Forest of Dean District

Forest of Dean is a local government district in west Gloucestershire, England, named after the Forest of Dean. Its council is based in Coleford. Other towns and villages in the district include Blakeney, Cinderford, Drybrook, English Bicknor, Huntley, Littledean, Longhope, Lydbrook, Lydney, Mitcheldean, Newnham and Newent.^[2][3]

Forest of Dean District
Non-metropolitan district
Coleford Market Place, the town where Forest of Dean District Council is based
Forest of Dean shown within Gloucestershire
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	South West England
Non-metropolitan county	Gloucestershire
Status	Non-metropolitan district
Admin HQ	Coleford
Incorporated	1 April 1974
Government
• Type	Non-metropolitan district council
• Body	Forest of Dean District Council
• Leadership	Leader & Cabinet
• MPs	Matt Bishop
Area
• Total	203.2 sq mi (526.4 km2)
• Rank	75th (of 296)
Population  (2022)
• Total	87,937
• Rank	270th (of 296)
• Density	430/sq mi (170/km2)
Ethnicity (2021) [1]
• Ethnic groups	List 97.5% White 1.1% Mixed 0.7% Asian 0.4% other 0.3% Black
Religion (2021) [1]
• Religion	List 50.5% Christianity 41.6% no religion 7.6% other 0.3% Islam
Time zone	UTC0 (GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code	23UD (ONS) E07000080 (GSS)
OS grid reference	SO6206309601

History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The new district covered the whole area of four former districts and part of a fifth, which were all abolished at the same time:^[4][5]

• East Dean Rural District
• Gloucester Rural District (parishes of Newnham and Westbury-on-Severn only)
• Lydney Rural District
• Newent Rural District
• West Dean Rural District

The new district was named Forest of Dean after the ancient woodland which covers much of the district.^[6]

Governance

Forest of Dean District Council
Type
Type	Non-metropolitan district
Leadership
Chair	Di Martin, Labour since 25 May 2023
Leader	Adrian Birch, Green since 18 April 2024
Chief Executive	Nigel Brinn since November 2023[7]
Structure
Seats	38 councillors[8]
Political groups	Administration (15)   Green (15) Other parties (23)   Independent (10)   Conservative (7)   Labour (4)   Liberal Democrats (1)   Reform UK (1)
Elections
Voting system	First past the post
Last election	4 May 2023
Next election	6 May 2027
Meeting place
Council Offices, High Street, Coleford, GL16 8HG
Website
www.fdean.gov.uk

Forest of Dean District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Gloucestershire County Council.^[9] The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.^[10]

Political control

Since the 2023 election the council has been run by a Green minority administration with support from Labour on a confidence and supply basis.^[11]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:^[12][13]

Party in control		Years
	Independent	1974–1976
	No overall control	1976–1991
	Labour	1991–2003
	No overall control	2003–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2007 have been:

Councillor	Party		From	To
Marion Winship[14]		Conservative	24 May 2007	Sep 2009
Peter Amos[15]		Conservative	11 Sep 2009	May 2011
Patrick Molyneux[16][17]		Conservative	26 May 2011	13 Jul 2017
Tim Gwilliam[18][19]		Independent	13 Jul 2017	25 May 2023
Mark Topping[20][21]		Green	25 May 2023	18 Apr 2024
Adrian Birch[22][23]		Green	18 Apr 2024

Composition

Following the 2023 election,^[24] and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to May 2025 the composition of the council was:^[25]

Party		Councillors
	Green	15
	Independent	10
	Conservative	7
	Labour	4
	Liberal Democrats	1
	Reform UK	1
Total		38

Of the independent councillors, six sit together as the "Independent Group" and the other four form the "Progressive Indepednent Group".^[26] The next election is due in 2027.^[25]

Premises

The council is based at the Council Offices on High Street in Coleford.^[27]

Elections

See also: Forest of Dean District Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2019, the council has comprised 38 councillors elected from 21 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.^[28]

Parishes and settlements

See also: List of civil parishes in Gloucestershire

The whole district is divided into civil parishes. The parish councils of Cinderford, Coleford, Lydney and Newent take the style "town council".^[29]

Settlements include:

• Alvington, Awre, Aylburton
• Blaisdon, Birdwood, Bream, Brockweir, Bromsberrow, Blakeney
• Churcham, Cinderford, Coleford
• Drybrook, Dymock
• Ellwood, English Bicknor
• Gorsley and Kilcot
• Hartpury, Hewelsfield, Highleadon, Huntley
• Kempley
• Littledean, Little London, Longhope, Lydbrook, Lydney
• Malswick, Mitcheldean
• Newent, Newland, Newnham
• Oxenhall
• Pauntley, Parkend
• Redmarley D'Abitot, Ruardean, Rudford, Ruspidge
• Soudley, St. Briavels, Staunton (near Coleford), Symonds Yat
• Taynton, Tibberton, Tidenham
• Upleadon
• Westbury-on-Severn, West Dean, Woolaston

Media

Television

The district is served by BBC West and ITV West Country with television signals received from the Mendip TV transmitter. ^[30] Northern parts of the district is served by BBC West Midlands and ITV Central with television signals received from the Ridge Hill transmitter.^[31]

Radio

Radio stations for the area are:

• BBC Radio Gloucestershire on 104.7 FM and 1413 AM.
• BBC Hereford and Worcester can also be received on 94.7 FM.
• Heart West on 102.4 FM.
• Greatest Hits Radio South West on 107.5 FM.
• Dean Radio, a community radio station which broadcast on 95.7 FM and 105.6 FM.^[32]

Newspapers

The district's local newspaper is The Forester.^[33]