Babergh District (pronounced /ˈbeɪbə/, BAY-bə[2]) is a local government district in Suffolk, England. In 2021 it had a population of 92,300. The district is primarily a rural area, containing just two towns, Sudbury and Hadleigh, which was the administrative centre until 2017 when the council moved to shared offices with neighbouring Mid Suffolk District Council in Ipswich, outside either district.[3][4][5] The district is named after the medieval Babergh Hundred, which covered part of the area.
The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering five former districts which were all abolished at the same time:
The new district was named Babergh after the medieval hundred of Babergh, which had covered part of the area.[7] Babergh Hundred is referred to in the Domesday Book of 1086; the modern district covers a larger area than the historic hundred, also covering the hundreds of Cosford and Samford. The council's logo now says "Babergh District Council – South Suffolk".
The first elections 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:[15][16]
Prior to 2014 there was no formal position of leader of the council at Babergh, with political leadership provided instead by the chair of the policy and resources committee, or its successor, the strategy committee.[17] From 2014 onwards, the chair of the strategy committee was also given the title of leader.[18] The council then moved from a committee system to a leader and cabinet model in 2017, giving the leader additional powers to make executive decisions.[19] The leaders (or chairs of policy and resources / strategy committees) since 1998 have been:[20]
Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 32 councillors representing 24 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[25]
Council Offices, Corks Lane, Hadleigh: Council's headquarters 1982–2017.
When the council was first created it inherited offices in Sudbury, Hadleigh and Ipswich from its predecessor councils. The council initially based itself at the former Cosford Rural District Council's offices at 32 High Street in Hadleigh.[27][28] The council built itself a new headquarters on Corks Lane in Hadleigh, incorporating existing cottages and granaries into the new building. The new complex was formally opened on 4 June 1982.[29]
Geography
Foreshore at Shotley Gate at the eastern tip of the district.
The southern boundary of the district is marked almost exclusively by the River Stour, which also forms the border with Essex, and it is separated from East Suffolk by the River Orwell. The eastern part of the district forms a peninsula between the two tidal rivers, coming to a point at Shotley Gate.
'Constable Country' is cognate with a large tract of Babergh: drawing visitors to the Dedham Vale, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the well-preserved villages of Long Melford, Lavenham and Kersey. The district also includes part of the built-up area of Ipswich at Pinewood.
Demography
Babergh's population size has increased by 5.2%, from around 87,700 in 2011 to 92,300 in 2021[30] and covers an area of approximately 230 square miles (600 km2).[31]
Towns and parishes
Hadleigh, the district's other town.Lavenham, one of the district's many villages.
The whole district is covered by civil parishes. The parish councils for Sudbury and Hadleigh have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council.[32]
^"Council leader defends allowances rise". East Anglian Daily Times. 1 December 2003. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Babergh... its most senior member, the chairman of strategy...
^"District population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
