North West Leicestershire

Last updated
North West Leicestershire District
Non-metropolitan district
Coalville, clock tower - geograph.org.uk - 3172019.jpg
Coalville, the largest town and administrative centre of North West Leicestershire district
North West Leicestershire UK locator map.svg
Shown within Leicestershire
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region East Midlands
Administrative county Leicestershire
Admin. HQ Coalville
Government
 • TypeNorth West Leicestershire District Council
 •  MP: Andrew Bridgen (Reclaim)
Area
 • Total107.8 sq mi (279.3 km2)
 • Rank 126th
Population
 (2021)
 • Total105,011
 • Rank Ranked 225th
 • Density970/sq mi (380/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
[1]
 •  Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[1]
 •  Religion
List
Time zone UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
ONS code 31UH (ONS)
E07000134 (GSS)
Ethnicity98.8% White

North West Leicestershire is a local government district in Leicestershire, England. The council is based in Coalville, the area's largest town. The district also contains the towns of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Ashby Woulds and Ibstock, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas.

Contents

The district contains East Midlands Airport. Castle Donington is notable as the location of Donington Park, a grand-prix circuit and a major venue for music festivals. The area has a long history of mineral extraction, with coal, brick clay, gravel and granite amongst the products. All the deep coal mines in the area have closed, but opencast mining still continues.

The neighbouring districts are Charnwood, Hinckley and Bosworth, North Warwickshire, Lichfield, South Derbyshire, Erewash and Rushcliffe.

History

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the whole area of five former districts plus a single parish from a sixth, which districts were all abolished at the same time: [2]

The new district was named North West Leicestershire, reflecting its position in the wider county. [3]

Governance

North West Leicestershire District Council
North West Leicestershire District Council logo.svg
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1974
Leadership
Ray Morris,
Conservative
since 23 May 2023 [4]
Richard Blunt,
Conservative
since 15 May 2007
Allison Thomas
since 11 August 2022 [5]
Structure
Seats38 councillors
Political groups
Administration (19)
  Conservative (12)
  Liberal Democrat (5)
  Independent (2)
Other parties (19)
  Labour (17)
  Independent (2)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
Last election
 4 May 2023
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
Stenson House.jpg
Stenson House, London Road, Coalville, LE67 3FN
Website
www.nwleics.gov.uk

North West Leicestershire District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Leicestershire County Council. Much of the district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government. [6] [7]

Political control

The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being run by an alliance of the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and two of the independent councillors, led by Conservative councillor Richard Blunt. [8]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Since 1974 political control of the council has been as follows: [9]

Party in controlYears
Labour 1974–1976
No overall control 1976–1979
Labour 1979–1983
No overall control 1983–1991
Labour 1991–2007
Conservative 2007–2023
No overall control 2023–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2003 have been: [10]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Frank Straw Labour pre-20036 May 2007
Richard Blunt Conservative 15 May 2007

Composition

Following the 2023 election the composition of the council was: [11]

PartyCouncillors
Labour 17
Conservative 12
Liberal Democrats 5
Independent 4
Total38

The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and two of the independent councillors sit together as the "Alliance Group" which forms the council's administration. [12] The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the district has comprised 38 wards, each of which elects one councillor. Elections are held every four years. [13]

The district is coterminous with the North West Leicestershire parliamentary constituency. [14]

Premises

The council meets at Stenson House on London Road in Coalville. The building was built in 1934 as the headquarters of the old Coalville Urban District Council. [15] Following the creation of North West Leicestershire in 1974 the building was significantly extended to the rear. In 2022 the extension was closed pending demolition, and the council opened a new customer services centre on Belvoir Road, retaining and refurbishing the 1934 front part of Stenson House to be used for meetings and civic functions. [16]

Demography

Ashby-de-la-Zouch, best known for Ashby Castle and the second-largest town in the district Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle.jpg
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, best known for Ashby Castle and the second-largest town in the district
Population growth in North West Leicestershire
Year1951196119711981199120012011201620212031
Population64,89265,61571,67178,04880,55085,48593,34898,600101,500107,000
Census [17] ONS [18] ONS Projections [19]

North West Leicestershire has experienced steady population growth in recent times as the district balances the agro-rural economy with the end of labour-intensive deep coal-mining. Alternative employment opportunities exist within the district in the services and distributive sectors, together with local or nearby manufacturing and extractive/transformative/construction industries. The lack of rail services to/from Leicester, Loughborough and other nearby centres limits access for employment, commerce and leisure to a road journey that competes with freight and heavy-haulage vehicles especially to the south and east.

Economy

Donington Hall, headquarters of Norton Motorcycles, formerly of BMI DoningtonHallCastleDonington.jpg
Donington Hall, headquarters of Norton Motorcycles, formerly of BMI

Since 2013 Norton Motorcycles has its head office in Donington Hall, Castle Donington. [20] BMI (British Midland), an airline, was headquartered in Donington Hall. [21] The airline moved its headquarters to Donington Hall in 1982. [22] The subsidiary bmibaby also had its head office in Donington Hall. [23]

Prior to its disestablishment, Excalibur Airways had its head office on the grounds of East Midlands Airport in Castle Donington. [24] Prior to its disestablishment, Orion Airways had its head office on the grounds of East Midlands Airport. [25]

In 2011 Coalfield Resources plc were given permission to develop an opencast coal mining pit on the site of the former Minorca colliery between Measham and Swepstone on a seam which will be 1 mi (1.6 km) across and extract 1,250,000 tonnes (1,380,000 tons) of coal over five years, and 250,000 tonnes (280,000 tons) of clay. [26]

Parishes

Castle Donington Market Street - geograph.org.uk - 2253706.jpg
Castle Donington
Ibstock North end of High Street, Ibstock - geograph.org.uk - 3384750.jpg
Ibstock

Most of the district is covered by civil parishes. Parts of the former Coalville Urban District covering the main part of Coalville and the Thringstone area are unparished areas. [7] The parish councils for Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Ashby Woulds have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". (Whilst Ibstock is a post town and Castle Donington is sometimes called a town, neither parish council has formally declared them to be towns.) [27] The parishes are: [28]

Coat of arms

Coat of arms of North West Leicestershire
Notes
Granted 30 October 1974 [29]
Crest
On a wreath Argent Sable and Vert within a circlet of six lozenges conjoined Sable flames Proper issuant therefrom a demi-Lion Or gorged with a collar Gules bezanty and holding a Hhxagon Argent charged with a maunch Sable.
Escutcheon
Per chevron Argent and Sable in chief two ash trees couped and in base on a granite rock issuant Proper a castle of three towers Argent on a chief Vert between two garbs a mitre affrontée Or charged with two crosses formy Gules.
Motto
Ex Terra Opes (From The Earth Wealth)

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">Ashby-de-la-Zouch</span> Market town in Leicestershire, England

Ashby-de-la-Zouch, also spelled Ashby de la Zouch, is a market town and civil parish in the North West Leicestershire district of Leicestershire, England, near to the Derbyshire and Staffordshire borders. Its population at the 2011 census was 12,370. Ashby de la Zouch Castle was an important fort in the 15th to 17th centuries. During the 19th century, the town's main industries were ribbon manufacturing, coal mining, and brickmaking. The town is considered by many to be one of the main cultural hotspots of the United Kingdom, in spite of its small size.

<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">Coalville</span> Town in Leicestershire, England

Coalville is a town in the district of North West Leicestershire, Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. In 2011, it had a population of 34,575. It lies on the A511 between Leicester and Burton upon Trent, close to junction 22 of the M1 motorway where the A511 meets the A50 between Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Leicester. It borders the upland area of Charnwood Forest to the east of the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bosworth (UK Parliament constituency)</span> UK Parliament constituency in England since 1885

Bosworth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Luke Evans, a Conservative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North West Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1983 onwards

North West Leicestershire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Andrew Bridgen. Bridgen originally served as a Conservative and now serves as an Independent following his suspension in January 2023 and subsequent expulsion. He joined the Reclaim Party in May 2023, then left Reclaim and became an Independent again the following December.

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

Loughborough is a constituency in Leicestershire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Jane Hunt, a Conservative. From 2010 until 2019, it was represented by Nicky Morgan, who served in the governments of David Cameron and Boris Johnson. In 2020, she was elevated to the Peerage and became a member of the House of Lords. The constituency is a considered a bellwether, as it has reflected the national result at every general election since February 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ibstock</span> Human settlement in England

Ibstock is a former coal mining town and civil parish about 3 miles (5 km) south of Coalville in North West Leicestershire, England. The population of the civil parish was 5,760 at the 2001 census increasing to 6,201 at the 2011 census and 7,615 at the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ravenstone, Leicestershire</span> Human settlement in England

Ravenstone is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Ravenstone with Snibstone, in the North West Leicestershire district, in the county of Leicestershire, England. It is within the National Forest, just off the A511 road between Coalville and Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in 2001 it had a population of 2,149.

Snarestone is a small rural village in North West Leicestershire, England.

Ellistown is a village about 2 miles (3 km) south of Coalville in North West Leicestershire, England. It is named after Colonel Joseph Joel Ellis who died in 1885. The population from the 2011 census was included in the civil parish of Ellistown and Battleflat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snibston</span> Human settlement in England

Snibston is an area and former civil parish east of Ravenstone, now in the parish of Ravenstone with Snibstone, in the North West Leicestershire district, in the county of Leicestershire, England. Originally rural, part of Snibston was transformed into a coal mining village by the opening of coal mines by the Snibston Colliery Company in the early 1830s. This industrial part of Snibston was subsequently subsumed into the developing town of Coalville, though small rural areas of Snibston survive within the civil parishes of Ravenstone with Snibston and Hugglescote and Donington le Heath. In the part of Snibston within the latter civil parish stands the 13th-century church of St Mary, noted as the smallest church still in use for regular worship in England. The main Snibston Colliery was sunk in 1831, and after its closure the Snibston Country Park with the Snibston Discovery Museum was built on part of the colliery site. Part of the park is Snibston Grange Local Nature Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Sence</span> River in Leicestershire, England

The River Sence is a river which flows in Leicestershire, England. The tributaries of the Sence, including the Saint and Tweed, fan out over much of western Leicestershire from Charnwood Forest and Coalville in the north-east to Hinckley and almost to Watling Street in the south and south-west. Its watershed almost coincides with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough of Leicestershire, which was formed in 1974 by amalgamation of Market Bosworth Rural District and Hinckley Urban District. It flows into the Anker, which in turn flows into the River Tame. It is part of the wider River Trent catchment, which covers much of central England. In 1881, Sebastian Evans wrote that the usual names for this river were Shenton Brook and Sibson Brook.

North West Leicestershire District Council elections are held every four years. North West Leicestershire District Council is the local authority for the non-metropolitan district of North West Leicestershire in Leicestershire, England. Since the last boundary changes in 2015, 38 councillors are elected from 38 wards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coleorton</span> Human settlement in England

Coleorton is a village and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England. It is situated on the A512 road approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Ashby de la Zouch. Nearby villages include Newbold, to the north, Thringstone to the east, and Swannington to the south-east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugglescote</span> Human settlement in England

Hugglescote is a village on the River Sence in North West Leicestershire, England. The village is about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the centre of Coalville, and its built-up area is now contiguous with the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donington le Heath</span> Human settlement in England

Donington le Heath is a village on the River Sence just over 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the centre of Coalville in North West Leicestershire. Donington is contiguous with the village of Hugglescote immediately to the east. The population of the village is included in the civil parish of Hugglescote and Donington le Heath.

Hugglescote and Donington le Heath is a civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England. It includes the villages of Hugglescote and Donington le Heath, each of which is about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the centre of Coalville. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 4,446.

References

  1. 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – North West Leicestershire Local Authority (E07000134)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics . Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 22 August 2022
  3. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 22 August 2022
  4. ↑ "Council minutes, 23 May 2023". North West Leicestershire District Council. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  5. ↑ "In Touch" (PDF). North West Leicestershire District Council. October 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  7. 1 2 "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  8. ↑ Hill, Graham (23 May 2023). "Conservative alliance sees Blunt re-elected as council leader - as Labour's Sheahan highlights 'fragile' arrangement". Coalville Nub News. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  9. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  10. ↑ "Council minutes". North West Leicestershire District Council. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  11. ↑ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  12. ↑ "Your councillors by political grouping". North West Leicestershire District Council. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  13. ↑ "The North West Leicestershire (Electoral Changes) Order 2014", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2014/3060, retrieved 2 November 2023
  14. ↑ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  15. ↑ Coalville Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan (PDF). Coalville: North West Leicestershire District Council. May 2014. p. 15. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  16. ↑ "Stenson House renovation completes council's £4.3 million office redevelopment project in Coalville". Coalville Nub News. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  17. ↑ Vision of Britain through time
  18. ↑ mid year estimate
  19. ↑ ONS population projections 2014 base / projections uplifted by '21-1,700/'31-1,600 given underestimation at 2016 - 1,700/
  20. ↑ The Wire (16 March 2013). "Historic Donington Hall to serve as Norton Motorcycles New World Headquarters and Manufacturing Facilities". Cycle World . Bonnier Corp. Retrieved 17 April 2013. Where else in the world can one tour an 18th century Gothic Revival mansion, view a Norton Motorcycle being built, watch a World Superbike race and attend an Iron Maiden concert all in the same place?
  21. ↑ "Contact us Archived 2008-11-02 at the Wayback Machine ." BMI. Accessed September 23, 2008.
  22. ↑ "the eighties Archived 2012-06-10 at the Wayback Machine ." British Midland International. Retrieved on 28 December 2011.
  23. ↑ "Company Information Archived 2012-07-14 at the Wayback Machine ." bmibaby. Retrieved on 31 December 2011. "Registered office - Donington Hall Castle Donington Derby East Midlands DE74 2SB UK"
  24. ↑ "World Airline Directory." Flight International . 24–30 March 1993. "91.
  25. ↑ "World Airline Directory." Flight International . 29 March 1986. 114.
  26. ↑ "Leicestershire opencast coal mine gains approval" BBC News
  27. ↑ "Parish Councils in North West Leicestershire". North West Leicestershire District Council. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  28. ↑ "Parish Map of North West Leicestershire". Leicestershire County Council . Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  29. ↑ "East Midlands Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 8 March 2021.

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