The first local authority for the town of St Helens was a body of improvement commissioners established in 1845.[4] The town was incorporated to become a municipal borough in 1868, after which it was governed by a body formally called the 'mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of St Helens', generally known as the corporation, town council or borough council.[5]
When elected county councils were established in 1889, St Helens was considered large enough to provide its own county-level services, and so it became a county borough, independent from the new Lancashire County Council, whilst remaining part of the geographical county of Lancashire.[6]
The larger Metropolitan Borough of St Helens and its council were created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as one of five metropolitan districts within the new metropolitan county of Merseyside. The new district covered the whole area of four former districts and parts of another three, all of which were abolished at the same time:
The first election to the new council was held in 1973. For its first year the council acted as a shadow authority alongside the area's outgoing authorities. The new metropolitan district and its council formally came into being on 1 April 1974, at which point the old districts and their councils were abolished.[8]
The metropolitan district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor, continuing St Helens' series of mayors dating back to 1868.[9] The council styles itself St Helens Borough Council rather than its full formal name of St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council.
From 1974 until 1986 the council was a lower-tier authority, with upper-tier functions provided by Merseyside County Council. The county council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to Merseyside's five borough councils, including St Helens, with some services provided through joint committees.[10]
Since 2014 the council has been a member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, which has been led by the directly elected Mayor of the Liverpool City Region since 2017. The combined authority provides strategic leadership and co-ordination for certain functions across the region, but St Helens Borough Council continues to be responsible for most local government functions.[11][12]
Governance
St Helens Borough Council provides metropolitan borough services. Some strategic functions in the area are provided by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority; the leader of St Helens Borough Council sits on the combined authority as St Helens' representative.[13] Parts of the borough are covered by civil parishes, which form an additional tier of local government for their areas.[14]
Political control
The council has been under Labour majority control since 2010.
Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms took effect has been as follows:[15][16]
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in St Helens, usually being held by a different councillor each year. Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:[17]
In December 2024 Reform UK won a by-election in Blackbrook ward, reducing the number of labour councillors to 28.[28] Of the independent councillors, three sit together as "The Independents" group, two form the "Newton-le-Willows Independents" group and the other two do not belong to any group. The next election is due in 2026.
Since the last boundary changes in 2022, 48 councillors have been elected from 18 wards, with elections held every four years.[29]
Premises
Wesley House, Corporation Street
The council meets and has its customer reception at St Helens Town Hall overlooking Victoria Square in the town centre. The building was built in 1876 for the old borough council.[30] The council's main offices are in the adjoining Wesley House on Corporation Street.[31]
