Broxtowe is a local government district with borough status in Nottinghamshire, England. It lies immediately west of the city of Nottingham, and most of the built-up areas of the borough form part of the Nottingham Urban Area. The council is based in Beeston and the borough also includes the towns of Eastwood, Kimberley and Stapleford and surrounding villages and rural areas. The neighbouring districts are Ashfield, Nottingham, Rushcliffe, Erewash and Amber Valley.

History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The new district covered the whole area of two former districts and part of a third, which were all abolished at the same time: The new district was named after the ancient Broxtowe Wapentake, which had covered a larger area. Despite the name, the district does not include the Broxtowe Estate, which is in Nottingham. The district was granted borough status in 1977, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.

Governance

Broxtowe Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Nottinghamshire County Council. Parts of the district are also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.

Political control

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Broxtowe. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1995 have been:

Composition

Following the 2023 election and changes of allegiance reported in August 2023 and a by-election in May 2024, the composition of the council was: The next election is due in 2027.

Premises

The council is based at the Council Offices on Foster Avenue in Beeston. The building was completed in 1991 at a cost of £2.7 million and was formally opened on 17 April 1991 by Andrew Buchanan, Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire.

Elections

Since the last full review of boundaries took effect in 2015, the council has comprised 44 councillors elected from 20 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors.

Wards

The wards are:

Parliamentary constituency

Since 1983 Broxtowe has also been the name of a parliamentary constituency. The constituency boundaries do not exactly match the borough boundaries, with some parts in the north of Broxtowe borough, including Eastwood and Brinsley, being in the Ashfield constituency. A Broxtowe constituency also existed from 1918 to 1970. The area of the former constituency was very different, including Hucknall and Kirkby in Ashfield, but excluding Beeston.

Settlements

Settlements include Beeston—where the council is based—Attenborough, Awsworth, Bramcote, Brinsley, Chilwell, Cossall, Eastwood, Giltbrook, Greasley, Kimberley, Moorgreen, Newthorpe, Nuthall, Stapleford, Strelley, Swingate, Toton, Trowell and Watnall. Additionally a small part of Wollaton falls within Broxtowe. The Broxtowe Estate is not within the borough, but within the boundaries of the City of Nottingham.

Civil parishes

Broxtowe has nine civil parishes. The parish councils of Eastwood, Kimberley and Stapleford take the style "town council". An unparished area in the south of the borough covers the town of Beeston and the neighbouring places of Chilwell, Toton, Attenborough and Bramcote, being the area of the former Beeston and Stapleford Urban District minus Stapleford, which was parished in 1987. Strelley was abolished in 2023 and is presently also unparished. The parishes are:

Twinning

Broxtowe is twinned with Gütersloh in Germany.

Local attractions

Broxtowe's main visitor attraction is the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum in Eastwood. A small local attraction is the Hemlock Stone in Stapleford. Broxtowe is also the location of the Attenborough Nature Reserve rated as one of the most popular nature reserves in the UK. Its visitor centre was opened in March 2005 by David Attenborough, who can trace his family back to the village of Attenborough located to the east of the visitor centre.

Local nature reserves

Broxtowe has 13 designated local nature reserves, namely Alexandrina Plantation (Bramcote), Bramcote Park Woodland (Bramcote), Brinsley Headstocks (Brinsley), Hall Om Wong (Kimberley), King George's Park (Bramcote), Nottingham Canal, Sandy Lane Public Open Space (Bramcote), Smithurst Meadows (Giltbrook), Stapleford Hill Woodland (Stapleford), Toton Fields (Toton), Watnall Spinney and Watnall Green (Watnall), and Colliers Wood (Moorgreen).

Arms

Freedom of the Borough

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of Broxtowe.

Individuals

Military units