also became part of the administrative county. Elections to the Berkshire County Council Elections were held to Berkshire County Council every 3 years, with chairmen being selected in the second year of each term (in all years after 1965). After the 1974 re-organisation elections were held every four years, the last full election taking place in 1993. Political Composition Between 1889 and 1945, the Council was fairly apolitical, although two of the Chairmen (William George Mount and Arthur Loyd) went on to become Conservative MP's. Following the 1945 General election, the Labour Party won 17 councillors in 1945. Despite this win, Labour were still a minority and party politics didn't really come to the fore until 1974, with the Local Government Act 1972. This Act also brought representatives of the former County Borough of Reading on to the County Council for the first time and brought the Borough of Slough into the County from Buckinghamshire while the northern part of the county was transferred to Oxfordshire. The council was then dominated by the Conservatives, until 1990 when they lost overall control but continued to run the Council's administration. In 1992 a Lib Dem coalition with Labour took majority control of the Council and, following the 1993 elections, dominated the council until the coalition fractured in 1996. A Lib Dem minority administration with Conservative support then ran the council until it was split into unitary authorities. The final leader of the council, from July 1996 to March 1998, was Bob Mowatt, a Liberal Democrat, although for the final couple of months his deputy, Jeff Brooks, was serving as acting leader. Coat of arms Owing to the reorganisation of the council under the Local Government Act 1972, the coat of arms for Berkshire County Council is different before and after 1974. Pre 1974 (1947-1974) Arms and Crest [the stag argent] granted 18 July 1947. Crest changed and supporters granted 7 April 1961. The coat of arms granted by the College of Arms to the Berkshire County Council are described as: From Civic Heraldry: Post 1974 (1974-1998) Again from Civic Heraldry: And from Berkshire History: In popular culture The main setting for BBC comedy show "The Wrong Mans" and the workplace for the main two characters. Notes External links Civic Heraldry Berkshire History History of Berkshire Local authorities in Berkshire 1998 disestablishments in England 1974 establishments in England Former county councils of England