Lewes District

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Lewes District
Non-metropolitan district
Lewes shown within East Sussex
Lewes shown within East Sussex
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionSouth East England
Non-metropolitan countyEast Sussex
StatusNon-metropolitan district
Admin HQLewes
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyLewes District Council
 • LeadershipLeader & Cabinet
Area
 • Total112.74 sq mi (292.00 km2)
 • Rank134th (of 309)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total99,905
 • Rank244th (of 309)
 • Density890/sq mi (340/km2)
 • Ethnicity
97.9% White
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code21UF (ONS)
E07000063 (GSS)
OS grid referenceTQ420104
Websitelewes-eastbourne.gov.uk
Lewes District Council
Logo
Type
Type
HousesUnicameral
History
Founded1 April 1974
Leadership
Leader of the Council
James MacCleary,
Liberal Democrats
since 18 July 2022
Deputy Leader of the Council
Zoe Nicholson,
Green Party
since 18 July 2022
Structure
Seats41
United Kingdom Lewes District Council 2019.svg
Political groups
Administration (23)
  Liberal Democrats (9)
  Green (8)
  Labour (4)
  Independent (2)
Opposition (18)
  Conservative (18)
Elections
First past the post
Website
lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk

Lewes is a local government district in East Sussex in southern England covering an area of 113 sq mi (290 km2), with 9 miles (14.5 km) of coastline.[1] It is named after its administrative centre, Lewes. Other towns in the district include Newhaven, Peacehaven, Seaford and Telscombe. Plumpton racecourse is within the district. There are 28 parishes in the district.

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, and was a merger of the former borough of Lewes along with Newhaven and Seaford urban districts and Chailey Rural District.

Politics[edit]

See also: Lewes local elections

Elections to the council are held every four years, with all of the 41 seats, representing 21 wards, on the council being filled.

Since July 2019, following the May election, an alliance of councillors from the Green, Liberal Democrat, and Labour parties, plus two Independents, has controlled the council, with Green Councillor Zoe Nicholson and Liberal Democrat Councillor James MacCleary holding the leader and deputy leader roles alternating each year.[2][3]

After being controlled by the Liberal Democrats since 1991, the Conservative party regained a majority at the 2011 election.[4] However, subsequent defections of Conservative councillors to UKIP[5][6] and the Liberal Democrats[7] left the council in no overall control. In the subsequent council election on 7 May 2015, the Conservatives regained control with an increased majority and heavy losses for the Liberal Democrats.[8] In March 2020, Cllr Sean Macleod resigned from the Green Party,[9] joining the Liberal Democrats in June 2020.[10]

The current composition is as follows:

Year Conservative Liberal Democrat Green Party Independent Labour Independent (Green)
2018 19 11 3 6 0 1
2019 19 8 9 2 3 0
2020 19 9 8 2 3 0

Geography[edit]

The district wards are:

Ward Population (2007) Councillors Ratio
Barcombe and Hamsey 2021 1 2021
Chailey and Wivelsfield 4687 2 2344
Ditchling and Westmeston 2334 1 2334
East Saltdean and Telscombe Cliffs 7146 3 2382
Kingston 2095 1 2095
Lewes Bridge 4357 2 2179
Lewes Castle 4712 2 2356
Lewes Priory 7153 3 2384
Newhaven Denton and Meeching 8236 3 2745
Newhaven Valley 3790 2 1895
Newick 2343 1 2343
Ouse Valley and Ringmer 6579 3 2193
Peacehaven East 4325 2 2163
Peacehaven North 4772 2 2386
Peacehaven West 4171 2 2086
Plumpton, Streat, East Chiltington and St John (Without) 2391 1 2391
Seaford Central 4712 2 2356
Seaford East 4704 2 2352
Seaford North 4906 2 2453
Seaford South 4400 2 2200
Seaford West 4439 2 2220
Total Lewes 94723 41 2299

The civil parishes within the district are:

Parish Type Population (2007) Area (sq mi) Pop Density /sq mi
Barcombe Parish Council 1447 6.9 211
Chailey Parish Council 2728 9.6 284
Ditchling Parish Council 2027 6.0 339
East Chiltington & St John Without ‡ Parish Council 536 5.2 102
Falmer & St Ann Without ‡ Parish Council 281 6.6 43
Firle Parish Council 327 5.4 61
Glynde and Beddingham & Tarring Neville ‡ Parish Council 555 9.8 57
Hamsey Parish Council 574 4.4 130
Iford Parish Meeting 205 3.7 55
Kingston Parish Council 843 2.2 383
Lewes Town Council 16222 4.4 3679
Newhaven Town Council 12026 2.7 4375
Newick Parish Council 2343 3.0 778
Peacehaven Town Council 13268 2.0 6621
Piddinghoe Parish Council 264 1.5 180
Plumpton Parish Council 1676 3.7 450
Ringmer Parish Council 4591 10.0 459
Rodmell & Southease ‡ Parish Council 502 4.3 115
Seaford Town Council 23161 6.7 3480
South Heighton Parish Council 1106 3.3 338
Streat Parish Meeting 179 2.0 89
Telscombe Town Council 7146 1.8 3913
Westmeston Parish Council 307 3.3 94
Wivelsfield Parish Council 1959 4.2 470
Total Lewes 94273 112.7 836

‡ St John Without, St Ann Without, Tarring Neville and Southease are separate Parish Meetings but have been merged with their neighbouring parishes for the population statistics.

The Sussex Police has its head office in Lewes, Lewes District.[11]

The Prime Meridian passes through the district.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Lewes District Council: News and local information". Lewes District Council. 2009. Archived from the original on 2 July 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  2. ^ "Co-operative Alliance takes control of Lewes District Council from Conservatives". lewes.greenparty.org.uk/.
  3. ^ "Agenda and minutes; Lewes District Council Full Council - Thursday, 15th July, 2021 6.00 pm". democracy.lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Election 2011 - England council elections - Lewes". BBC News.
  5. ^ "Lewes Cllr Donna Edmunds defects to UKIP". www.bloggers4ukip.org.uk.
  6. ^ "Defection leaves Tories in minority". www.bloggers4ukip.org.uk.
  7. ^ "Former Tory Council leader joins Liberal Democrats in Lewes".
  8. ^ "District Council Elections - 7 May 2015". Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  9. ^ "Council's mental health champion resigns from Lewes Green group". Sussex Express.
  10. ^ "CCouncillor Sean MacLeod joins Liberal Democrats". Lewes Lib Dems.
  11. ^ "Non-emergency enquiries." (Archive) Sussex Police. Retrieved 13 February 2011. "Sussex Police Headquarters Church Lane, Lewes East Sussex, BN7 2DZ."

Coordinates: 50°52′26″N 0°00′32″E / 50.87389°N 0.00889°E / 50.87389; 0.00889

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