Tong (ward)


Tong is a ward within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, West Yorkshire, England, named after Tong village which is its oldest settlement. The population at the 2011 Census was 20,608.

Geography

The ward is in the extreme southeast of Bradford District in a green wedge of land between the urban areas of Bradford and Leeds, the centre of the former being to the northwest and the centre of the latter being about to the northeast. Although surrounded by Green Belt, most of the settlements nearest to Tong are urban in character, Tong Street being to the west of the village, Drighlington to the south, Gildersome, to the southeast and New Farnley to the east. The rural village of Bankhouse and the Moravian settlement of Fulneck in Pudsey are about to the north of Tong with Cockersdale to the southeast. East Bierley, immediately adjacent in the south, is part of Kirklees.

History

The ward was formed from the former civil parish of Tong which in the 19th century included the settlements of Dudley Hill, Tong Street, Westgate Hill, and Holme.
The Tong political ward includes the urban areas of Dudley Hill, and the council estates of Bierley, West Yorkshire, Holme Wood, Tyersal. These settlements stretch along the main thoroughfare, Tong Street, which is part of the A650 road. In contrast, Tong Village on Tong Lane is a small, rural village surrounded by farmers' fields, and home to a historic local cricket club, Tong CC.
Coal and ironstone were mined in the area in the 19th and the early 20th centuries, and several mines are recorded.

Governance

;Councillors
Tong is represented on Bradford Council by three Labour Party councillors; Alan Wainwright, Tess Peart, and Michael Johnson
indicates seat up for re-election.