Editing Bath, Somerset (section)

==Government==
[[File:Galería de Arte Victoria, Bath, Inglaterra, 2014-08-12, DD 54.JPG|thumb|left|[[Guildhall, Bath|The Guildhall]]]]
Since 1996, the city has had a [[unitary authorities in England|single tier of local government]] — [[Bath and North East Somerset Council]].

===Historical development===
Bath had long been an [[ancient borough]], having that status since 878 when it became a royal borough ([[Burghal Hidage|burh]]) of [[Alfred the Great]], and was reformed into a [[municipal borough]] in 1835. It has formed part of the [[Historic counties of England|county]] of Somerset since 878, when ceded to [[Wessex]], having previously been in [[Mercia]] (the River Avon had acted as the border between the two kingdoms since 628).<ref>[http://www.mayorofbath.co.uk/saxon-bath Mayor of Bath] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101202023/http://www.mayorofbath.co.uk/saxon-bath |date=1 November 2015 }} Saxon Bath</ref> However, Bath was made a [[county borough]] in 1889, independent of the newly created [[Administrative counties of England|administrative county]] and [[Somerset County Council]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Keane |first=Patrick |title=An English County and Education: Somerset, 1889–1902 |journal=The English Historical Review |volume=88 |issue=347 |pages=286–311 |doi=10.1093/ehr/LXXXVIII.CCCXLVII.286 |year=1973 }}</ref> Bath became part of [[Avon (county)|Avon]] when the [[non-metropolitan county]] was created in 1974, resulting in its abolition as a county borough, and instead became a non-metropolitan district with [[borough status]].

With the abolition of Avon in 1996, the non-metropolitan district and borough were abolished too, and Bath has since been part of the [[unitary authority]] district of [[Bath and North East Somerset]] (B&NES).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/493/contents/made |title=The Avon (Structural Change) Order 1995 |access-date=3 May 2015 |work=HMSO |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113203448/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/493/contents/made |archive-date=13 November 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The unitary district included also the [[Wansdyke (district)|Wansdyke]] district and therefore includes a wider area than the city (the 'North East Somerset' element) including [[Keynsham]] which is home to many of the council's offices, though the council meets at the [[Guildhall, Bath|Guildhall]] in Bath.

Bath was returned to the [[ceremonial county]] of Somerset in 1996, though as B&NES is a unitary authority, it is not part of the area covered by Somerset County Council.

===Charter trustees===
Bath City Council was abolished in 1996, along with the [[Districts of England|district]] of Bath, and there is no longer a [[Parish councils in England|parish council]] for the city. The City of Bath's ceremonial functions, including its [[City status in the United Kingdom|formal status]] as a city, [[#Twinning|its twinning]] arrangements,<ref name=bathnestwins>[http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/tourism-and-heritage/twinning Bath and North East Somerset Council] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161017203511/http://bathnes.gov.uk/services/tourism-and-heritage/twinning |date=17 October 2016 }} Twinning</ref> [[List of Mayors of Bath|the mayoralty of Bath]] – which can be traced back to 1230 – and control of the city's [[coat of arms]], are maintained by the [[charter trustees]] of the City of Bath.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mayorofbath.co.uk/the-charter-trustees-of-the-city-of-bath |title=The Charter Trustees of the City of Bath |access-date=2 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602072939/http://www.mayorofbath.co.uk/the-charter-trustees-of-the-city-of-bath |archive-date=2 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The councillors elected by the electoral wards that cover Bath ([[#Electoral wards|see below]]) are the trustees, and they elect one of their number as their chair and mayor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/263/regulation/3/made |title=The Charter Trustees Regulations 1996 |publisher=National Archives |access-date=4 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018190704/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/263/regulation/3/made |archive-date=18 October 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The mayor holds office for one municipal year and in modern times the mayor begins their term in office on the first Saturday in June, at a ceremony at Bath Abbey with a civic procession from and to the Guildhall. The 797th mayor, who began her office on 3 June 2024, is Michelle O'Doherty. A deputy mayor is also elected.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://mayorofbath.co.uk/the-mayoralty/ |title=The Mayoralty |publisher=The Mayor of Bath |access-date=6 May 2025 }}</ref>

===Coat of arms===
The coat of arms includes a depiction of the [[Bath city walls|city wall]], and two silver stripes representing the [[River Avon, Bristol|River Avon]] and the hot springs. The sword of [[St. Paul]] is a link to Bath Abbey. The supporters, a lion and a bear, stand on a bed of [[acorn]]s, a link to [[Bladud]], the subject of the Legend of Bath. The knight's helmet indicates a municipality and the [[crown]] is that of King Edgar (referencing his coronation at the Abbey).<ref>{{cite web |title=Arms of The City of Bath |work=The City of Bath |url=http://www.mayorofbath.co.uk/city-arms |access-date=15 November 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114044117/http://www.mayorofbath.co.uk/city-arms |archive-date=14 January 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> A [[mural crown]], indicating a [[city status in the United Kingdom|city]], is alternatively used instead of the helmet and Edgar's crown.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bath_Guildhall,_Council_chamber,_toward_chair.jpg |title=File:Bath Guildhall, Council chamber, toward chair.jpg – Wikimedia Commons |date=12 April 2011 |publisher=Commons.wikimedia.org |access-date=30 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013144206/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bath_Guildhall,_Council_chamber,_toward_chair.jpg |archive-date=13 October 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Arms bear the motto "Aqvae Svlis", the Roman name for Bath in [[Latin]] script; although not on the Arms, the motto "Floreat Bathon" is sometimes used ("may Bath flourish" in Latin).

{{Infobox COA wide
|image = Bath_Coat_of_Arms.svg
|escutcheon = Per fesse embattled Azure and Gules the base masoned Sable in chief two Bars wavy over all a Sword erect Argent pomel and hilt Or between in base two Crosses bottonee of the third.
|crest = On a Wreath Argent and Azure issuant a dexter and sinister Cubit Arm habited holding aloft a representation of the Crown of King Edgar proper.
|supporters = On the dexter side a Lion and on the sinister side a Bear each standing upon a Branch of Oak fructed proper and charged on the shoulder with a Sword in bend proper hilt and pomel enfiling two Keys in bend sinister addorsed Or.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php/Bath_(England) |title=Bath (England) |date=9 September 2022 |publisher=Heraldry of the World |access-date=18 April 2023 |archive-date=18 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418150608/https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php/Bath_%28England%29 }}</ref>
|notes = Granted 1971.
}}

===Bath Area Forum===
Bath and North East Somerset Council has established the Bath City Forum, comprising B&NES councillors representing wards in Bath and up to 13 co-opted members drawn from the communities of the city. The first meeting of the Forum was held on 13 October 2015, at the Guildhall, where the first chair and vice-chair were elected.<ref>[https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/neighbourhoods-and-community-safety/connecting-communities/bath-city-forum Bath and North East Somerset Council] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404155403/https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/neighbourhoods-and-community-safety/connecting-communities/bath-city-forum |date=4 April 2019 }} Bath City Forum</ref> In 2021, this was re-launched as the Bath Area Forum.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bathnewseum.com/2021/08/25/bath-forum-launched/ |title=Bath Newseum |access-date=28 August 2021 |archive-date=28 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828161921/https://bathnewseum.com/2021/08/25/bath-forum-launched/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Parliamentary elections===
{{See also|Bath (UK Parliament constituency)}}
Bath is one of the oldest extant [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|parliamentary constituencies]] in the United Kingdom, being in continuous existence since the [[Model Parliament]] of 1295. Before the [[Reform Act 1832]], Bath elected two members to the [[unreformed House of Commons]], as an ancient parliamentary borough.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/prereform.html |title=Parliamentary Constituencies in the unreformed House |work=United Kingdom Election Results |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071105102205/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/prereform.html |archive-date=5 November 2007 |url-status=dead |access-date=2 May 2015 }}</ref> From 1832 until 1918 it elected two MPs and then was reduced to one.

Historically the constituency covered only the city of Bath; however, it was enlarged into some outlying areas between 1997 and 2010. The constituency since 2010 once again covers exactly the city of Bath and is currently represented by [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] [[Wera Hobhouse]] who beat [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Ben Howlett (politician)|Ben Howlett]] at the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]] and retained her seat at the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election.]] Howlett had replaced the retiring [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] [[Don Foster (politician)|Don Foster]] at the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]]. Foster's election was a notable result of the [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]], as [[Chris Patten]], the previous Member (and [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet Minister]]) played a major part, as [[Chairman of the Conservative Party]], in re-electing the government of [[John Major]], but failed to defend his marginal seat.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bath MP Don Foster says he will not stand at 2015 electionk |url=http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Bath-MP-Don-Foster-says-stand-2015-election/story-20414942-detail/story.html |access-date=3 May 2015 |work=Bath Chronicle |date=9 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518105830/http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Bath-MP-Don-Foster-says-stand-2015-election/story-20414942-detail/story.html |archive-date=18 May 2015 }}</ref>

===Electoral wards===
The fifteen [[electoral wards]] of Bath are: [[Bathwick]], [[Combe Down]], [[Kingsmead, Bath|Kingsmead]], Lambridge, [[Lansdown, Bath|Lansdown]], Moorlands, [[Newbridge, Bath|Newbridge]], [[Odd Down]], Oldfield Park, Southdown, [[Twerton]], [[Walcot, Bath|Walcot]], [[Westmoreland, Bath|Westmoreland]], [[Weston, Bath|Weston]] and [[Widcombe]] & [[Lyncombe, Bath|Lyncombe]]. These wards are co-extensive with the city, except that Newbridge includes also two parishes beyond the city boundary.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ |publisher=Ordnance Survey |title=Election maps&nbsp;– Great Britain |access-date=2 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220103943/https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ |archive-date=20 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

These wards return a total of 28 councillors to [[Bath and North East Somerset Council]]; all except two wards return two councillors (Moorlands and Oldfield Park return one each). The most recent [[2023 Bath and North East Somerset Council election|elections were held on 4 May 2023]] and all wards returned [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] except for Lambridge and Westmoreland which returned [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party]] and [[Independent politician|independent]] councillors respectively.

Boundary changes enacted from 2 May 2019 included the abolition of [[Abbey, Bath|Abbey]] ward, the merger of Lyncombe and Widcombe wards, the creation of Moorlands ward, and the replacement of Oldfield with Oldfield Park, as well as considerable changes to boundaries affecting all wards.