Worcester City Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
David Blake since March 2017 [1] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 35 councillors |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | 4 years |
| Elections | |
Last election | 2 May 2024 |
Next election | 4 May 2028 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| The Guildhall, High Street, Worcester, WR1 2EY | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Worcester City Council is the local authority for Worcester, a non-metropolitan district with city status in Worcestershire, England. The council consists of 35 councillors, elected from 15 wards.
Worcester was an ancient borough which had held city status from time immemorial. The city became a municipal borough in 1836, governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and citizens of the city of Worcester", but generally known as the corporation or city council. [2] When elected county councils were established in 1889, Worcester was considered large enough to run its own county-level services and so it became a county borough, independent from the surrounding Worcestershire County Council. [3]
In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, the city had its territory enlarged, gaining the parishes of Warndon and St Peter the Great County and it became a non-metropolitan district, with Hereford and Worcester County Council providing county-level services. [4] Worcester retained its borough status, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor, whilst its city status was re-conferred on the enlarged district, allowing the council to take the name Worcester City Council. [5] [6] Hereford and Worcester was abolished in 1998, since when a re-established Worcestershire County Council has been the upper-tier authority for Worcester. [7]
The council has been under no overall control since 2022. Following the 2024 election, Labour had most seats and formed a minority administration. [8]
Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows: [9] [10] [11]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| No overall control | 1974–1976 | |
| Conservative | 1976–1980 | |
| Labour | 1980–1983 | |
| No overall control | 1983–1986 | |
| Labour | 1986–2000 | |
| No overall control | 2000–2003 | |
| Conservative | 2003–2007 | |
| No overall control | 2007–2011 | |
| Conservative | 2011–2012 | |
| No overall control | 2012–2015 | |
| Conservative | 2015–2016 | |
| No overall control | 2016–2021 | |
| Conservative | 2021–2022 | |
| No overall control | 2022–present | |
The role of Mayor of Worcester is largely ceremonial, with political leadership instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2002 have been: [12]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Inman [13] | Conservative | 2002 | May 2006 | ||
| Simon Geraghty | Conservative | May 2006 | 14 May 2013 | ||
| Adrian Gregson | Labour | 14 May 2013 | 3 Jun 2014 | ||
| Simon Geraghty [14] | Conservative | 3 Jun 2014 | 5 Feb 2016 | ||
| Marc Bayliss | Conservative | 23 Feb 2016 | 17 May 2016 | ||
| Adrian Gregson | Labour | 17 May 2016 | 27 Mar 2018 | ||
| Marc Bayliss | Conservative | 27 Mar 2018 | 29 Nov 2022 | [lower-alpha 1] | |
| Chris Mitchell | Conservative | 29 Nov 2022 | 7 May 2023 | ||
| Lynn Denham | Labour | 16 May 2023 | 14 May 2024 | Joint leaders | |
| Marjory Bisset | Green | ||||
| Lynn Denham | Labour | 14 May 2024 | |||
Following the 2024 election the composition of the council was as follows: [16]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 17 | |
| Green | 12 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 5 | |
| Conservative | 1 | |
| Total | 35 | |
The next election is due in 2028.
Since the last boundary changes in 2024 the council has comprised 35 councillors representing 16 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. [17]
The city council is based at Worcester Guildhall on the High Street in the city centre. [18] The current guildhall was built in 1723 on a site which had been occupied by a guildhall since about 1227. [19]
Welwyn Hatfield is a local government district with borough status in the county of Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Welwyn Garden City. The borough borders Hertsmere, St Albans, North Hertfordshire, East Hertfordshire, Broxbourne, and the London Borough of Enfield.
The Borough of Stafford is a local government district with borough status in Staffordshire, England. It is named after Stafford, its largest town, which is where the council is based. The borough also includes the towns of Stone and Eccleshall, as well as numerous villages and surrounding rural areas.
Malvern Hills is a local government district in Worcestershire, England. Its council is based in Malvern, the district's largest town. The district also includes the towns of Tenbury Wells and Upton-upon-Severn and a large rural area covering much of the western side of the county, including numerous villages. The district is named after the Malvern Hills, which are a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council is the local authority for Dudley metropolitan borough. It is more commonly known as Dudley Council or Dudley MBC.
Newcastle City Council is the local authority for Newcastle upon Tyne, a metropolitan borough with city status in the ceremonial county of Tyne and Wear in North East England. The council consists of 78 councillors, three for each of the 26 wards in the city. It has been under Labour majority control since 2011. The council is a constituent member of the North East Mayoral Combined Authority.
Nottingham City Council is the local authority for Nottingham, a unitary authority with city status. Nottingham is in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England, but as a unitary authority the city council is administratively independent from the surrounding Nottinghamshire County Council. The city council consists of 55 councillors, representing a total of 20 wards, elected every four years. The council is led by David Mellen, of the majority Labour Party. The council is a constituent member of the East Midlands Combined County Authority.
Redditch Borough Council elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council elected each time. Redditch Borough Council is the local authority for the non-metropolitan district of Redditch in Worcestershire, England. Since the last boundary changes in 2024, 27 councillors are elected from 9 wards.
Bromsgrove District Council elections are held every four years. Bromsgrove District Council is the local authority for the non-metropolitan district of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, England. Since the last boundary changes in 2015, 31 councillors are elected from 30 wards.
Wyre Forest is a local government district in Worcestershire, England. It is named after the ancient woodland of Wyre Forest. The largest town is Kidderminster, where the council is based. The district also includes the towns of Stourport-on-Severn and Bewdley, along with several villages and surrounding rural areas.
Herefordshire Council is the local authority for the county of Herefordshire in England. It is a unitary authority, combining the powers of a district and county council.
Cambridge City Council is the local authority for the city of Cambridge, a non-metropolitan district with city status in Cambridgeshire, England.
Wrexham County Borough Council is the governing body for Wrexham County Borough, a principal area with city status in north Wales, covering Wrexham and the surrounding area.
Exeter City Council is the local authority for Exeter, a non-metropolitan district with city status in Devon, England.
Worcestershire County Council is the county council for the non-metropolitan county of Worcestershire in England. Its headquarters are at County Hall in Worcester, the county town. The council consists of 57 councillors and is currently controlled by the Conservative Party.
Cheshire East Council is the local authority for Cheshire East, a local government district with borough status in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The council is a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council. It has been under no overall control since 2019, being run by a coalition of Labour, local parties and independent councillors, led by Labour councillor Sam Corcoran. The council's main offices are in Sandbach, but there are plans to move them to Crewe.
Malvern Hills District Council elections are held every four years. Malvern Hills District Council is the local authority for the non-metropolitan district of Malvern Hills in Worcestershire, England. Since the last boundary changes in 2023, 31 councillors have been elected from 18 wards.
Norwich City Council is the local authority for Norwich, a non-metropolitan district with city status in Norfolk, England. It consists of 39 councillors, elected to represent 13 wards, each with three councillors. It forms the lower tier of local government in Norwich, responsible for local services such as housing, planning, leisure and tourism.
Plymouth City Council is the local authority for Plymouth, a unitary authority with city status in the ceremonial county of Devon, England.
Redditch Borough Council is the local authority for Redditch, a non-metropolitan district with borough status in Worcestershire, England.
The City of Lincoln Council is the local authority for the district of Lincoln, in the county of Lincolnshire, England. The council consists of 33 councillors, three for each of the 11 wards in the city. It is currently controlled by the Labour Party, led by Naomi Tweddle. The administrative headquarters is at Lincoln City Hall although council meetings are held at the guildhall.