Tamworth Borough Council is the local authority for the borough of Tamworth in the county of Staffordshire, England. The council consists of 30 councillors, three for each of the 10 wards in the town.[3] It is currently under no overall control, led by Labour councillor Carol Dean, since May 2024. The borough council is based at Marmion House.[4]
History
Tamworth was an ancient borough. It was reformed in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 to become a municipal borough.[5] Until 1889 the borough straddled Warwickshire and Staffordshire. When elected county councils were established under the Local Government Act 1888 one provision of the act was that boroughs could no longer straddle county boundaries, as Tamworth did. The town was therefore placed entirely in Staffordshire, as that county had the larger share of the borough's population, with the new Staffordshire County Council providing higher-tier services.[6] The borough boundaries were enlarged on multiple occasions, notably in 1932 and 1965.[5]
On 1 April 1974 the borough became a non-metropolitan district, altering its powers and responsibilities but keeping the same area.[7]
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Tamworth. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2006 have been:[13]
Since the last boundary changes in 2002 the council has comprised 30 councillors representing 10 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) being elected each time for a four-year term of office. Staffordshire County Council elections are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no borough council elections.[17]
Premises
Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, B797BZ: Council's main offices since 1981.
The council meets at Tamworth Town Hall on Market Street in the centre of the town, which had been built in 1701.[18] The council's main offices are at Marmion House, a tower block on Lichfield Street which had been built in 1960 and was bought by the council in 1980, opening as its headquarters the following year.[19] Prior to 1981 the council had met at the Town Hall and had its main offices at the White House at 21 Church Street, which had been purchased in 1888 after the council outgrew the limited office space at the Town Hall.[20][21]
A council chamber was created at Marmion House and was the council's usual meeting place until 2022, when the council transferred most council and committee meetings back to Town Hall as part of plans to dispose of Marmion House.[22][23]
