Chichester District

Chichester is a largely rural local government district in West Sussex, England. Its council is based in the city of Chichester.HistoryThe district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the municipal borough (city) of Chichester and the Rural Districts of Midhurst, Petworth and part of the former Chichester Rural District.GovernanceChichester District Council has 48 councillors, representing 29 wards. Chichester itself has four of those wards (North, South, East and West) whilst the remaining wards comprise groups of villages; see Wards of Chichester District. Local elections are held every four years and at the May 2011 election, the Conservative party retained control.Civil parishesThere are 68 civil parishes in Chichester District. Apart from the City of Chichester, and the three towns of Midhurst, Selsey and Petworth, most are villages.