Bedford Borough Council

Bedford Borough Council
Type
Type	Unitary authority
Leadership
Speaker	John Wheeler, Conservative since 15 May 2024[1]
Mayor	Tom Wootton, Conservative since 9 May 2023
Chief Executive	Laura Church since October 2021
Structure
Seats	46 councillors plus elected mayor
Political groups	Conservative (14 + mayor)   Labour (13)   Liberal Democrats (13)   Green (3)   Independent (3)
Length of term	Executive mayor elected every four years Whole council elected every four years
Elections
Voting system	Plurality-at-large
Voting system	First-past-the-post[2]
Last election	4 May 2023
Next election	6 May 2027
Meeting place
Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AP
Website
www.bedford.gov.uk

Bedford Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Bedford, a local government district in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. The town of Bedford was a borough from at least the 12th century until 1974, when the modern district was created. It covers a largely rural surrounding area as well as the town itself. The modern council was initially called Bedford District Council from 1974 to 1975, then North Bedfordshire Borough Council from 1975 until 1992, when the current name was adopted. Until 2009 it was a lower-tier district council, with county-level services provided by Bedfordshire County Council. The county council was abolished in 2009, since when Bedford Borough Council has been a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council.

The council has been under no overall control since 1986. Since 2002 the council has been led by the directly elected Mayor of Bedford. The current mayor, elected in 2023, is Tom Wootton, a Conservative. The council is based at Borough Hall, Bedford.