Hayton, Allerdale

Coordinates: 54°45′36″N 3°23′28″W / 54.760°N 3.391°W / 54.760; -3.391

Hayton is a village in the Allerdale District, in the English county of Cumbria, but is registered under the Civil Parish of Hayton and Mealo. Located in Cumberland on a minor road between the B5300 and the A596, it is approximately 2 miles from the coast. Nearby settlements include the town of Aspatria and the villages of Oughterside and Prospect. A small tributary called Patten Beck runs across the village, through the grounds of the castle.

Demographics

The village of Hayton is relatively small, consisting of only 89 households with a total population of 229 according to the 2001 UK Census. The largest population was recorded in the 1921 Census when there were 346 residents within the Hayton and Mealo area. From 1921 to 1961 population gradually decreased to 214 which is likely to be due to the change in agricultural processes and the increased use of machinery which reduced the size of labourforce needed.

Allerdale

Coordinates: 54°38′24″N 3°24′43″W / 54.640°N 3.412°W / 54.640; -3.412

Allerdale is a non-metropolitan district of Cumbria, England, with borough status. Its council is based in Workington and the borough has a population of 93,492 according to the 2001 census, increasing to 96,422 at the 2011 Census.

The Borough of Allerdale was formed under the Local Government Act 1972, on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the municipal borough of Workington, the urban districts of Maryport, Cockermouth and Keswick; and the rural districts of Cockermouth and Wigton, all of which were within the administrative county of Cumberland. In 1995 Allerdale was granted borough status.

The name derives from the ancient region of Allerdale, represented latterly by the two wards of Cumberland, called Allerdale above Derwent and Allerdale below Derwent. Much of the area during the medieval period was a Royal Forest subject to forest law.

Politics

Elections to the borough council are held every four years with 56 councillors being elected from 31 wards. No party has had a majority on the council since Labour lost their majority at the 2003 election. As of the 2011 election, and following a number of by-elections and defections, the council is composed of the following councillors:-