North Somerset District
Geography
Status:	Unitary district
Region:	South West England
Historic county:	Somerset
Ceremonial county:	Somerset
Area: - Total	Ranked 125th 144. See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to The historic counties of England are ancient subdivisions of England. Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county Surface area is the measure of how much exposed Area an object has This is a list of Districts of England ordered by area. The areas given are calculated from the Output Areas created for Census 2001 and made available 66 square miles (374.68 km²)
Admin. To help compare different Orders of magnitude and geographical regions we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km² Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of HQ:	Weston-super-Mare
ONS code:	00HC
Demographics
Population: - Total (2006 est. Weston-super-Mare is a Seaside resort town and Civil parish in North Somerset, England. The Office for National Statistics coding system is a hierarchical code used in the United Kingdom for tabulating Census and other statistical data In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology ) - Density	Ranked 67th 201,400 538 / km²
Ethnicity:	98. The density of a material is defined as its Mass per unit Volume: \rho = \frac{m}{V} Different materials usually have different The figures are mid-year estimates for 2007 from the Office for National Statistics. 6% White
Politics
North Somerset Council http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk
Leadership:	Leader & Cabinet
Executive:	Conservative
MPs:	Liam Fox (C) John Penrose (C)

Weston-super-Mare town hall, the administrative headquarters

North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. The pattern of local government in England is complex with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Composition Graphical representation of the House of Commons This is a comparison of the party strengths in the British House of Commons Liam Fox (born 22 September 1961) is a British Conservative Politician, currently Shadow Defence Secretary and The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. John David Penrose (born June 22, 1964) is the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP for Weston-super-Mare. See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county A non-metropolitan county or shire county in England, is a county-level entity which is not a Metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters are in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare. Weston-super-Mare is a Seaside resort town and Civil parish in North Somerset, England.

North Somerset borders the local government areas of Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and Sedgemoor. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Bath and North East Somerset (commonly referred to as BANES or B&NES) is a Unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 Sedgemoor is a local government district of Somerset in England. North Somerset contains the parliamentary constituencies of Weston-super-Mare and Woodspring, although the latter will be renamed North Somerset at the next general election. Weston-super-Mare is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Woodspring is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

History

Between April 1, 1974 and April 1, 1996, it was the Woodspring district of the county of Avon (named after Woodspring Priory, an isolated mediaeval church near the coast just north east of Weston-super-Mare). Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government The former County of Avon was a non-metropolitan county and ceremonial county in the west of England, named after the River Avon, which Woodspring Priory is a former Augustinian priory beside the Severn Estuary about north east of Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset. The district of Woodspring was formed from the municipal boroughs of Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon and Portishead urban districts, Long Ashton Rural District, and part of Axbridge Rural District. Municipal boroughs were a type of Local government which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974 in Northern Ireland from 1840 to Weston-super-Mare is a Seaside resort town and Civil parish in North Somerset, England. Clevedon is a town in North Somerset, England.The name derives from the Saxon, 'Cleve' meaning Cleave or Cleft and 'don' meaning hill the town being Portishead (pɔːtɪsˈhɛd is a coastal town in North Somerset, England, with a population of 21000 (Local council update July 24, 2007) In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, an urban district was a type of Local government district that covered an Urbanised area Axbridge was a Rural district in Somerset, England from 1894 to 1974

Settlements and communications

The principal towns in the district are the coastal towns of Weston-super-Mare, Portishead and Clevedon and the commuter town Nailsea. Weston-super-Mare is a Seaside resort town and Civil parish in North Somerset, England. Portishead (pɔːtɪsˈhɛd IS an English musical group from Bristol. Clevedon is a town in North Somerset, England.The name derives from the Saxon, 'Cleve' meaning Cleave or Cleft and 'don' meaning hill the town being Nailsea is a town in North Somerset, England, about to the south west of Bristol and about to the north east of the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare

• Abbots Leigh,
• Backwell, Banwell, Barrow Gurney, Blagdon, Bleadon, Bourton, Brockley, Burrington, Butcombe,
• Chelvey, Christon, Churchill, Clapton in Gordano, Claverham, Clevedon, Cleeve, Congresbury
• Downside, Dundry
• East End, East Rolstone, Easton in Gordano
• Failand, Farleigh, Felton, Flax Bourton
• Ham Green, Hewish, Hutton
• Icelton
• Kenn, Kewstoke, Kingston Seymour
• Leigh Woods, Locking, Long Ashton, Lower Langford, Lower Failand, Loxton, Lulsgate Bottom
• Maiden Head, Milton
• Nailsea, North End
• Portishead
• Pill, Portbury, Puxton
• Redcliff Bay, Redhill, Regil, Rickford
• Sandford, Sheepway, Sidcot, St Georges, St Mary's Grove
• Tickenham
• Uphill, Upper Town
• Walton in Gordano, West Wick, West Hill, West End, West Town, Weston in Gordano, Weston-super-Mare, Wick St. Lawrence, Winford, Winscombe, Worle, Wraxall, Somerset, Wrington
• Yatton

Places of interest

North Somerset's natural environment and coastal towns attract visitors from the nearby cities. Abbots Leigh is a Village located in North Somerset, United Kingdom. Backwell is a Suburban Village in North Somerset, England with a population of 5455 Banwell is a village in the North Somerset district of Somerset, England. Barrow Gurney is a village in North Somerset, England, situated on the B3130 midway between the A38 and A370 near the Long Ashton Blagdon is a village and Civil parish in the North Somerset Unitary authority in England. Bleadon is a village and Civil parish in the historic county of Somerset in England. Brockley is a village and Civil parish in North Somerset, England. Burrington may refer to Burrington Devon Burrington Herefordshire Burrington Somerset Burrington Butcombe is a village and Civil parish just north of Blagdon Lake, in North Somerset, England Chelvey is a village south of Nailsea in the Civil parish of Brockley, North Somerset, England. Christon is a village miles from Banwell and north west of Axbridge in the North Somerset district of Somerset, England. Churchill is a Village in the Unitary authority of North Somerset, England. Clapton in Gordano is a village in North Somerset in the south west of England. Claverham is a small village in North Somerset located just off the A370 half way between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare. Clevedon is a town in North Somerset, England.The name derives from the Saxon, 'Cleve' meaning Cleave or Cleft and 'don' meaning hill the town being Overview Cleeve is a Village and Civil parish located in the Unitary authority of North Somerset in the south west of England Congresbury (locally pronounced "Congsbry" is a Village in North Somerset, England. Dundry is a Village and Civil parish, situated on Dundry Hill in the northern part of the Mendip Hills, between Bristol Easton in Gordano sometimes shortened to "E-I-G" is a Village in North Somerset, England. Failand is a Village in the North Somerset Unitary authority in England. Backwell is a Suburban Village in North Somerset, England with a population of 5455 Felton is a village in the parish of Winford, south of Bristol in the North Somerset district of Somerset, England It is close Flax Bourton is a village in North Somerset, England, situated on the edge of Nailsea Moor on the A370 road five Miles south west of Hutton is a village and civil parish located on the western edge of the Mendip Hills, close to Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, England Kenn is a small village in North Somerset, England. It lies on the B3133 road near Clevedon in the North Somerset Levels and near the edge of Kewstoke is a Civil parish and village in the Unitary authority of North Somerset, located next to the strip of coast called Sand Bay. Kingston Seymour is a small Village in southwest England. It is situated between Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare. Leigh Woods is a area of woodland on the south-west side of the Avon Gorge, opposite the English city of Bristol and north of the Ashton Court Locking is a Village and Civil parish in a predominantly quiet residential area of North Somerset, England, 3 Long Ashton is a Village in North Somerset, a few miles south-west of the city of Bristol. Loxton is a village and Civil parish close to the M5 motorway in North Somerset, England Maiden Head is a village in the English county of Somerset. It is south of the city of Bristol and north of the Chew Valley, close to Nailsea is a town in North Somerset, England, about to the south west of Bristol and about to the north east of the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare Portishead (pɔːtɪsˈhɛd is a coastal town in North Somerset, England, with a population of 21000 (Local council update July 24, 2007) Pill is a village in North Somerset. It is situated on the southern bank of the Avon. Portbury is a village in North Somerset, England. Location It is situated at the north-eastern end of the Gordano valley near the Puxton is a village and Civil parish, 5 miles north west of Axbridge in North Somerset, England. Redhill is a village in the parish of Wrington, North Somerset, England on the A38 Bridgwater Road about 10 miles (16 km south Regil ( is a small village within the Chew Valley in North Somerset about eight miles south of Bristol very close to Chew Stoke and Sandford is a Village between Churchill and Banwell on the A368 in North Somerset, England. Sheepway is a hamlet in North Somerset. It is situated on the moorland at the northern edge of the Gordano valley between the M5 motorway Winscombe is a Village in North Somerset, England, close to the settlements of Axbridge and Cheddar, on the western edge of the St Georges is a civil parish and village in the unitary authority of North Somerset. Tickenham is a Village near Clevedon and Nailsea, North Somerset. Uphill is a village on the edge of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, England. Walton in Gordano is a village in North Somerset. It is situated in a small valley at the side of the south-western end of the Gordano valley about a mile from Weston in Gordano is a village in North Somerset. It is situated in the middle of the Gordano valley on the north side Weston-super-Mare is a Seaside resort town and Civil parish in North Somerset, England. Wick St Lawrence is a civil parish and village in the unitary authority of North Somerset. Winford ( is a small village within the Chew Valley, Somerset In the unitary authority of North Somerset about 8 miles south of Bristol Winscombe is a Village in North Somerset, England, close to the settlements of Axbridge and Cheddar, on the western edge of the Worle is a village in North Somerset that is now totally absorbed by the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. This article is about a village in Somerset, England. For other uses please see Wraxall (disambiguation. Wrington is a Village in North Somerset, England. It lies in the valley of the Congresbury Yeo river about east of Weston-super-Mare See also Yatton Herefordshire Yatton is a village in North Somerset, England, located south west of Bristol. Notable geographical features include:

• Gordano Valley
• Mendip Hills – the ridgeway forms part of the district boundary
• Sand Bay and Sand Point
• Worlebury Hill
• Burrington Combe, Goblin Combe, Brockley Combe
• North Somerset Levels

The district is noted for the religious buildings at:

• St. Paul's Church, Kewstoke
• Woodspring Priory

Economy

North Somerset's economy is traditionally based on agriculture, including sheep raised for wool on the Mendip Hills and dairy farming in the valleys. Gordano (or the Gordano Valley) ( is an area of North Somerset, in England. The Mendip Hills (commonly called The Mendips) are a range of Limestone hills situated to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset Sand Bay is a strip of coast in North Somerset bordered to the south by Worlebury Hill and to the north by Middle Hope (commonly referred to as Sand Point Sand Point in Somerset is the peninsula stretching out from Middle Hope which lies to the north of the village of Kewstoke, and the stretch of coastline called Sand Bay Worlebury Hill is the name given to an upland area lying between the flatlands of Weston-super-Mare and the Kewstoke area of North Somerset, England Burrington Combe ( is a Carboniferous limestone Gorge near the village of Burrington, on the north side of the Mendip Hills, in North Somerset Goblin Combe is a valley in North Somerset which stretches from Redhill, near Bristol International Airport on the A38 through to Cleeve Brockley Combe is a wooded Combe near the village of Brockley in North Somerset, England. The North Somerset Levels are an expanse of low-lying flat ground which occupy an area between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol in North Somerset, England Kewstoke is a Civil parish and village in the Unitary authority of North Somerset, located next to the strip of coast called Sand Bay. Woodspring Priory is a former Augustinian priory beside the Severn Estuary about north east of Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset. During the Georgian era tourism became a significant economic sector in the coastal towns, most notably Weston-super-Mare which grew from a small village to a large resort town. Though tourism declined in the mid to late-20th century, in common with most British coastal resorts, this sector of the economy has stabilised.

In the 19th century the major port city of Bristol found that modern ships had outgrown the narrow river approach and the Port of Bristol company began seeking locations for new docks on the coast. The Port of Bristol comprises the commercial and former commercial docks situated in and near the city of Bristol in England. The first of these was Portishead Dock, which handled coal from South Wales, though this too has seen shipping outgrow its facilities. The newer Royal Portbury Dock is noted for the large volume of car imports. The Royal Portbury Dock is part of the Port of Bristol, in England.

This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of North and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire at current basic prices (pp. Gross Value Added or GVA is a measure in Economics of the value of goods and services produced in an area or sector of an Economy. 240-253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling. ^[1]

^1  Components may not sum to totals due to rounding
^2  includes hunting and forestry
^3  includes energy and construction
^4  includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured

Demographics

North Somerset covers an area of around 145 square miles and has a resident population of 193,000 (1. 4% BME) living in 85,000 households. ^[4]

The population of North Somerset has doubled since the 1950s and is predicted to rise by 6,184 or 3. 0% to 2011 and to 2026 by 17%. Whilst the proportion of people in North Somerset who are under 45 is lower than the national average, population growth is predicted to be strongest in the 2034 age group. Conversely North Somerset has a 4. 2% higher percentage of older people (60+ female, 65+male) than the rest of England and Wales. This disparity increases with age with the percentage of the population over 75 years almost 30% higher than the national average, resulting in a relatively aged population. ^[5]

In 2001 there were 134,132 people of working age living in North Somerset and 91,767 were in employment; an economic activity rate of 68. 4%. This is very close to the economic activity rate of the West of England sub-region which was 68. 8% in the 2001 census. ^[4]

The 2001 census stated that 1. 38% of North Somerset residents identified themselves as belonging to a visible ethnic group and a further 1. 27% identified themselves as ‘white other’. ^[6]

References

External links

• North Somerset Council
• Voluntary Action North Somerset
• Photographs of North Somerset