Malvern Hills

Malvern Hills District
Shown within Worcestershire
Geography
Status:	District
Region:	West Midlands
Admin. County:	Worcestershire
Area: - Total	Ranked 78th 577.07 km²
Admin. HQ:	Malvern
ONS code:	47UC
Demographics
Population: - Total (2008 est.) - Density	Ranked 294th 74,800 130 / km²
Ethnicity:	98.6% White
Politics
Malvern Hills District Council http://www.malvernhills.gov.uk/
Leadership:	Leader & Cabinet
Executive:	Conservative
MPs:	Michael Spicer, Bill Wiggin
Malvern Hills District 1974-1998
in Hereford and Worcester

Malvern Hills is a local government district in Worcestershire, England. Its council is based in the town of Malvern, and its area covers most of the western half of the county that borders Herefordshire. It was originally formed in 1974 and was subject to a significant boundary reform in 1998. In the 2001 census the population of the Malvern Hills district was 35,042 males and 37,130 females, totalling 72,172 people. The age profile is slightly skewed to the over 50s.

History

In 1974 the district of Malvern Hills was created from the former districts of Bromyard Rural District and Ledbury Rural District in Herefordshire, along with Malvern Urban District and Martley Rural District and Upton upon Severn Rural District in Worcestershire.

The current boundaries were formed on 1 April 1998 when the county of Hereford and Worcester (which had been created in 1974, following the Local Government Act 1972) reverted, with some border changes, to the two former counties of Worcestershire and Herefordshire. The new Malvern Hills district boundary was formed from parts of the existing district of Malvern Hills and Leominster. The remainder of these districts became part of Herefordshire. The 1998 boundary changes added Tenbury Wells to the district, but Bromyard and Ledbury returned to be administered by the newly created Herefordshire Council.

Governance

Malvern Hills is a non-metropolitan district of the county of Worcestershire, and comprises 54 civil parishes. The Malvern Hills District is divided into 21 electoral wards. ^[1]

Geography

The Malvern Hills themselves offer scenic views over the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire and the District includes much of the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The River Teme is famous for its fishing and runs across the District, from Tenbury Wells, to its union with the River Severn near Worcester, close to the site of the Battle of Worcester. Historically, the Teme Valley was famous for its orchards and hop yards, though these have declined in recent years. The River Severn forms the eastern boundary of the District for many miles and is also popular with anglers. The area has a significant Spa heritage and Malvern Water is bottled and distributed commercially worldwide. The Spa buildings (The Pump Rooms) survive at Tenbury Wells and many free spring water sources are available to the public in and around Malvern.

Energy policy

In May 2006, a report^[2] commissioned by British Gas showed that housing in Malvern Hills produced the 6th highest average carbon emissions in the country at 7,329 kg of carbon dioxide per dwelling.

References

External links

• Brief history (and images) at the BBC website
• Malvern Hills District Council official web site
• Malvern Tourist Information Centre
• Information about the Tenbury Wells area