Horsham District
Horsham District | |
|---|---|
 Market Square from Carfax in Horsham, the district's main town | |
 Horsham shown within West Sussex | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | South East England |
| Non-metropolitan county | West Sussex |
| Status | Non-metropolitan district |
| Admin HQ | Horsham |
| Incorporated | 1 April 1974 |
| Government | |
| • Body | Horsham District Council |
| • MPs | Andrew Griffith John Milne |
| Area | |
• Total | 204.73 sq mi (530.26 km2) |
| • Rank | 74th (of 296) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 151,521 |
| • Rank | 148th (of 296) |
| • Density | 740.09/sq mi (285.75/km2) |
| Ethnicity (2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion (2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
Horsham is a local government district in West Sussex, England. It is named after the town of Horsham, which is its largest settlement and where the council is based. The district also includes the surrounding rural area and contains many villages, the largest of which are Southwater and Billingshurst. The district includes part of the South Downs National Park and part of the designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of High Weald. At the 2021 census, the district had a population of 147,487.
The neighbouring districts are Crawley, Mid Sussex, Brighton and Hove, Adur, Arun, Chichester, Waverley and Mole Valley.
History
Horsham itself had been an ancient borough from the thirteenth century, but lost its borough status in the 1830s.[2] The town had been made a local government district in 1875, which became Horsham Urban District in 1894.[3][4]
The modern district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as one of seven districts within West Sussex. The new district covered the whole area of three former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[5]
- Chanctonbury Rural District
- Horsham Rural District
- Horsham Urban District
The new district was named Horsham, after its largest settlement.[6]
Governance
Horsham District Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Jane Eaton since April 2022 | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 48 councillors |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
| First-past-the-post | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Albery House, Springfield Road, Horsham, RH12 2GB | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Horsham District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by West Sussex County Council.[8] All of the district is covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government for their areas.[9]
In the parts of the district within the South Downs National Park, town planning is the responsibility of the South Downs National Park Authority. The district council appoints one of its councillors to serve on the 27-person National Park Authority.[10]
Political control
The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since the 2023 election.[11]
The first elections to the council were held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[12]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Independent | 1974–1976 | |
| Conservative | 1976–1995 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 1995–1999 | |
| Conservative | 1999–2003 | |
| No overall control | 2003–2007 | |
| Conservative | 2007–2023 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 2023–present | |
Leadership
The leaders of the council since 2001 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liz Kitchen[13][14] | Conservative | 2001 | 22 Apr 2009 | |
| Robert Nye[14][15] | Conservative | 22 Apr 2009 | 14 Dec 2011 | |
| Ray Dawe[16][17] | Conservative | 22 Feb 2012 | 26 May 2021 | |
| Paul Clarke[18][19] | Conservative | 26 May 2021 | 3 Dec 2021 | |
| Jonathan Chowen[20][21] | Conservative | 3 Dec 2021 | Jan 2023 | |
| Claire Vickers[22][23][11] | Conservative | 2 Feb 2023 | May 2023 | |
| Martin Boffey[24][25] | Liberal Democrats | 24 May 2023 | ||
Composition
Following the 2023 election,[26] and subsequent by-elections up to July 2026, the composition of the council was:[27]
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | 26 | |
| Conservative | 12 | |
| Green | 9 | |
| Reform | 1 | |
| Total | 48 | |
The next election is due in 2027.[27]
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 48 councillors representing 22 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[28]
Premises
The council is based at Albery House on Springfield Road in Horsham. The council moved into the building in 2025.[29]
Between 2015 and 2025 the council shared a building called Parkside on Chart Way with West Sussex County Council.[30] Prior to 2015 the council was based across several buildings, including Park House, an eighteenth century house on North Street which had served as the headquarters of the old Horsham Urban District Council since 1928.[31]
Towns and parishes
The whole of the district is divided into civil parishes.[9] None of the parishes has been formally designated a town by its parish council, although it is expected "Horsham Parish Council" will be renamed to "Horsham Town Council" once the elections are over,[32] Billingshurst, Henfield, Pulborough and Steyning are post towns. From 1974 to 2026 the central part of the Horsham urban area, roughly corresponding to the pre-1974 Horsham Urban District, was an unparished area.
Within the Horsham District are the following civil parishes:
| Parish | Type | Area (Hectare) | Population (2001) | Pop Density /Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amberley | Parish Council | 1179.37 | 533 | 0.45 |
| Ashington | Parish Council | 805.15 | 2351 | 2.91 |
| Ashurst | Parish Council | 1009.41 | 226 | 0.22 |
| Billingshurst | Parish Council | 3219.31 | 6531 | 2.03 |
| Bramber | Parish Council | 719.06 | 757 | 1.05 |
| Broadbridge Heath | Parish Council | 215.64 | 3021 | 14.01 |
| Coldwaltham | Parish Council | 893.13 | 845 | 0.95 |
| Colgate | Parish Council | 2243.67 | 1119 | 0.50 |
| Cowfold | Parish Council | 1925.57 | 1864 | 0.97 |
| Henfield | Parish Council | 1734.75 | 5012 | 2.89 |
| Horsham | Parish Council | 1170.63 | 23698 | 20.24 |
| Itchingfield | Parish Council | 1091.06 | 1477 | 1.35 |
| Lower Beeding | Parish Council | 1845.06 | 1001 | 0.54 |
| North Horsham | Parish Council | 1094.77 | 21348 | 19.50 |
| Nuthurst | Parish Council | 1696.76 | 1711 | 1.00 |
| Parham | Parish Council | 1586.23 | 214 | 0.13 |
| Pulborough | Parish Council | 2098.31 | 4685 | 2.23 |
| Rudgwick | Parish Council | 2468.98 | 2791 | 1.13 |
| Rusper | Parish Council | 2588.56 | 1389 | 0.54 |
| Shermanbury | Parish Council | 775.15 | 454 | 0.59 |
| Shipley | Parish Council | 3125.60 | 1075 | 0.34 |
| Slinfold | Parish Council | 1694.81 | 1647 | 0.97 |
| Southwater | Parish Council | 1400.20 | 10025 | 7.16 |
| Steyning | Parish Council | 1574.09 | 5812 | 3.69 |
| Storrington and Sullington | Parish Council | 1199.69 | 6074 | 5.06 |
| Thakeham | Parish Council | 1170.63 | 1794 | 1.53 |
| Upper Beeding | Parish Council | 1877.48 | 3798 | 2.02 |
| Warnham | Parish Council | 1980.21 | 1958 | 0.99 |
| Washington | Parish Council | 1275.90 | 1930 | 1.51 |
| West Chiltington | Parish Council | 1732.54 | 3315 | 1.91 |
| West Grinstead | Parish Council | 2583.65 | 2934 | 1.14 |
| Wiston | Parish Council | 1359.67 | 221 | 0.16 |
| Woodmancote | Parish Council | 848.72 | 478 | 0.56 |
| Horsham | Total | 53096.21 | 122088 | 2.30 |
Education
The Rikkyo School in England, a Japanese boarding school, is located in the Rudgwick community in Horsham District.[33]
References
- 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Horsham Local Authority (E07000227)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ↑ Hudson, T. P., ed. (1986). A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 6 Part 2. London: Victoria County History. pp. 189–190. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ↑ "No. 24227". The London Gazette. 13 July 1875. p. 3564.
- ↑ Local Government Act 1894
- ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ↑ "New Chairman of Horsham District Council elected". Horsham District Council. 30 April 2026. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
- ↑ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
- 1 2 "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
- ↑ "Members". South Downs National Park Authority. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- 1 2 Luck, Flaminia (5 May 2023). "Sussex election results 2023: Tories lose Wealden for first time in 25 years". BBC News. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ↑ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 26 November 2024. (Put "Horsham" in search box to see specific results.)
- ↑ "Former Tory leader 'absolutely appalled' by her party's treatment of their vice chairman". Sussex World. 27 February 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
- 1 2 "Council minutes, 22 April 2009" (PDF). Horsham District Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
- ↑ "Horsham council leader steps down". The Argus. 14 December 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- ↑ "Council minutes, 22 February 2012" (PDF). Horsham District Council. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
- ↑ Powling, Joshua (19 May 2021). "Horsham District Council leader to stand down". Sussex World. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
- ↑ "Council minutes, 26 May 2021". Horsham District Council. 26 May 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
- ↑ Powling, Joshua (12 November 2021). "Sudden resignation of Horsham District Council leader". Sussex World. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- ↑ "Council minutes, 3 December 2021". Horsham District Council. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
- ↑ Powling, Joshua (10 January 2023). "Third Conservative council leader quits at Horsham District Council within last 20 months". Sussex Express. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- ↑ "Council minutes, 2 February 2023". Horsham District Council. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
- ↑ Dunn, Karen (3 February 2023). "Conservative Claire Vickers elected as new leader of Horsham District Council three months before elections". Sussex World. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ↑ "Council minutes, 24 May 2023". Horsham District Council. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
- ↑ "Horsham's new council leader unveils his Lib Dem administration and its priorities". SussexWorld. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ↑ Voce, Antonio; Leach, Anna; Hoog, Niels de; Torpey, Paul; Clarke, Seán (9 May 2023). "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
- 1 2 "Horsham". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ "The Horsham (Electoral Changes) Order 2017", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2017/1065, retrieved 28 January 2024
- ↑ "Council is on the move". Horsham District Council. 4 March 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ↑ Coe, Anna (21 March 2015). "Horsham District Council starts office sharing move". Sussex World. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ↑ Historic England. "Horsham Park (Grade II*) (1353938)". National Heritage List for England.
- ↑ "Horsham Parish Council election results 2026". Sussex World. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
- ↑ "INFORMATION IN ENGLISH." (Archive[link removed]) Rikkyo School in England. Retrieved 8 January 2014. "Guildford Road, Rudgwick, W-Sussex RH12 3BE ENGLAND"
