West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, that has a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972.^[1]

West Yorkshire, which is landlocked, consists of five metropolitan boroughs (City of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, City of Leeds and City of Wakefield) and shares borders with the counties of Derbyshire (to the south), Greater Manchester (to the south-west), Lancashire (to the north-west), North Yorkshire (to the north and east) and South Yorkshire (to the south-east).

West Yorkshire County Council was abolished in 1986, and so its districts (the metropolitan boroughs) are now effectively unitary authorities. However, the metropolitan county, which covers an area of 2,029 km², continues to exist in law, and as a geographic frame of reference.^[2][3][4]

West Yorkshire encompasses the West Yorkshire Urban Area, which is the most built-up and biggest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire.

Divisions and environs

West Yorkshire is divided into five local government districts; they are the City of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, the City of Leeds and the City of Wakefield. The county borders, going anticlockwise from the west: Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and North Yorkshire.

History

It was formed as a metropolitan county in 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972, and corresponds roughly to the core of the historic West Riding of Yorkshire and the county boroughs of Bradford, Leeds, Wakefield, Dewsbury, Halifax and Huddersfield. The Wakefield district's industrial heritage is significantly different from most of the rest of the county in that coal-mining was a large employer whilst textiles was not a particularly large industry (except in Ossett, where the two industries were both important).

West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council inherited the use of County Hall at Wakefield, opened in 1898, from the West Riding County Council in 1974. Since 1987 it has been the headquarters of Wakefield City Council.^[5]

It initially had a two-tier structure of local government with a strategic-level county council and five districts providing most services.^[6] In 1986, throughout England the metropolitan county councils were abolished. The functions of the county council were devolved to the boroughs; joint-boards covering fire, police and public transport; and to other special joint arrangements.^[7] Organisations such as West Yorkshire Police Authority and West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive continue to operate on this basis.

Although the county council was abolished, West Yorkshire continues to form a metropolitan and ceremonial county with a Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire and a High Sheriff.

Politics

In Parliament, all but two of West Yorkshire's M.P.s are Labour. At local level, the councils are generally divided, apart from the Wakefield district, which has long been one of the safest Labour councils in the country.

There are currently plans for a tram system in West Yorkshire, but those for a Leeds Supertram were rejected by the government in 2005.

Economy

This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of West Yorkshire at current basic prices published (pp.240-253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.

Cities, towns and villages

• Ackworth, Addingham, Allerton Bywater, Almondbury, Alverthorpe
• Baildon, Bailiff Bridge, Batley, Beeston, Bingley, Birkby, Birkenshaw , Birstall , Boothtown, Boston Spa, Bradford, Brighouse, Burley-in-Wharfedale
• Castleford, Cleckheaton, Collingham, Copley, Cottingley, Cragg Vale, Crofton, Crigglestone, Crossflatts, Cullingworth,
• Denby Dale, Denholme, Dewsbury
• East and West Morton, Elland, Emley, Esholt
• Fairburn Ings, Ferrybridge, Fitzwilliam
• Garforth, Gilstead, Golcar, Gomersal, Greetland, Guiseley
• Halifax, Harden, Harewood, Hartshead, Hartshead Moor, Haworth, Hebden Bridge, Heckmondwike, Hemsworth, Heptonstall, Hipperholme, Holmfirth, Honley, Horbury, Horsforth, Huddersfield
• Ilkley
• Keighley, Kippax, Kirkburton, Kirkstall, Knottingley
• Ledsham, Ledston, Leeds, Linthwaite, Liversedge
• Marsden, Meltham, Menston, Methley, Mirfield, Morley, Mytholmroyd
• New Mill, Newmillerdam, New Farnley, Norristhorpe, Norwood Green, Nostell
• Oakworth, Ossett, Oxenhope, Otley, Oulton
• Pontefract, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Pudsey
• Queensbury
• Rastrick, Riddlesden, Ripponden, Rothwell, Roberttown
• Saltaire, Sandal, Sandy Lane, Scammonden Scarcroft, Scholes, Shelley, Shepley, Shibden, Shipley, Silsden, Skelmanthorpe, Slaithwaite, Sowerby Bridge, Stanbury, Stanley, Steeton, Swillington
• Thornbury, Thornton, Thornhill, Todmorden, Tong
• Wakefield, Walton (Leeds), Walton (Wakefield), West Bretton, Wetherby, Wilsden
• Yeadon

Places of interest

Historic environment

• Harewood House
• Queens Park, Castleford
• Cliffe Hall, also known as Cliffe Castle, Keighley
• Esholt Hall, Esholt
• Firsby Hall
• Kirklees Hall
• Leeds (in general)
• Ledston Hall, Ledston
• Linthwaite Hall, Linthwaite
• Linton Hall
• Lotherton Hall
• Kershaw House
• East Riddlesden Hall
• Oakwell Hall
• Oulton Hall, Oulton
• Sandal Castle
• Shelley Hall, Shelley
• Shibden Hall
• Tong Hall, Tong
• Bretton Hall
• Kirkstall Abbey
• Kirklees Hall/Priory
• Nostell Priory
• Pontefract Priory, Pontefract
• Wetherby Castle, Wetherby
• Scarcroft Watermill, Scarcroft
• Roman Lagentium (Castleford)
• Saltaire, a model village
• Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

Museums

• Brontë Parsonage Museum, Haworth
• Colne Valley Museum
• Colour Museumhttp://www.sdc.org.uk/museum/mus.htm, Bradford
• Leeds City Museum (opening 2008)
• National Coal Mining Museum for England (Netherton)
• National Media Museum, Bradford
• Pennine Farm Museum, Ripponden
• Pontefract Museum
• Royal Armouries museum, Leeds
• Tolson Museum, Dalton (Huddersfield)
• Wakefield Museum, Wakefield
• West Yorkshire Folk Museum, Shibden Hall
• Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton

Natural environment

• Emley Moor, site of the tallest self-supporting structure in the UK (a TV mast)
• Walton Hall, West Yorkshire, home of naturalist Charles Waterton and the world's first nature reserve
• RSPB Fairburn Ings - wetland centre for birds
• Seckar Woods LNR, a Local Nature Reserve
• New Swillington Ings Nature Reserve
• Otley Chevin - extensive wooded parkland on high ground with extensive views North over Wharfedale and South as far as the Peak District
• Harewood Estate - Leeds Country Way public footpath runs through the estate, beautiful landscaped gardens and home to Red Kites amongst many other birds

Waterways

• Scammonden Reservoir, Deanhead Reservoir - both in the moors near Ripponden
• River Aire, River Calder, River Hebble, River Spen, River Worth
• Aire & Calder Navigation
• Calder and Hebble Navigation
• Huddersfield Broad Canal
• Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Standedge Tunnel
• Leeds and Liverpool Canal
• Knottingley & Goole Canal
• Rochdale Canal

See also

• The Kingdom of Elmet
• West Yorkshire Urban Area
• West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service
• West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own)
• B2B West Yorkshire

References

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