Southampton City Council

Last updated

Southampton City Council
Southampton City Council.svg
Council logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Dave Shields,
Labour
since 15 May 2024 [1]
Lorna Fielker,
Labour
since 3 January 2024 [2]
Chief Executive (interim)
Andrew Travers
since 29 January 2024 [3]
Structure
Seats51 councillors
Southampton City Council 2024.svg
Political groups
Administration
  Labour (36)
Other parties
  Conservative (10)
  Liberal Democrats (4)
  Green (1)
Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
 2 May 2024
Next election
7 May 2026
Meeting place
Southampton-CivicCentre-South.jpg
Civic Centre, Civic Centre Road, Southampton, SO14 7LY
Website
www.southampton.gov.uk OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Southampton City Council is the local authority of the city of Southampton in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, England. Southampton has had a council since 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 Hampshire County Council.

Contents

The council has been under Labour majority control since 2022. It is based at Southampton Civic Centre.

History

The City of Southampton shown within Hampshire Southampton UK locator map.svg
The City of Southampton shown within Hampshire

Southampton was an ancient borough, with the earliest known borough charter dating from 1154. [4] Southampton City Council has records in its archives of council meetings as early as 1199. [5] The borough was led by a mayor from the 13th century. [6] In 1447 the borough was given the right to appoint its own sheriff which made it a county corporate, removing it from the jurisdiction of the Sheriff of Hampshire. [7]

In 1836, Southampton was reformed to become a municipal borough under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which standardised how most boroughs operated across the country. It was then governed by a body formally called the 'mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Southampton', generally known as the corporation, town council or borough council. [8]

When elected county councils were established in 1889, Southampton was considered large enough for the existing borough council to also run county-level services, and so it was made a county borough, independent from the new Hampshire County Council. The borough boundaries were enlarged on several occasions. [9] [10] [11]

The borough was granted city status on 11 February 1964, after which the corporation was also known as Southampton City Council. [4]

Southampton was reconstituted as a non-metropolitan district in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It kept the same boundaries (which had last been enlarged in 1967), but the council became a lower-tier district council, with Hampshire County Council providing services to the city for the first time. [12]

In 1997, Southampton City Council regained responsibility for county-level services from Hampshire County Council as part of the 1990s UK local government reforms. The way this change was implemented was to create a new non-metropolitan county of Southampton covering the same area as the existing district, but with no separate county council; instead the existing city council took on county functions, making it a unitary authority. This therefore had the effect of restoring the city council to the powers it had held when Southampton was a county borough prior to 1974. [13] [14] Southampton remains part of the ceremonial county of Hampshire for the purposes of lieutenancy. [15]

In 2022 the city's mayor was granted the additional honorific title of lord mayor following the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours competition. [16] The city council also continues to appoint a sheriff, although the role has lost its judicial functions. It is now a ceremonial position, serving as deputy to the lord mayor. [17] Southampton is one of only fifteen towns and cities across England and Wales which retain the right to appoint their own sheriff. [18]

Powers and functions

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the Local Government Act 1972 and subsequent legislation. For the purposes of local government, Southampton is within a non-metropolitan area of England. As a unitary authority, Southampton City Council has the powers and functions of both a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. In its capacity as a district council it is a billing authority collecting Council Tax and business rates, it processes local planning applications, it is responsible for housing, waste collection and environmental health. In its capacity as a county council it is a local education authority, responsible for social services, libraries and waste disposal.

In August 2018 the council launched its own not-for-profit energy company 'CitizEn', created with the ambition to offer competitive rates for energy to tackle fuel poverty in the city. [19] [20] [21] The company was set up in cooperation with Nottingham City Council’s company Robin Hood Energy. [19] The council is currently in talks with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council for them to become a partner in the scheme. [22]

Local Authority Trading Company

In response to the 2008 financial crash and the Great Recession the then city council, under the administration of the Conservative Party, began a process of privatisation of council services. [23] From 2017 the Labour administration had begun a process taking municipal control of services that were privatised, so that all profits are reinvested into council services. [24] These services were set up and the Southampton "Local Authority Trading Company" (LATCo) was created. [25] Potential areas for the LATCo to cover include: street parking; public transport; adult and children’s transport; fleet services; housing management and operations; street cleansing; waste management; parks and open spaces; and facilities management. [26]

In 2018 the council began the process of incorporating services which Capita had provided for the council for 11 years, including "customer services, HR pay, revenues and benefits, procurement, health and safety, print, post room and IT services". This also includes the incorporation of 300 jobs under the council's LATCo. [27] [28]

Joint Committees

Southampton had sent a representative to the South East England Regional Assembly during its existence between 1998 and 2010. Created by the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 and based in Guildford, the voluntary assembly met six times a year and was responsible for the South East England Development Agency, a project which oversaw investment projects in the south east region. [29] The council remains a member of the South East England Councils.

Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is chaired by several businesses, universities and councils including Southampton City Council and primarily focuses on economic growth in the Hampshire region. [30] The Solent LEP's Growth Hub is based in Southampton. [31] There was an ambition to create a combined authority for the South Hampshire area, including Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight which would include the potential for a combined authority mayor. [32] This program was controversial, [33] and was finally blocked by Hampshire County Council in 2017. [34] There continues to be interest in partnership between Southampton City Council, Eastleigh Borough Council and neighbouring components of other Hampshire districts (New Forest District Council and Test Valley Borough Council). [35] [36]

Southampton City Council is also a founding member of the 'Key Cities' group. It is a lobbying group of 24 other cities across Great Britain, formed in 2013, that lobbies the government for greater devolution and funding [37] [38] [39]

Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since 2022.

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows: [40] [41]

Lower-tier non-metropolitan district

Party in controlYears
Labour 1974–1976
Conservative 1976–1984
Labour 1984–1987
No overall control 1987–1988
Labour 1988–1997

Unitary authority

Party in controlYears
Labour 1997–2000
No overall control 2000–2008
Conservative 2008–2012
Labour 2012–2021
Conservative 2021–2022
Labour 2022–present

Leadership

The role of Lord Mayor is largely ceremonial in Southampton, with a different councillor usually being appointed to the role each year. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1996 have been: [42]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
John Arnold Labour 19961999
June Bridle Labour 199921 May 2003
Adrian Vinson Liberal Democrats 21 May 200316 May 2007
Alec Samuels [43] [44] Conservative 16 May 200720 Feb 2008
June Bridle Labour 20 Feb 20084 May 2008
Alec Samuels [45] Conservative 14 May 200814 Jul 2010
Royston Smith Conservative 14 Jul 201016 May 2012
Richard Williams Labour 16 May 201225 Apr 2013
Jacqui Rayment Labour 25 Apr 201315 May 2013
Simon Letts Labour 15 May 20136 May 2018
Christopher Hammond Labour 16 May 201819 May 2021
Daniel Fitzhenry Conservative 19 May 202118 May 2022
Satvir Kaur [46] Labour 18 May 202220 Dec 2023
Lorna Fielker [47] Labour 3 Jan 2024

Composition

Following the 2024 election the composition of the council was: [48]

PartyCouncillors
Labour 36
Conservative 10
Liberal Democrats 4
Green 1
Total51

The next election is due in May 2026.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2023, the council comprises 51 councillors representing 17 wards, with three councillors being elected for each ward. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office. The wards are: [49]

Premises

The council is based at the Civic Centre, which was purpose-built for the council in phases between 1928 and 1939. [50]

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References

  1. ↑ Lewis, Jason (17 May 2024). "Who is the new Lord Mayor of Southampton for 2024/2025?". Daily Echo. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  2. ↑ "Council minutes, 3 January 2024". Southampton City Council. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  3. ↑ Edgley, Timothy (20 January 2024). "Andrew Travers appointed Southampton City Council interim CEO". Daily Echo. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  4. 1 2 "The Mayor of Southampton, Alderman R. Pugh, reading the letter containing the news of city status for Southampton". Illustrated London News. 22 February 1964. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  5. ↑ "Local authority records". Southampton City Council. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  6. ↑ "List of Southampton Mayors 1217 to date" (PDF). Southampton City Council. Southampton Archives Service. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  7. ↑ Reports of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Appendix 2. 1835. p. 872. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  8. ↑ Municipal Corporations Act. 1835. p. 458. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  9. ↑ "Southampton Municipal Borough / County Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  10. ↑ Mark Housby. "Highways - a history". Hampshire County Council . Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  11. ↑ "Borough". Encyclopædia Britannica . Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  12. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 20 July 2024
  13. ↑ "The Hampshire (Cities of Portsmouth and Southampton)(Structural Change) Order 1995", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1995/1775, retrieved 24 May 2023
  14. ↑ Kieran Hyland (17 November 2016). "Your Guide to Southampton City Council". Wessex Scene . Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  15. ↑ "Lieutenancies Act 1997: Schedule 1", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1997 c. 23 (sch.1), retrieved 29 May 2024
  16. ↑ O'Connor, Mary (20 May 2022). "Eight towns to be made cities for Platinum Jubilee". BBC News. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  17. ↑ "Southampton welcomes new Lord Mayor in annual Mayor Making ceremony". Southampton City Council. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  18. ↑ "National Association of City and Town Sheriffs of England and Wales" . Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  19. 1 2 "Southampton City Council launches own gas and electricity company today". Southern Daily Echo . 28 June 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  20. ↑ Orde, Tom (23 December 2019). "Energy firm helps keep Southampton residents warm and cosy this winter". Daily Echo. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  21. ↑ Wray, Sarah (14 January 2020). "London Mayor launches green energy company, profits to go into community projects". Smart Cities World. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  22. ↑ Josh Wright (5 November 2018). "Bournemouth could join Southampton's CitizEn Energy scheme". Bournemouth Echo . Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  23. ↑ Anna Bawden (25 June 2013). "Local government: a new era of co-operation". The Guardian . Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  24. ↑ Herpreet Kaur Grewal (30 August 2017). "Southampton CC Poised to Create New Trading Arm". FM World. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  25. ↑ "Southampton moves ahead with waste trading arm". Lets Recycle. 18 September 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  26. ↑ "Southampton sets up trading company". Transport Xtra. 18 August 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  27. ↑ "Southampton staff affected as council ends Capita deal". BBC. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  28. ↑ William Rimell (25 July 2018). "Southampton City Council opts to take raft of services in-house as it announces split from service provider Capita". Southern Daily Echo . Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  29. ↑ "South East England Regional Assembly website". Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  30. ↑ Emma Streatfield (7 October 2015). "Solent Local Enterprise Partnership has put in a bid to create a new enterprise zone near Southampton Airport that could create 6,000 jobs". Southern Daily Echo . Newsquest . Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  31. ↑ Ryan Platt (21 August 2017). "#19 Starting a business in Southampton". Startups. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  32. ↑ "New Solent authority 'secures £900m' from government". BBC News . 1 July 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  33. ↑ Duncan Geddes (16 November 2014). "Winchester could be split over plans to form a devolved super authority for south Hampshire". Hampshire Chronicle . Newsquest . Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  34. ↑ "Solent Combined Authority bid 'almost certainly dead'". BBC News . 26 January 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  35. ↑ Mitchell, Jonathan (19 November 2019). "Do the cities of South Hampshire deserve their own metro mayors? | CityMetric". City Metric. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
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  37. ↑ Peter Box (27 June 2018). "Britain is full of powerful mid-sized cities. Let's unlock their potential". The Guardian . Retrieved 4 January 2019.
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  39. ↑ Imran Khan (29 November 2018). "UK's productivity puzzle: What can we learn from the UK's mid-sized cities?". Open Access Government. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  40. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  41. ↑ "Southamoton". BBC News Online . 19 April 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  42. ↑ "Council minutes". Southampton City Council. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  43. ↑ "'Shock move' gives Tories power". BBC News Online . 17 May 2007. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  44. ↑ "Tories lose city council control". BBC News. 21 February 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  45. ↑ "Tories seize power in Southampton". BBC News. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  46. ↑ George, Maya (20 December 2023). "Southampton City Council leader Satvir Kaur resigns". Daily Echo. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  47. ↑ George, Maya (12 January 2024). "Who is Lorna Fielker? The new council leader for Southampton". Daily Echo.
  48. ↑ "Local elections 2024: full mayoral and council results for England". The Guardian. 4 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  49. ↑ "The Southampton (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2023/204, retrieved 26 May 2023
  50. ↑ Historic England. "Southampton Civic Centre (Grade II*) (1092036)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 20 July 2024.
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