Borough of Broxbourne | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
 Broxbourne shown within Hertfordshire | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | East of England |
| Non-metropolitan county | Hertfordshire |
| Status | Non-metropolitan district,Borough |
| Admin HQ | Cheshunt |
| Incorporated | 1 April 1974 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan district council |
| • Body | Broxbourne Borough Council |
| • MPs | Lewis Cocking |
| Area | |
• Total | 19.86 sq mi (51.43 km2) |
| • Rank | 242nd(of 296) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 101,900 |
| • Rank | 245th(of 296) |
| • Density | 5,132/sq mi (1,981/km2) |
| Ethnicity(2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion(2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| ONS code | 26UB (ONS) E07000095 (GSS) |
| OS grid reference | TL358021 |
TheBorough of Broxbourne is alocal government district withborough status inHertfordshire, England. Its council is based inCheshunt. Other settlements in the borough includeBroxbourne,Hoddesdon andWaltham Cross. The eastern boundary of the district is theRiver Lea. The borough covers 20 square miles (52 km2) in south eastHertfordshire, and had an estimated population of 99,000 in 2021.
Much of the borough lies within theMetropolitan Green Belt which surroundsLondon. The western side of the borough is largely rural with extensive areas of woodland, whilst the eastern part, particularly between theA10 road and the River Lea, is generally urban. Most of the built-up parts of Broxbourne fall within theGreater London Urban Area. TheLee Valley Park lies on the borough's eastern boundary.
The borough is twinned with theSicilian city ofSutera.
The borough of Broxbourne was created on 1 April 1974 under theLocal Government Act 1972, covering the area of two districts, which were both abolished at the same time:[2]
The new district was named Broxbourne after the old village of that name at the centre of the area. The village had been administratively part of Hoddesdon Urban District since 1935.[3][4] The name Broxbourne means "badger's stream", a fact referenced in the council's logo of a badger.[5] The new district was awardedborough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[6]
Broxbourne Borough Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Jeff Stack since December 2013[8] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 30 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 2 May 2024 |
Next election | 7 May 2026 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Borough Offices, Bishop's College, Churchgate, Cheshunt, EN8 9XQ | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Hertfordshire has a two-tier structure of local government, with the ten district councils (including Broxbourne Borough Council) providing district-level services, andHertfordshire County Council providing county-level services.[9]
The first elections to the council were held in 1973, initially acting as a shadow authority until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. TheConservatives have held a majority of the seats on the council since 1974:[10]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 1974–present | |
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Broxbourne, and is usually held by a different councillor each year. Political leadership is instead provided by theleader of the council. The leaders since 2010 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Mason[11] | Conservative | 2010 | May 2014 | |
| Mark Mills-Bishop[12][13] | Conservative | 2014 | 14 May 2019 | |
| Lewis Cocking[13][14] | Conservative | 14 May 2019 | May 2024 | |
| Mark Mills-Bishop[15][16] | Conservative | 14 May 2024 | May 2025 | |
| Corina Gander[16] | Conservative | 13 May 2025 | ||
Following the2024 election and changes of allegiance up to March 2025, the composition of the council was as follows:[17][18]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 25 | |
| Labour | 3 | |
| Reform | 2 | |
| Total | 30 | |
The next election is due in 2026.[18]
The council is based atBishops' College on Churchgate inCheshunt. The building had been a college for trainingclergy and comprised an early eighteenth century house to which substantial extensions had been added in 1810 and 1871.[19] The college closed in 1968 and the vacant building was bought in 1972 by Cheshunt Urban District Council.[20] The building then passed to Broxbourne Borough Council on local government reorganisation in 1974. The council added a large modern extension, which was formally opened on 10 December 1986 byPrince Edward, Duke of Kent.[21]
Since the last ward boundary changes in 2012 the council has comprised 30councillors, with the borough being divided into 10wards each electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, electing one councillor from each ward each time. Elections toHertfordshire County Council are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no borough council elections.[22]
The borough's wards are:[22]
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The main industrial areas of the borough are aroundWaltham Cross and the Essex Road area ofHoddesdon.[24]
Park Plaza atWaltham Cross is home to the world's largest printing plant, which produces publications forNews International includingThe Sun,The Times and The Sun on Sunday (formerly theNews of the World). Employing 200 people on a 23-acre (93,000 m2) site to produce 86,000 newspapers per hour on each of its twelve printing presses (a total capacity of over 1,000,000 newspapers per hour),[25] the plant cost £350 million and replaced the News International press inWapping.[26]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
