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester. It is a small two-platform commuter hub on the Wigan to Kirkby branch line....
, and Pemberton
Pemberton railway station
Pemberton railway station serves the Pemberton area of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. It is on the Wigan to Kirkby branch line.The station is situated on the A571 Billinge Road...
. Appley Bridge railway station lies just outside Wigan at the border with West Lancashire, it is manged by TfGM and serves the far north-western area of Wigan Borough. There is also a long running campaign for Golborne railway station to be re-opened.
Leigh is one of the largest towns in the UK without a railway station. Westleigh station, on the Bolton and Leigh Railway
Bolton and Leigh Railway
The Bolton and Leigh Railway was the first public railway in the historic county of Lancashire, England. It opened in 1828 for goods.-History:...
, closed in 1954. Leigh and Tyldesley stations on a loop of the Manchester to Wigan Line
Manchester to Wigan Line
The Manchester and Wigan Railway refers to a railway in North West England, opened in 1864 and closed to passengers on 3 May 1969, which was part of the London and North Western Railway before the Grouping of 1923 ....
, were closed in 1969. There are proposals to use the line of the railway via Tyldesley towards Manchester as a guided busway but this not universally popular.
The Leeds and Liverpool
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
and Bridgewater
Bridgewater Canal
The Bridgewater Canal connects Runcorn, Manchester and Leigh, in North West England. It was commissioned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, to transport coal from his mines in Worsley to Manchester...
canals pass through the borough, as does the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
, which crosses the west of the borough, and serves Ashton-in-Makerfield at junctions 23 and 24 (north only) and 25 (south only), Wigan at junction 25 (south only), Wigan/Orrell at junction 26 and Standish junction 27. The M58 motorway
M58 motorway
The M58 is a motorway passing through Merseyside and Lancashire, terminating in Greater Manchester, England. It is 12 miles long and provides a link between the M6 motorway and the area north of Liverpool.-Route:...
, to northern Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, terminates at junction 26 of the M6 near Orrell. The dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
A580
A580 road
The A580 is a primary A road in England that connects Walton, near Liverpool and Salford, near Manchester and known officially as Liverpool-East Lancashire Road. Locally, the road is shortened to the "East Lancs". The road was designed and built to provide better access to the Port of Liverpool for...
East Lancashire Road linking Liverpool to Manchester crosses the south of the borough.
Twinning
The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan has one twin town in France.| Country | Place | County / District / Region / State | Originally twinned with | Date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! style="background: #FFFFCF; color:>#000000" ! | | Angers Angers Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins.... ! style="background: #FFF>EF; color: #000000" ! |  |
Pays de la Loire Pays de la Loire Pays de la Loire is one of the 27 regions of France. It is one of the regions created in the late 20th century to serve as a zone of influence for its capital, Nantes, one of a handful so-called "balancing metropolises" ¹... |
Metropolitan Borough of Wigan | 1988 |
See also
- Wigan Council election 1998Wigan Council election 1998Elections to Wigan Council were held on 7 May 1998. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour party kept overall control of the council. Overall turnout was 17.4%.After the election, the composition of the council was*Labour 70...
- Wigan Council election 2000Wigan Council election 2000Elections to Wigan Council were held on 4 May 2000. One-third of the council was up for election and the Labour party kept overall control of the council. Overall turnout was 19.4%After the election, the composition of the council was*Labour 69...
- Wigan Council election 2002Wigan Council election 2002Elections to Wigan Council were held on 2 May 2002. One-third of the council was up for election and the Labour party kept overall control of the council.After the election, the composition of the council was*Labour 65*Liberal Democrat 3*Community Action Party 2...
- Wigan Council election 2003Wigan Council election 2003Elections to Wigan Council were held on 1st May, 2003. One-third of the council was up for election and the Labour party kept overall control of the council.After the election, the composition of the council was*Labour 60*Community Action Party 5...
- Wigan Council election 2004Wigan Council election 2004Elections to Wigan Council were held on 10 June 2004. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2003 increasing the number of councillors by three. The Labour party kept overall control of the council.-Election result:...
- Wigan Borough F.C.Wigan Borough F.C.Wigan Borough Football Club was an English football club from the town of Wigan, Lancashire. It was a fourth attempt at establishing football in Wigan, their forerunners Wigan County, Wigan United and Wigan Town all having fallen into liquidation previously....