West Yorkshire 149139 221902251 2008-06-26T16:35:03Z PamD 1368779 /* Cities, towns and villages */ SA to list of parishes {{Infobox England county | name = West Yorkshire | motto = | map = [[Image:EnglandWestYorkshire.png]]<br><small>''Shown within [[England]]''</small> | status = [[Metropolitan county]] &<br>[[Ceremonial counties of England|Ceremonial county]] | origin = 1974</br><small>([[Local Government Act 1972]])</small> | region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]] | arearank = [[List of Ceremonial counties of England by Area|Ranked 29th]] | area_km2 = 2029 | adminarearank = <!-- OPTIONAL, REMOVE LINE IF NOT NEEDED --> | adminarea_km2 = <!-- OPTIONAL, REMOVE LINE IF NOT NEEDED --> | adminhq = [[Leeds]] | iso = <!-- OPTIONAL --> | ons = 2F | nutscode = 3 | nuts3 = UKE4 | poprank = [[List of ceremonial counties of England by population|Ranked 4th]] | popestdate = 2005 | pop = 2,118,600 | density_km2 = 1044 | adminpoprank = <!-- OPTIONAL, REMOVE LINE IF NOT NEEDED --> | adminpop = <!-- OPTIONAL, REMOVE LINE IF NOT NEEDED --> | ethnicity = 88.6% White<br>8.7% S.Asian | council = ''No [[county council]] since 1986.'' | mps = <small> *[[Ed Balls]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]/[[Co-operative Party|(Co-op)]] *[[John Battle (politician)|John Battle]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Hilary Benn]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Colin Burgon]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Colin Challen]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Yvette Cooper]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Mary Creagh]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Ann Cryer]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Philip Davies]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]] *[[Fabian Hamilton]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Shahid Malik]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Christine McCafferty]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Kali Mountford]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[George Mudie]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Greg Mulholland]] [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|(LD)]] *[[Linda Riordan]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]/[[Co-operative Party|(Co-op)]] *[[Terry Rooney]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Barry Sheerman]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]/[[Co-operative Party|(Co-op)]] *[[Marsha Singh]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Gerry Sutcliffe]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Jon Trickett]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Paul Truswell]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] *[[Mike Wood]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]] </small> | subdivname = Metropolitan Boroughs | subdivmap = [[Image:EnglandWestYorkshireNumbered.png]] | subdivs = #[[City of Leeds|Leeds]] #[[City of Wakefield|Wakefield]] #[[Kirklees]] #[[Calderdale]] #[[City of Bradford|Bradford]] }} <!--- Start of article ---> '''West Yorkshire''' is a [[metropolitan county]] within the [[Yorkshire and the Humber]] region of [[England]], that has a population of [[List of ceremonial counties of England by population|2.1 million]]. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the [[Local Government Act 1972]].<ref>Arnold-Baker, C., ''Local Government Act 1972'', (1973)</ref> West Yorkshire, which is landlocked, consists of five [[metropolitan borough]]s ([[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 authority|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.<ref>[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/ons_geography/Gazetteer_v3.pdf Office of National Statistics] - Gazetteer of the old and new geographies of the United Kingdom, p48. URL accessed December 14, 2006.</ref><ref>[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/geography/metropolitan.asp Metropolitan Counties and Districts], Beginners' Guide to UK Geography, ''[[Office for National Statistics]]'', September 17, 2004. URL accessed January 11, 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.boundarycommittee.org.uk/your-area/yorkshire-humber.cfm Yorkshire and Humber Counties], The Boundary Commission for England. URL accessed February 14, 2007.</ref> West Yorkshire encompasses the [[West Yorkshire Urban Area]], which is the most built-up and biggest [[urban area]] within the [[Historic counties of England|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]]. {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! District ! Area km<sup>2</sup> ! Population ! Population density |- | {{sort|Bradford|[[City of Bradford]]}} | 366.42 | 493,100 | 1,346 |- | [[Calderdale]] | 363.92 | 198,500 | 545 |- | [[Kirklees]] | 408.60 | 398,200 | 975 |- | {{sort|Leeds|[[City of Leeds]]}} | 551.72 | 750,200 | 1,360 |- | {{sort|Wakefield|[[City of Wakefield]]}} | 338.61 | 321,200 | 949 |- |} ==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 counties of England|historic]] [[West Riding of Yorkshire|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 (Wakefield)|County Hall]] at [[Wakefield]], opened in 1898, from the [[West Riding of Yorkshire|West Riding]] County Council in 1974. Since 1987 it has been the headquarters of Wakefield City Council.<ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/HistoricWakefield/Highlights/Buildings/CountyHall/default.htm | title = County Hall | accessdate = | author = Wakefield City Council | date = 20 November 2004 }}</ref> It initially had a two-tier structure of local government with a strategic-level county council and five districts providing most services.<ref>Redcliffe-Maud & Wood, B., ''English Local Government Reformed'', (1974)</ref> 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.<ref>Kingdom, J., ''Local Government and Politics in Britain'', (1991)</ref> Organisations such as [[West Yorkshire Police|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 non-metropolitan counties of England|metropolitan]] and [[ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial]] county with a [[Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire]] and a [[High Sheriff of West Yorkshire|High Sheriff]]. ==Politics== In Parliament, all but two of West Yorkshire's M.P.s are [[Labour Party (UK)|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 [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf published] (pp.240-253) by ''Office for National Statistics'' with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year || Regional Gross Value Added<ref>Components may not sum to totals due to rounding</ref> || Agriculture<ref>includes hunting and forestry</ref> || Industry<ref>includes energy and construction</ref> || Services<ref>includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured</ref> |- | 1995 || '''21,302''' || 132 || 7,740 || 13,429 |- | 2000 || '''27,679''' || 80 || 8,284 || 19,314 |- | 2003 || '''31,995''' || 91 || 8,705 || 23,199 |} ==Cities, towns and villages== {{ see also|List of civil parishes in West Yorkshire}} *[[Ackworth, West Yorkshire|Ackworth]], [[Addingham]], [[Allerton Bywater]], [[Almondbury]], [[Alverthorpe]] *[[Baildon]], [[Bailiff Bridge]], [[Batley]], [[Beeston, West Yorkshire|Beeston]], [[Bingley]], [[Birkby, West Yorkshire|Birkby]], [[Birkenshaw, West Yorkshire|Birkenshaw]] , [[Birstall, West Yorkshire|Birstall]] , [[Boothtown]], [[Boston Spa]], [[Bradford, England|Bradford]], [[Brighouse]], [[Burley-in-Wharfedale]] *[[Castleford]], [[Cleckheaton]], [[Collingham, West Yorkshire|Collingham]], [[Copley, West Yorkshire|Copley]], [[Cottingley, Bradford|Cottingley]], [[Cragg Vale]], [[Crofton, West Yorkshire|Crofton]], [[Crigglestone]], [[Crossflatts]], [[Cullingworth]], *[[Denby Dale]], [[Denholme]], [[Dewsbury]] *[[East and West Morton]], [[Elland]], [[Emley, West Yorkshire|Emley]], [[Esholt]] *[[Fairburn Ings]], [[Ferrybridge]], [[Fitzwilliam, West Yorkshire|Fitzwilliam]] *[[Garforth]], [[Gilstead]], [[Golcar]], [[Gomersal]], [[Greetland]], [[Guiseley]] *[[Halifax, West Yorkshire|Halifax]], [[Harden, West Yorkshire|Harden]], [[Harewood]], [[Hartshead]], [[Hartshead Moor]], [[Haworth]], [[Hebden Bridge]], [[Heckmondwike]], [[Hemsworth]], [[Heptonstall]], [[Hipperholme]], [[Holmfirth]], [[Honley]], [[Horbury]], [[Horsforth]], [[Huddersfield]] *[[Ilkley]] *[[Keighley]], [[Kippax, West Yorkshire|Kippax]], [[Kirkburton]], [[Kirkstall]], [[Knottingley]] *[[Ledsham, West Yorkshire|Ledsham]], [[Ledston]], [[Leeds]], [[Linthwaite]], [[Liversedge]] *[[Marsden, West Yorkshire|Marsden]], [[Meltham]], [[Menston]], [[Methley]], [[Mirfield]], [[Morley, West Yorkshire|Morley]], [[Mytholmroyd]] *[[New Mill]], [[Newmillerdam]], [[New Farnley]], [[Norristhorpe]], [[Norwood Green, West Yorkshire|Norwood Green]], [[Nostell]] *[[Oakworth]], [[Ossett]], [[Oxenhope]], [[Otley]], [[Oulton, West Yorkshire|Oulton]] *[[Pontefract]], [[Pool-in-Wharfedale]], [[Pudsey]] *[[Queensbury, West Yorkshire|Queensbury]] *[[Rastrick]], [[Riddlesden]], [[Ripponden]], [[Rothwell, West Yorkshire|Rothwell]], [[Roberttown]] *[[Saltaire]], [[Sandal, Wakefield|Sandal]], [[Sandy Lane, West Yorkshire|Sandy Lane]], [[Scammonden]] [[Scarcroft]], [[Scholes, Leeds|Scholes]], [[Shelley, West Yorkshire|Shelley]], [[Shepley]], [[Shibden]], [[Shipley, West Yorkshire|Shipley]], [[Silsden]], [[Skelmanthorpe]], [[Slaithwaite]], [[Sowerby Bridge]], [[Stanbury]], [[Stanley]], [[Steeton with Eastburn|Steeton]], [[Swillington]] *[[Thornbury, West Yorkshire|Thornbury]], [[Thornton, Bradford|Thornton]], [[Thornhill, West Yorkshire|Thornhill]], [[Todmorden]], [[Tong, West Yorkshire|Tong]] *[[Wakefield]], [[Walton, Leeds|Walton (Leeds)]], [[Walton, Wakefield|Walton (Wakefield)]], [[West Bretton]], [[Wetherby]], [[Wilsden]] *[[Yeadon, West Yorkshire|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, West Yorkshire|Oulton]] *[[Sandal Castle]] *[[Shelley Hall]], [[Shelley, West Yorkshire|Shelley]] *[[Shibden Hall]] *[[Tong Hall]], [[Tong, West Yorkshire|Tong]] *[[Bretton Hall, West Yorkshire|Bretton Hall]] *[[Kirkstall Abbey]] *[[Kirklees Hall|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 Museum]][http://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|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 *[[The Chevin|Otley Chevin]] - extensive wooded parkland on high ground with extensive views North over Wharfedale and South as far as the Peak District *[[Harewood House|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 Tunnels|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)]] * [http://www.b2bwyorks.co.uk B2B West Yorkshire] ==References== {{reflist}} {{West yorkshire}} {{Yorkshire}} {{Yorkshire and the Humber}} {{England counties}} [[Category:West Yorkshire| ]] [[Category:Metropolitan counties]] [[Category:1974 establishments]] [[ca:West Yorkshire]] [[cy:Swydd Gorllewin Efrog]] [[de:West Yorkshire]] [[et:Lääne-Yorkshire]] [[es:West Yorkshire]] [[eo:Okcidenta Jorkŝiro]] [[eu:West Yorkshire]] [[fr:Yorkshire de l'Ouest]] [[hi:वेस्ट यॉर्कशायर]] [[id:West Yorkshire]] [[is:Vestur-Yorkshire]] [[it:West Yorkshire]] [[la:Isuria Occidentalis]] [[lv:Vestjorkšīra]] [[lb:West Yorkshire]] [[nl:West Yorkshire]] [[ja:ウェスト・ヨークシャー]] [[no:West Yorkshire]] [[pl:West Yorkshire]] [[pt:West Yorkshire]] [[ro:West Yorkshire]] [[qu:West Yorkshire]] [[ru:Западный Йоркшир]] [[simple:West Yorkshire]] [[sk:West Yorkshire]] [[fi:West Yorkshire]] [[sv:West Yorkshire]] [[vo:West Yorkshire]] [[zh:西约克郡]] [[zh-min-nan:West Yorkshire]]