A right Royal rumble! Residents in affluent Windsor demand to have their own council because they have ‘little in common’ with neighbouring town Maidenhead

• 1,800 residents of Windsor have demanded a separate council from Maidenhead
• After boundary change they claim to be under-represented in local government
• Both towns nestle on the Thames in Berkshire, date back over 1000 years, have excellent schools, Tory MPs, and average house prices of around £580,000 
• But Windsor petitioners claim they have ‘little in common’ with Maidenhead

Thousands of residents of Windsor have demanded the town have its own council claiming the affluent area shares ‘little in common’ with neighbouring Maidenhead.

Both posh Berkshire towns date back over 1000 years, nestle on the Thames, have excellent schools, elect Conservative MPs, and have average house prices of around £580,000.

The towns have been jointly administered by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead since 1972. 

But following a boundary change in May, Windsor’s 32,000 residents have only eight councillors while Maidenhead’s 67,000 are represented by 22 elected officials.

The High Street in Windsor, Berkshire, with the ancient Guildhall on the left

Shoppers on Peascod Street in Windsor with the castle in the background

Maidenhead high street. Windsor residents say the two towns have ‘little in common’

A petition claiming Maidenhead is over-represented at local government level has garnered more than 1,800 signatures, and calls for Windsor to have its own council like nearby Eton are growing stronger.

On Friday 50 residents, councillors and business leaders backed the idea unanimously at a public meeting.

Campaign leader Richard Endacott said: ‘The atmosphere was electric and considering it was a wet Friday evening and people were on holiday we were pleased with the numbers.’

‘Windsor is a beautiful town of international significance.

‘Despite this, it has not had its own council since 1972, when it was merged with Maidenhead, a town it shares little in common with.’ 

Tale of the tape: Windsor

Population: 32,000

Councillors: 22

MP: Adam Afriyie (Con) 

Location: On the River Thames in Berkshire 

Earliest settlement: Probably 7th Century with greater importance after William the Conqueror built a timber motte and bailey castle in 1070

Notable landmarks: Windsor Castle, Windsor Guildhall, Legoland 

Notable residents: The Queen, Billy Connelly, Natalie Imbruglia

Average house price: £584,817  

Tale of the tape: Maidenhead

Population: 67,000

Councillors: 8

MP: Theresa May (Con) 

Location: On the River Thames in Berkshire 

Earliest settlement: Probably 9th century, on the ruins of a small abandoned Roman settlement called Alaunodunum

Notable landmarks: Maidenhead clock tower, Maidenhead Bridge (1777) 

Notable residents: Diani Dors, Richard Dimbleby, Michael Parkinson 

Average house price:  £579,912 

Former Royal Borough mayor Dee Quick said: ‘I think it serves us well but there are some things that are best done by the town rather than the borough.’

Local resident John Holdstock said: ‘We need the wider public to know that a Town Council will not take powers away from the Royal Borough.

‘This is about giving control of local matters to the people of Windsor.

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