Leicestershire County Council

Last updated

Leicestershire County Council
Arms of Leicestershire County Council.svg
Leicestershire County Council.svg
Council logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1889
Leadership
Joe Orson,
Conservative
since 15 May 2024 [1]
Deborah Taylor (acting),
Conservative
since July 2024
John Sinnott
since 1994 [2]
Structure
Seats55 councillors
Leicestershire County Council May 2021.svg
Political groups
Administration (41)
  Conservative (41)
Other parties (14)
  Liberal Democrat (10)
  Labour (4)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
 6 May 2021
Next election
 1 May 2025
Meeting place
County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester - geograph.org.uk - 1229155.jpg
County Hall, Leicester Road, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8RA
Website
www.leicestershire.gov.uk

Leicestershire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire, England. The non-metropolitan county is smaller than the ceremonial county, which additionally includes Leicester. The county council was originally formed in 1889 by the Local Government Act 1888. The county is divided into 53 electoral divisions, which return a total of 55 councillors. The council is controlled by the Conservative Party. The leader of the county council is currently Deborah Taylor, who has been serving as acting leader of the County Council since July 2024 in the place of Nick Rushton, who was elected to the post in September 2012 and is currently undergoing cancer treatment. [3] The headquarters of the council is County Hall beside the A50 at Glenfield, just outside the city of Leicester in Blaby district.

Contents

History

Elected county councils were created under the Local Government Act 1888, taking over many administrative functions that had previously been performed by magistrates at the quarter sessions. From its establishment in 1889 to 1974, the county council covered the administrative county of Leicestershire. The administrative county differed from the geographic county in that it excluded Leicester itself, which was considered large enough to provide its own county-level services and so was made a county borough, independent from the county council. [4]

The first elections were held in January 1889, and the council formally came into being on 1 April 1889, on which day it held its first official meeting at Leicester Town Hall. Henry St John Halford was appointed the first chairman of the council. [5]

In 1974, the Local Government Act 1972 reconstituted Leicestershire County Council as a non-metropolitan county, adding the former county borough of Leicester, and the small county of Rutland to the area. [6] On 1 April 1997 these were removed from the county council area again, to become unitary authorities. [7]

Governance

Leicestershire County Council provides county-level services. District-level services are provided by the area's seven district councils. [8] Much of the county is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government. [9] [10] The seven district councils are: [11]

Political control

The county council has been under Conservative majority control since 2001.

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows: [12] [13]

Party in controlYears
No overall control 1974–1977
Conservative 1977–1981
No overall control 1981–2001
Conservative 2001–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1999 have been: [14]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Harry Barber Conservative 199921 May 2003
David Parsons [15] Conservative 21 May 20033 Jul 2012
Nick Rushton Conservative 26 Sep 2012

Composition

Following the 2021 election and subsequent by-elections up to May 2024, the composition of the council was as follows: [16]

PartyCouncillors
Conservative 41
Liberal Democrats 10
Labour 4
Total55

The next election is due in 2025.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 55 councillors representing 53 electoral divisions. Most divisions elect one councillor, but two divisions elect two councillors. Elections are held every four years. [17]

Premises

The council is based at County Hall in Glenfield, on the outskirts of Leicester but just outside the city boundary in the Blaby district. [18]

County Rooms, 16 Hotel Street, Leicester: County council's meeting place until 1967, since renamed City Rooms The City Rooms.jpg
County Rooms, 16 Hotel Street, Leicester: County council's meeting place until 1967, since renamed City Rooms

Having held its first meeting in 1889 at Leicester Town Hall, later that year the council moved its meetings to the County Rooms on Hotel Street in the centre of Leicester, which had been built in 1800. [19] [20] It continued to meet there until County Hall at Glenfield was completed in 1967. [21]

Cabinet

The council's cabinet has, as of May 2021, the following members, with the following portfolios:

Departments

There are six departments:

Key responsibilities

In the five years to 2015, the council's roles and responsibilities changed significantly, due to austerity savings, the transfer of public health from the NHS to the council and many schools becoming academies, independent of the council.

However, that still left a number of key responsibilities. As of December 2015, these are: social care for adults and children; support for schools; highways and transport; public health; waste disposal; economic development; libraries and museums; strategic planning; trading standards; country parks; registration of births, marriages and deaths; and community leadership.

Financial situation

The council claims to be the lowest-funded county council, [22] yet one of the top three best performers, across a wide range of indicators. [23]

From 2010–2015, the council has had to save £100 million – two-thirds as efficiency savings and the remainder from services. The council has predicted it will have to save more from services as austerity continues, with a further £100 million-plus of savings required over the next four years.

As of 2015/16, the council's annual budget was £348 million and it had just over 5,000 full-time equivalent staff.

Electoral divisions

Electoral divisionCouncillors
Ashby de la Zouch 1
Belvoir 1
Birstall 1
Blaby and Glen Parva 1
Bradgate 1
Braunstone 1
Broughton Astley 1
Bruntingthorpe 1
Burbage 1
Castle Donington and Kegworth 1
Coalville North1
Coalville South1
Crosby and Countesthorpe 1
De Montfort (Hinckley)1
Earl Shilton 1
East Wigston 1
Enderby and Lubbesthorpe1
Forest and Measham 1
Gartree 1
Glenfields, Kirby Muxloe and Leicester Forests 2
Groby and Ratby 1
Hollycroft (Hinckley)1
Ibstock and Appleby 1
Launde 1
Gartree 1
Loughborough East1
Loughborough North1
Loughborough North West1
Loughborough South1
Loughborough South West1
Lutterworth 1
Mallory1
Market Harborough East1
Market Harborough West and Foxton 1
Markfield Desford and Thornton 1
Melton East1
Melton West1
Melton Wolds1
Narborough and Whetstone 1
North Wigston1
Oadby 2
Quorn and Barrow 1
Rothley and Mountsorrel 1
Shepshed 1
Sileby and The Wolds1
South and West Wigston1
St Marys (Hinckley)1
Stoney Stanton and Croft 1
Syston Fosse1
Syston Ridgeway1
Thurmaston Ridgemere1
Valley1

Notable members

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicestershire</span> County of England

Leicestershire is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Lincolnshire to the north, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire to the south-east, Warwickshire to the south-west, and Staffordshire to the west. The city of Leicester is the largest settlement and the county town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oadby and Wigston</span> Borough and non-metropolitan district in England

Oadby and Wigston is a local government district with borough status in Leicestershire, England. It covers the two towns of Oadby, where the council is based, and Wigston, which is the larger town. Both form part of the Leicester urban area, lying south-east of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Charnwood</span> Borough and non-metropolitan district in England

Charnwood is a local government district with borough status in the north of Leicestershire, England. It is named after Charnwood Forest, much of which lies within the borough. Towns in the borough include Loughborough, Shepshed and Syston. Villages in the borough include Barrow upon Soar, Birstall, Hathern, Mountsorrel, Quorn, Rothley, Sileby and Woodhouse Eaves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blaby District</span> Administrative district of Leicestershire, England

Blaby is a local government district in Leicestershire, England. The district is named after the village of Blaby, although the council is based in Narborough. The district covers an area lying south-west of the city of Leicester. Several of the district's settlements form part of the wider Leicester Urban Area, including Glenfield, where Leicestershire County Council has its headquarters at County Hall, and the town of Braunstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinckley and Bosworth</span> Borough and non-metropolitan district in England

Hinckley and Bosworth is a local government district with borough status in Leicestershire, England. The council is based in Hinckley, the largest town. The borough also includes the town of Earl Shilton and numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The Bosworth in the borough's name refers to the small market town of Market Bosworth, near which the Battle of Bosworth Field was fought in 1485.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harborough District</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

Harborough is a local government district in Leicestershire, England. It is named after its main town, Market Harborough, which is where the council is based. The district also includes the town of Lutterworth and numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. In the north of the district it includes parts of the Leicester Urban Area, notably at Thurnby, Bushby and Scraptoft. Covering 230 square miles (600 km2), the district is the largest by area of the eight districts in Leicestershire and covers almost a quarter of the county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Melton</span> Borough and non-metropolitan district in England

Melton is a local government district with borough status in north-eastern Leicestershire, England. It is named after its only town, Melton Mowbray. The borough also includes numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The north of the district includes part of the Vale of Belvoir. Melton is the least populous district of its type and the fourth least populous district in England overall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kent County Council</span> British administrative authority

Kent County Council is a county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Kent in England. The non-metropolitan county is smaller than the ceremonial county, which additionally includes the unitary authority of Medway. Kent County Council is the upper tier of elected local government, below which are 12 district councils, and around 300 town and parish councils. The county council has 81 elected councillors. It is one of the largest local authorities in England in terms of population served and the largest local authority of its type. The council is based at County Hall in Maidstone. It has been under Conservative majority control since 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harborough, Oadby and Wigston (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885 onwards

Harborough, Oadby and Wigston is a constituency covering the south east of Leicestershire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2017 by Neil O'Brien of the Conservative Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicester City Council</span> Unitary authority in Leicester, England

Leicester City Council is the local authority for the city of Leicester, in the ceremonial county of Leicestershire, England. Leicester has had a council from medieval times, which has been reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1997 the council has been a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council; it is independent from Leicestershire County Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheffield City Council</span> Council for Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2010 onwards

South Leicestershire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Alberto Costa, a member of the Conservative Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutland County Council</span> Unitary authority of local government in the district and county of Rutland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutland</span> County in England

Rutland is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Leicestershire to the north and west, Lincolnshire to the north-east, and Northamptonshire to the south-west. Oakham is the largest town and county town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Leicestershire County Council election</span> 2017 UK local government election

The 2017 Leicestershire County Council election took place on 4 May 2017 as part of the 2017 local elections in the United Kingdom. All councillors were elected from electoral divisions by first-past-the-post voting for a four-year term of office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mid Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2024 onwards

Mid Leicestershire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Peter Bedford, a Conservative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Blaby District Council election</span> 2023 English local election

The 2023 Blaby District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of the Blaby District Council in England. They were held on the same day as other local elections.

References

  1. ↑ Rennie, Nick (16 May 2024). "Old Dalby man appointed council chairman". Melton Times. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  2. ↑ Pegden, Tom (25 September 2017). "Leicestershire's most influential people in charity, religion, politics and the public sector 2017". Leicestershire Live. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Nick Rushton – Leader of Leicestershire County Council | Leicestershire County Council". www.leicestershire.gov.uk. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  4. ↑ Local Government Act 1888
  5. ↑ "Leicestershire County Council". Leicester Journal. 5 April 1889. p. 7. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  6. ↑ Local Government Act 1972
  7. ↑ "The Leicestershire (City of Leicester and District of Rutland) (Structural Change) Order 1996", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1996/507, retrieved 5 November 2023
  8. ↑ "Local Authority Profiles". Lancashire County Council. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  9. ↑ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  10. ↑ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 22 October 2023
  11. ↑ "The County Council – Local Government in Leicestershire". Leicestershire County Council. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  12. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "Leicestershire". BBC News Online . 19 April 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  14. ↑ "Council minutes". Leicestershire County Council. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  15. ↑ "Leicestershire council leader David Parsons resigns". BBC News. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  16. ↑ "Leicestershire". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  17. ↑ "The Leicestershire (Electoral Changes) Order 2016", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2016/1070, retrieved 5 November 2023
  18. ↑ "Opening times and contact information". Leicestershire County Council. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  19. ↑ "Leicestershire County Council". Leicester Journal. 15 November 1889. p. 6. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  20. ↑ Historic England. "The City Rooms and basement area railings (Grade I) (1184114)". National Heritage List for England .
  21. ↑ "Last meeting in County Rooms after 79 years: 'Historic moment' for the council". Leicester Mercury. 8 November 1967. p. 17. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  22. ↑ "Statement on the Council's Budget Situation". Leicestershire County Council. 2 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  23. ↑ "Leicestershire County Council Annual Performance Report 2015 – Dashboards". LeicesterShire Statistics & Research. 2 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  24. ↑ Webster, Richard (5 January 1999). "Manners maketh man". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
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