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Borough of Runnymede

Coordinates: 51°23′42″N 0°32′28″W / 51.395°N 0.541°W / 51.395; -0.541
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51°23′42″N 0°32′28″W / 51.395°N 0.541°W / 51.395; -0.541

Borough of Runnymede
Runnymede Bridge, carrying the A30 and M25 over the River Thames near Egham
Runnymede Bridge, carrying the A30 and M25 over the River Thames near Egham
Coat of arms of Borough of Runnymede
Motto: 
In Freedom We Serve
Runnymede shown within Surrey
Runnymede shown within Surrey
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionSouth East England
Non-metropolitan countySurrey
StatusNon-metropolitan district
Admin HQAddlestone
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyRunnymede Borough Council
 • MPsBen Spencer
Area
 • Total30.1 sq mi (78.0 km2)
 • Rank220th (of 296)
Population
 (2022)
 • Total88,524
 • Rank269th (of 296)
 • Density2,900/sq mi (1,100/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code43UG (ONS)
E07000212 (GSS)
OS grid referenceTQ0149367283

The Borough of Runnymede is a local government district with borough status in Surrey, England. Its council is based in Addlestone and the borough also includes the towns of Chertsey and Egham. The borough is named after Runnymede, a water meadow on the banks of the River Thames near Egham, which is connected with the sealing of Magna Carta by King John in 1215.

It is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt, having some of the most expensive housing in the United Kingdom outside central London, such as the Wentworth Estate at Virginia Water. The M25 motorway which encircles London runs through the borough, with Addlestone, Chertsey and Egham Hythe being inside the M25. At the 2021 Census, the population of the borough was 87,739. With a GDP per capita of £87,277 it is the sixth wealthiest borough in the UK, being the wealthiest outside of London. [2] The UK Competitiveness Index ranks it as the 8th most economically competitive area in the UK, with only London boroughs ahead.[3]

The neighbouring districts are Spelthorne, Elmbridge, Woking, Surrey Heath and Windsor and Maidenhead.

History

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The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering two former districts which were both abolished at the same time:[4][5]

The new district was named after the water meadow of Runnymede on the banks of the Thames at Egham on the northern edge of the borough, which is connected with the sealing of Magna Carta by King John in 1215 and is the site of several significant monuments.[6]

The district was awarded borough status in 1978, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[7]

Governance

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Runnymede Borough Council
Logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1974
Leadership
Elaine Gill,
RIRG
since 15 May 2024
Robert King (Lab)
Don Whyte (Lib Dem)
Linda Gillham (RIRG)
Steve Ringham (Green)
since 15 May 2024
Andrew Pritchard
since 1 August 2023[8]
Structure
Seats41 councillors
Political groups
Administration (25)
Opposition (15)
Vacant (1)
Length of term
4 years
SalaryNo salary, but an annual taxable basic allowance of £5,778
Elections
Last election
2 May 2024
Next election
7 May 2026
Meeting place
Runnymede Civic Centre, Station Road, Addlestone, KT15 2AH
Website
www.runnymede.gov.uk
High Street in Egham

Runnymede Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Surrey County Council.[9] There are no civil parishes in the borough, which is an unparished area.[10]

Political control

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The council has been under no overall control since 2023. Following the 2024 election a coalition of Labour, Liberal Democrats, Greens and independent councillors formed to run the council.[11][12]

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:[13][14]

Party in control Years
Conservative 1974–1996
No overall control 1996–1998
Conservative 1998–2023
No overall control 2023–present

Leadership

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The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Runnymede. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader or co-leaders of the council. The leaders (or co-leaders) since 1984 have been:[15]

Councillor Party From To Notes
Denis Clarke[16] Conservative 1984 1986
Michael Wheaton Conservative 1986 1991
Howard Langley Conservative 1991 14 May 1997
Chris Norman[17] Conservative 14 May 1997 post-1999
Geoffrey Woodger Conservative post-1999 15 May 2003
Roger Habgood[18] Conservative 15 May 2003 May 2005
Geoffrey Woodger Conservative May 2005 May 2006
John Furey Conservative May 2006 May 2011
Patrick Roberts Conservative May 2011 18 May 2016
Peter Waddell Conservative 18 May 2016 17 May 2017
Nick Prescot Conservative 17 May 2017 18 May 2022
Tom Gracey Conservative 18 May 2022 15 May 2024
Robert King Labour Co-op 15 May 2024 Co-leaders[11]
Don Whyte Liberal Democrats
Linda Gillham RIRG
Steve Ringham Green

Composition

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Following the 2024 election the composition of the council has been:[19]

Party 2024 election Current
Conservative 13
Labour 8
Liberal Democrats 6
Runnymede Independent Residents Group 6
Independent 5 4
Green 3
Total 41 39
Vacant 0 1

Of the independent councillors, two (all representing Ottershaw ward) form the "Independent Group", which informally supported the Conservative minority administration between 2023 and 2024.[20] The other two (both representing Englefield Green East) form part of the majority administration group.[21] The next election is due in 2026.

Elections

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Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 41 councillors representing 14 wards with each ward electing three councillors except Englefield Green East which elects two. Elections are held three years out of every four, with roughly a third of the council elected each time for a four-year term of office. Surrey County Council elections are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no borough council elections.[22]

Premises

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The council is based at Runnymede Civic Centre on Station Road in Addlestone. The new building cost a reported £12.6m and opened in May 2008. The council's former offices were on the adjoining site and were subsequently demolished to make way for a retail development.[23]

Transport

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Chertsey railway station

The M25 motorway runs through Runnymede from south to north, with junctions at Chertsey and Egham, while train services in the borough are provided by South Western Railway on the Waterloo–Reading line and the Chertsey branch line.

Twinning

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Runnymede is twinned with Bergisch Gladbach, situated 10 miles east of Cologne; Herndon, Virginia, about 20 miles west of Washington, D.C.; and Joinville-le-Pont, located to the east of Paris.

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Runnymede Local Authority (E07000212)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Regional economic activity by gross domestic product, UK: 1998 to 2022". 2022.
  3. ^ "Runnymede Economic Assessment" (PDF). Runnymede Borough Council. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  4. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan District (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 17 November 2023
  5. ^ "Surrey: Diagram showing administrative boundaries, 1971". National Library of Scotland. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  6. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 3 January 2024
  7. ^ Alteration of status of local authorities June 1977–January 1978 (PDF). London: Department of the Environment. 1978. p. 2. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Afghanistan veteran to be council's new CEO". Runnymede Borough Council. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  10. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  11. ^ a b Lee, Shola (24 May 2024). "Runnymede gets innovative political co-leadership". BBC News. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Runnymede". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  14. ^ "Runnymede". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  15. ^ "Council minutes". Runnymede Borough Council. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  16. ^ "Tory leader going to the back bench". Surrey Herald. Chertsey. 9 January 1986. p. 2. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  17. ^ "New man at helm". Surrey Herald. Chertsey. 22 May 1997. p. 9. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Council minutes, 15 May 2003" (PDF). Runnymede Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  19. ^ "Runnymede election results: Elections 2024". The BBC.
  20. ^ Caulfield, Chris (18 May 2023). "New Runnymede leader to take on council with no overall control". Surrey Live. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  21. ^ "Your councillors by political grouping". Runnymede Borough Council. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  22. ^ "The Runnymede (Electoral Changes) Order 2019", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2019/126, retrieved 15 January 2024
  23. ^ "New civic offices open for business". Surrey Live. 13 May 2008. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
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