Ribble Valley

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Ribble Valley
Borough and non-metropolitan district
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The Ribble Valley
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Ribble Valley shown within Lancashire and England
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Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionNorth West England
Ceremonial countyLancashire
Historic countyLancashire and West Riding
Admin. HQClitheroe
Government
 • TypeRibble Valley Borough Council
 • MPs:Maya Ellis
Area
 • Total
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 • Rank63rd
Population
 (2024)
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Population
 (2024)
 • Total
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 • Rank[[List of English districts by population|Ranked Template:English district rank]]
 • DensityScript error: No such module "ConvertIB".
Template:Pluralize from textTemplate:Pluralize from text
Ethnicity (2021)
[1]
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[1]
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
Template:Pluralize from textTemplate:Pluralize from text
ONS code30UL (ONS)
E07000124 (GSS)

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Ribble Valley is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Clitheroe, the largest town. The borough also includes the town of Longridge and numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. It is named after the River Ribble. Much of the district lies within the Forest of Bowland, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Ribble Valley has a rich history especially its connections in folklore, the most infamous being the Pendle Witch Trails.

The neighbouring districts are Pendle, Burnley, Hyndburn, Blackburn with Darwen, South Ribble, Preston, Wyre, Lancaster and North Yorkshire.

History

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the whole area of four former districts and parts of another three, which were abolished at the same time:[2]

The new district was named Ribble Valley after the River Ribble which flows through the area.[3] The new district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[4]

The Bowland Rural District had been in the West Riding of Yorkshire prior to the reforms, whereas the other parts had all been in Lancashire. The council was granted a coat of arms in 1975, which includes both the Red Rose of Lancaster and White Rose of York, referencing the two historic counties.[5]

The parish of Simonstone was transferred from Burnley to Ribble Valley in 1987.[6]

Governance

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Ribble Valley Borough Council
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Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1974
Leadership
Simon O'Rourke,
Liberal Democrat
since 13 May 2025[7]
Simon Hore,
Conservative
since 13 May 2025
Marshal Scott
since April 2009[8]
Structure
Seats40 councillors
Political groups
Administration (17)
Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content.  Conservative (17)
Other parties (23)
Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content.  Liberal Democrat (6)
Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content.  Labour (5)
Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content.  Green (2)
Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content.  Reform UK (1)
Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content.  Independent (9)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
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Council Offices, Church Walk, Clitheroe, BB7 2RA
Website
www.ribblevalley.gov.uk

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Ribble Valley Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Lancashire County Council. The whole borough is covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[9]

Political control

The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being led by a Conservative minority administration.[10][11]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[12][13]

Party in control Years
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Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 1995–2003
Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 2003–2023
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Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Ribble Valley. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1999 have been:

Councillor Party From To
Peter Redpath[14] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 1999 2002
Chris Holtom[15][16] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 2002 May 2004
John Hill[16][17] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". May 2004 May 2007
Michael Ranson[18] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 2007 2013
Stuart Hirst[19] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 2013 2017
Ken Hind[20][21] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 9 May 2017 20 Dec 2018
Stephen Atkinson[22][23][24] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 15 Jan 2019 Mar 2025
Simon Hore[25][26] Script error: No such module "Party name with color". 13 May 2025

Composition

Following the 2023 election,[27] and subsequent changes of allegiance and by-elections up to May 2025, the composition of the council was:[28][29]

Party Councillors
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Total 40

Two of the independent councillors (both former Liberal Democrats) are members of the 'Green & Progressive Liberal Group' along with the two Green Party Councillors.[30]

Elections

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 40 councillors representing 26 wards, with each ward electing one or two councillors. Elections are held every four years.[31]

Premises

The council is based at the Council Offices on Church Walk in Clitheroe, which was purpose-built for the council in 1980.[32][33] The council chamber is in an adjoining building at 13 Church Street, which had been offices of the old Clitheroe Borough Council prior to the 1974 reforms.[34]

Education

State-funded schools

Primary

See List of schools in Lancashire § Ribble Valley

Secondary

Specialist

  • Hillside Specialist School, Longridge

Independent schools

Adult education

Sport

Longridge Town FC

Local radio

Community radio

Ribble Valley Radio was a community radio station based in Clitheroe, part of the new, third sector of local radio licensed by OFCOM.[35] The project was launched in September 2004. The radio station helped six local residents into paid work within the radio sector in just three years and trained more than 100 volunteers to present and produce their own radio shows. The project was not supported by the Borough Council, which caused controversy in the area, and local newspaper theClitheroe Advertiser and Times' held a poll which returned the result that 94% agreed that the Ribble Valley Borough Council were wrong not to fund the project and assist its long-term success. Many letters appeared in support of the project and damning the "short sighted" decision of the council. The whole episode brought excellent publicity and boosted the radio station's listening figures by 400%.

MP Nigel Evans was a staunch supporter and tabled an Early Day Motion at Parliament EDM 979[36] calling for "better resources and funding" for Ribble Valley Radio and the new and emerging sector. None of this was sufficient to save the station and on 14 October 2007 Ribble Valley Radio closed, because it was unable to gain sufficient funding to apply for a licence.[37]

A new group, known as Ribble FM,[38] was formed in 2011 with the aim of applying for a community radio licence in the third round of licensing by Ofcom. Ribble FM was set up by The Bee founder Roy Martin and includes local directors and trustees. The station has been on air since 2016 and has just been granted, as of March 2026, a third 5 year license to operate from Ofcom.

Settlements

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Towns, villages and hills in the Borough of Ribble Valley        Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content.  Forest of Bowland AONB

Civil parishes

Ribble Valley parishes

The whole borough is covered by civil parishes. The parish councils for Clitheroe and Longridge have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council".[39]

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  1. Aighton, Bailey and Chaigley
  2. Balderstone
  3. Bashall Eaves
  4. Billington and Langho
  5. Bolton-by-Bowland
  6. Bowland Forest High
  7. Bowland Forest Low
  8. Bowland-with-Leagram
  9. Chatburn
  10. Chipping
  11. Clayton-le-Dale
  12. Clitheroe
  13. Dinckley
  14. Downham
  15. Dutton
  16. Easington
  17. Gisburn
  18. Gisburn Forest
  19. Great Mitton
  20. Grindleton
  21. Horton
  22. Hothersall
  23. Little Mitton
  24. Longridge
  25. Mearley
  26. Mellor
  27. Middop
  28. Newsholme
  29. Newton
  30. Osbaldeston
  31. Paythorne
  32. Pendleton
  33. Ramsgreave
  34. Read
  35. Ribchester
  36. Rimington
  37. Sabden
  38. Salesbury
  39. Sawley
  40. Simonstone
  41. Slaidburn
  42. Thornley-with-Wheatley
  43. Twiston
  44. Waddington
  45. West Bradford
  46. Whalley
  47. Wilpshire
  48. Wiswell
  49. Worston

Economy

Although Ribble Valley is the largest area of Lancashire, it also has the smallest population. The economy of Ribble Valley is mainly rural in nature, with a high proportion of jobs being in the private sector, due to BAE there is a bigger sway towards manufacturing jobs and less of a service economy when compared to the rest of Lancashire presumably due to the size of the authority and the dispersed nature of settlements. The authority also has the highest proportion of remote workers in Lancashire.[40]

Notable businesses

Freedom of the Borough

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

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Military Units

References

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  1. ^ a b Template:NOMIS2021
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 22 August 2022
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 22 August 2022
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."North West Region". Civic Heraldry. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Local Government Boundary Commission For England Report No. 5O5" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission For England. October 1985. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Council minutes, 13 May 2025". Ribble Valley Borough Council. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Briggs, Ben (18 December 2008). "Burnley man appointed Ribble Valley Council chief". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Jacobs, Bill (11 May 2023). "Battered Ribble Valley Tories seek to keep power as a minority". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Council minutes, 23 May 2023". Ribble Valley Borough Council. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Ribble Valley" in search box to see specific results.)
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ribble Valley". BBC News Online. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Sudden death of former leader". Lancashire Telegraph. 8 March 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."'We don't want more housing'". Lancashire Telegraph. 12 July 2002. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  16. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Council boss quits - work too much". Lancashire Telegraph. 5 May 2004. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Tourism pledge of new mayor". Lancashire Telegraph. 16 May 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Michael is new Ribble Valley Mayor". Burnley Express. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Jacobs, Bill (12 May 2022). "New Ribble Valley Mayor confirmed". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Council minutes, 9 May 2017". Ribble Valley Borough Council. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Tory leader Ken Hind stands down as council leader". Burnley Express. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  22. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Council minutes, 15 January 2019". Ribble Valley Borough Council. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  23. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Reform UK name likely future leader of Lancashire County Council after shock election landslide". ITV News. 12 May 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  24. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Macdonald, Robbie (18 March 2025). "Ex-Ribble Valley council leader's resignation letter blasts Tories". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  25. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Council minutes, 13 May 2025". Ribble Valley Borough Council. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  26. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Macdonald, Robbie (14 May 2025). "Ribble Valley Council appoints new Tory political leader". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  27. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  28. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Boothroyd, David (13 October 2023). "Cheltenham still enraged by bureaucracy". Local Councils. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  29. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ribble Valley". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  30. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Councillors". Ribble Valley Borough Council. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  31. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Ribble Valley (Electoral Changes) Order 2017", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2017/1267, retrieved 15 October 2023
  32. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.[Script error: No such module "London Gazette util". "No. 48120"]. The London Gazette (Script error: No such module "London Gazette util".). 6 March 1980. p. Script error: No such module "London Gazette util".. {{cite magazine}}: Check |url= value (help); More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)Script error: No such module "London Gazette util".
  33. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.[Script error: No such module "London Gazette util". "No. 48273"]. The London Gazette (Script error: No such module "London Gazette util".). 7 August 1980. p. Script error: No such module "London Gazette util".. {{cite magazine}}: Check |url= value (help); More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)Script error: No such module "London Gazette util".
  34. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Council offices and meetings". Ribble Valley Borough Council. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  35. ^ http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ Script error: No such module "webarchive". ofcom.org.uk
  36. ^ http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=32699&SESSION=885 edmi.parliament.uk
  37. ^ Radio station closes due to funding problems Script error: No such module "webarchive".
  38. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Home". Ribble FM. 16 May 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  39. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Information on Town and Parish Councils". Ribble Valley Borough Council. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  40. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."District Profile – Ribble Valley". Lancashire County Council. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  41. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Cavalry regiment parades through Leyland". The Lancashire Telegraph. 2 December 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  42. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."King's Royal Hussars homecoming parade in Leyland". BBC News. 10 November 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  43. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Flag waving public line the route for Freedom parade". The Lancashire Evening Post. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  44. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Duke of Lancaster's Regiment's freedom of Ribble Valley". BBC News. 10 March 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2022.

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