Editing Luton (section)

==Governance==
{{see also|Politics in Luton}}
There is just one tier of local government covering Luton: [[Luton Borough Council]], which has been a [[unitary authority]] since 1997, being a [[non-metropolitan district|district council]] which also performs the functions of a [[non-metropolitan county|county council]]. There are no [[civil parish]]es in the borough.<ref name=electionmaps>{{cite web |title=Election Maps |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ |website=Ordnance Survey |access-date=2 November 2024}}</ref> The borough remains part of the [[ceremonial county]] of [[Bedfordshire]].<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Lieutenancies Act 1997|year=1997|chapter=23|schedule=1|access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref>

As of the [[2024 UK general election]], Luton is represented in Parliament by [[Sarah Owen]] who holds [[Luton North (UK Parliament constituency)|Luton North]] and [[Rachel Hopkins]] who holds [[Luton South (UK Parliament constituency)|Luton South]], both for [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]].

===Administrative history===
Luton was an [[ancient parish]] in the [[Hundreds of Bedfordshire|Flitt hundred]]. The parish was the largest in Bedfordshire by area, and was subdivided into five [[Hamlet (place)|hamlets]] or [[Township (England)|townships]]: [[Hyde, Bedfordshire|Hyde]], [[Leagrave]], [[Limbury]], [[Stopsley]], and a Luton township covering the central part of the parish including the town itself.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Page |editor1-first=William |title=A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 2 |date=1908 |publisher=Victoria County History |location=London |pages=348–375 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/beds/vol2/pp348-375 |access-date=2 November 2024 |chapter=Parishes: Luton}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Luton Ancient Parish / Civil Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10207563 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=2 November 2024}}</ref> The Luton township was made a [[local board of health|local board district]] in 1850. The local board was the town's first elected local authority; previously it had been administered by the parish [[vestry]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=21106|page=1745|date=21 June 1850}}</ref>

The town was incorporated as a [[municipal borough]] in 1876.<ref>{{cite news |title=The incorporation of Luton |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=6 May 2023 |work=Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire News |date=4 March 1876 |location=Luton |page=8}}</ref> Later in 1876 the new borough council was granted a [[coat of arms]].<ref name="coatofarms">{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Luton|title=Luton – Coat of arms (crest) of Luton|website=Heraldry-wiki.com|date=12 January 2022 }}</ref> The [[wikt:sheaf|wheatsheaf]] was used on the crest to represent agriculture and the supply of straw used in the local [[hatmaking]] industry (the [[straw plaiting]] industry was brought to Luton by a group of Scots under the protection of Sir [[John Napier]] of [[Luton Hoo]]). The bee is traditionally the emblem of industry and the hive represents the straw plaiting industry for which Luton was famous. The rose is from the arms of the Napier family, whereas the [[thistle]] is a symbol for [[Scotland]]. An alternative suggestion is that the rose was a national emblem, and the thistle represents the [[Marquess of Bute]], who formerly owned the Manor of Luton Hoo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.civicheraldry.co.uk/thames_valley_chilterns.html#luton%20bc |title=Luton Town Coat of Arms|access-date=30 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ngw.nl/int/gbr/l/luton.htm|title=Arms of Luton (England)|access-date=18 June 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925145600/http://www.ngw.nl/int/gbr/l/luton.htm|archive-date=25 September 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Local Government Act 1894]] directed that parishes could no longer straddle borough boundaries, and so the ancient parish was split into a Luton parish covering the same area as the borough and a Luton Rural parish covering the area outside the borough.<ref>{{cite web |title=Luton Rural Civil Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10112618 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=2 November 2024}}</ref> Luton Rural was abolished in 1896 and its area divided into the four parishes of Hyde, Leagrave, Limbury and Stopsley. In 1928 the Leagrave and Limbury parishes were both abolished and their areas absorbed into the borough of Luton;<ref>Ministry of Health Provisional Order Confirmation (Luton Extension) Act, 1928</ref> Stopsley was similarly absorbed in 1933.<ref>Ministry of Health Order No. 77050. The South Bedfordshire Review Order 1933.</ref> Hyde remains a separate parish, now forming part of [[Central Bedfordshire]].<ref name=electionmaps/>

Luton was made a [[county borough]] in 1964, making it independent from [[Bedfordshire County Council]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Luton MB/CB |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10133580 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=28 August 2021}}</ref> It was redesignated as a [[non-metropolitan district]] in 1974, making it once more subordinate to the county council. In 1997 the borough council was made a unitary authority, regaining its independence from the county council (which was subsequently abolished in 2009).