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 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]
Egham Urban District (which included Thorpe and Virginia Water)
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]
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]
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:
Of the independent councillors, three (all representing Ottershaw ward) form the "Independent Group", which informally supported the Conservative minority administration between 2023 and 2024.[32] The other two (both representing Englefield Green East) form part of the majority administration group.[33] The next election is due in 2026.
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.[34]
Premises
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.[35]
^"Runnymede". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
^"Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 26 November 2024. (Put "Runnymede" in search box to see specific results.)
