to May 1997: Liberal Democrat May 1997 to May 1998: No overall control, with Liberal Democrat and Labour administration May 1998 to January 2000: No overall control, with Conservative and Independent administration January 2000 to 2009: Conservative 2009 changes Wiltshire's previous "two tier" system of local government was typical of English shire counties, with the area it covered being sub-divided (since the separation of Swindon) into four local government districts. However, the Department for Communities and Local Government announced on 25 July 2007 that with effect from 1 April 2009 Wiltshire would be served by a new unitary authority, replacing the county council and the four district councils. Wiltshire County Council was designated as a "continuing authority", so that it would inherit existing contracts without a break, and its 48 outgoing county councillors remained in office until the 4 June 2009 elections, whereas the district councillors ceased to hold office on 31 March 2009. Chairmen See List of chairmen of Wiltshire County Council. List of notable members Jack Ainslie 1964–1993 (chairman, 1986–1990) Fleur de Rhé-Philipe 1997–2009 Sir Richard Hungerford Pollen, 4th Baronet (elected 1889) Francis Edward Newman Rogers 1894–1911 (also member of parliament for Devizes 1906–1910) Mary Salisbury 1963–2001 (not continuous) (chairman, 1990–1993) Jane Scott, Baroness Scott of Bybrook, 1997–2009 (leader, 2003–2009) Sir Geoffrey Ernest Tritton, 3rd Baronet 1950s Earl of Shelburne, later 9th Marquess of Lansdowne 1970–1985 Henry Howard, 18th Earl of Suffolk (el. 1889) Robert Syms 1985–1997 (member of parliament for Poole since 1997) Group Captain Frank Willan 1961–1981 (chairman, 1973–1979) R. S. A. Williams 1945–1952 (previously member of parliament for Sevenoaks) Percy Wyndham (early 20th century, also a member of parliament) Clerks of the County Council From the outset, the most significant employee of the council was the clerk of the council, a new office which was held jointly with the position of Clerk of the Peace to the Wiltshire Quarter Sessions until the latter was abolished in 1971. In 1973 the last clerk of the council, R. P. Harries, became the first chief executive. 1889–1912: Robert William Merriman 1912–1940: William Langsdale Bown 1940–1960: Philip Austin Selborne Stringer 1960–1973: Robert Paschal Harries Chief executives 1973–1984: Robert Paschal Harries 1984–1996: Ian Andrew Browning 1996–2009: Dr Keith Robinson Other notable officers Will Hodgman (born 1969), later Premier of Tasmania See also Wiltshire Council 2009 Wiltshire Council election References Bibliography K. H. Rogers. Wiltshire County Council: The First Hundred Years