Fenland District

Fenland is a local government district in the Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. Its council is based in March, and it covers the neighbouring market towns of Chatteris, Whittlesey and Wisbech; the last is often called the "Capital of the Fens".[1]

Fenland District
Non-metropolitan district
Fenland shown within Cambridgeshire
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionEast of England
Non-metropolitan countyCambridgeshire
StatusNon-metropolitan district
Admin HQMarch
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyFenland District Council
 • LeadershipLeader & Cabinet (Conservative)
 • MPsStephen Barclay
Area
 • Total210.99 sq mi (546.45 km2)
Area rank84th (of 317)
Population
 (mid-2019 est.)
 • Total101,850
 • Rank236th (of 317)
 • Density480/sq mi (190/km2)
 • Ethnicity
98.6% White
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code12UD (ONS)
E07000010 (GSS)
OS grid referenceTL417969
Websitewww.fenland.gov.uk

The district covers around 500 square kilometres (210.99 square miles) of mostly agricultural land in the extremely flat Fens. The population of the district was 98,262 at the 2011 Census.[2]

It was formed on 1 April 1974, with the merger of the Borough of Wisbech, Chatteris Urban District, March Urban District, Whittlesey Urban District, North Witchford Rural District and Wisbech Rural District.[3]

Governance

Fenland District Council is elected every four years, with currently thirty nine councillors being elected at each election. Since 1976 the Conservative party has held control of the Council, apart from a period after 1995 when Labour had control, but the Conservatives regained a majority at the 1999 election. As of January 2019, the council is composed of the following councillors:[4]

Party Councillors
Conservative Party 33
Independent 3
Liberal Democrats 3

In the May 2019 elections, twelve councillors were returned without a vote to Fenland District Council, which topped the Electoral Reform Society's list of 'rotten boroughs'.[5]

Economy

The Fenland economy has for years been built upon farming and food related industry. The food industry is now well established, and related processing, storage, packaging and distribution has become more sophisticated and diverse. The predominantly rural economy of the area has also included a strong industrial tradition, including brick making, printing and engineering, but many Fenland residents already travel outside the area to work.

As growth of the local economy from Cambridge continues, the pressure for outsourcing of industry, housing and jobs is expected to move northwards. Chatteris will be given priority for economic regeneration in the Cambridge sub-region and further housing allocations will be dependent on improving job prospects.

Fenland council gave £370,400 to its chief executive Tim Pilsbury when he took early retirement in 2010–11.[6]

Twin towns & sister cities

Fenland is twinned with:

See also

References
  1. "Wisbech Community Network". Archived from the original on 30 April 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
  2. "Non Metropolitan District Council population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  3. The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972 – SI 1972/2038
  4. Council, Fenland District. "Committees – Fenland District Council". www.fenland.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  5. "Cambs Times". www.cambstimes.co.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  6. Swinford, Steven; Walton, Gregory (1 January 2013). "£100,000 Pay-Offs For Council Chiefs". The Daily Telegraph. London.

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