Leicester City Council

Leicester City Council
Coat of arms or logo
Coat of arms
Logo
Council logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Teresa Aldred,
Labour
since 15 May 2025[1]
Peter Soulsby,
Labour
since 9 May 2011
Alison Greenhill
since 1 March 2021[2]
Structure
Seats1 executive mayor
54 councillors[3][4]
Graph of the party split among 54 seats.
Political groups
Administration (30)
  Labour (30)
Other parties (23)
  Conservative (15)
  Green (4)
  Liberal Democrat (3)
  One Leicester (1)
  Independent (1)
Length of term
Executive mayor elected every four years
Whole council elected every four years
Elections
Plurality-at-large[a] (councilllors)
Supplementary vote (Mayor)[5]
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
Council to be abolished
Meeting place
Town Hall, Town Hall Square, Leicester, LE1 9BG
Website
leicester.gov.uk

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.

The current Leicester City Council was created in 1974 as a lower-tier district council, and has been a unitary authority, since 1997 being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council; it is independent from Leicestershire County Council.

The council consists of 54 councillors, overseen by a directly elected mayor. The council also appoints a ceremonial Lord Mayor who chairs council meetings; the directly elected mayor is termed the City Mayor to distinguish the post from the Lord Mayor. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2007, and the City Mayor has been Sir Peter Soulsby since 2011. The council meets at Leicester Town Hall and has its main offices at City Hall on Charles Street.

The current Leicester City Council is planned to be abolished on 1 April 2028 and replaced by a new Leicester Council, under expanded boundaries.

History

The council traces its roots to the Corporation of Leicester, and before then to the Merchant Gild and the Portmanmoot. The Portmanmoot consisted of 24 Jurats, elected from the burgesses (members of the Gild Merchant, or freemen), along with two bailiffs, and a clerk. It appears to have existed before the Norman Conquest in 1066. In 1209, the lead member of the Portmanmoot, the Alderman, became known as a mayor. The Gild Merchant and the Moot overlapped in membership and had probably become effectively merged in the 14th century. Membership of the Twenty-Four appears to have been by co-option, chosen by themselves.

Traditionally, the general populace attended some meetings of the Moot and Guild, but this was restricted to burgesses in 1467. Later, in 1489, this changed to a system where the Mayor and the Twenty-Four chose Forty-Eight burgesses to represent the others, and the Twenty-Four and the Forty-Eight would govern jointly.

After doubts as to the ability of the Moot and Gild to hold property arose in the 16th century, the corporation was formed, replacing the Gild and Portmanmoot, in 1589. A second charter was granted in 1599, reconfirming this, to The Mayor, Bailiffs and Burgesses of the Borough of Leicester. The 24 Jurats became known as the Aldermen of the corporation, and the 48 other Burgesses as the Common Council. The members of the Corporation chose the burgesses to send to the House of Commons.

Leicester was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which standardised how most boroughs across the country were governed. The borough was then led by a corporate body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Leicester", which was generally known as the corporation or town council.[6] The previous system of co-option for members of the council was replaced with elections by rate-payers. This led to a prolonged spell of Liberal control of the council. When elected county councils were established in 1889, Leicester was considered large enough for its existing corporation to provide county-level services, and so it was made a county borough, independent from Leicestershire County Council.[7]

In 1919 Leicester was awarded city status, after which the corporation was formally called the "mayor, aldermen and citizens of the city of Leicester", also known as the city council. In 1928 the council was given the right to appoint a Lord Mayor.[8]

The city boundaries were enlarged on a number of occasions as the urban area grew, notably in 1935 and 1966.[9]

Leicester City Council (1974–2028)

The corporation was replaced in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, with the modern Leicester City Council, a non-metropolitan district council. This was a lower tier district-level authority, with county-level services being provided to the city by Leicestershire County Council for the first time. Leicester kept the same boundaries (which had last been adjusted in 1969) at the time of the 1974 reforms.[10]

In 1997, Leicester City Council regained responsibility for county-level services from Leicestershire 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 Leicester 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 Leicester was a county borough prior to 1974.[11]

In 2011, the position of directly elected mayor was created, without a referendum, to provide political leadership for the council. The directly elected mayor is called the City Mayor to distinguish the post from the continuing position of Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor acts as a ceremonial figurehead for the city and chairs council meetings, with the position usually being held by a different councillor each year.

Governance

As a unitary authority, Leicester City Council provides both county-level and district-level services. Some services are provided via joint committees with other councils, notably the Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service and Leicestershire Constabulary, which are run by joint boards of the city council with Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council. There are no civil parishes in the city.[12]

Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since 2007.

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms took effect has been as follows:[13][14]

Non-metropolitan district

Party in controlYears
Labour1974–1976
Conservative1976–1979
Labour1979–1997

Unitary authority

Party in controlYears
Labour1997–2003
No overall control2003–2007
Labour2007–present

Leadership

Political leadership is provided by the directly elected Mayor of Leicester. The separate post of Lord Mayor is the council's ceremonial figurehead and chairs full council meetings. Prior to 2011 political leadership was provided by the leader of the council. The leaders from 1974 to 2011 were:

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Jim Marshall[15][16]Labour1 Apr 1974Oct 1974
Ken Middleton[16][17]LabourOct 1974May 1976
Michael Cufflin[18][19]ConservativeMay 1976May 1979
Ken Middleton[20][21]LabourMay 1979Nov 1981
Peter Soulsby[22]Labour1981Apr 1994
Stewart Foster[23][24]LabourApr 199429 Nov 1995
Peter Soulsby[25][26]LabourDec 19951999
Ross Willmott[27]Labour1999May 2003
Roger Blackmore[28][29]Liberal Democrats22 May 200325 Nov 2004
Ross Willmott[30][31]Labour25 Nov 200419 May 2005
Roger Blackmore[32]Liberal Democrats19 May 2005May 2007
Ross Willmott[33][34]Labour17 May 200725 Mar 2010
Veejay Patel[34]Labour25 Mar 2010May 2011

Since 2011, the directly elected mayor has been:

MayorPartyFromTo
Peter SoulsbyLabour9 May 2011

Composition

Following the 2023 election,[35] subsequent changes of allegiance up to May 2025, and a 2026 by-election, the composition of the council, excluding the City Mayor's seat, was:[36]

PartyCouncillors
Labour30
Conservative15
Green4
Liberal Democrats3
One Leicester1
Independent1
Total54

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the council has comprised 54 councillors representing 21 wards with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years, with the election for the mayor and council being held together.[37]

The wards are:[38]

WardCouncillorsNotes
Abbey3from Abbey Park up to Stocking Farm and Mowmacre Hill
Aylestone2Aylestone Village, Gilmorton estate, part of Aylestone Park, Aylestone Meadows, one side of Saffron Lane from the Porkpie roundabout to Knighton Lane and Aylestone Road/Lutterworth Road from Grace Road to the county border at Glen Parva.
Beaumont Leys3
Belgrave3most of the Belgrave area
Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields3including most of Braunstone
Castle3city centre, Southfields, Clarendon Park
Evington3
Eyres Monsell2
Fosse2
Humberstone & Hamilton3including Nether Hall
Knighton3
North Evington3
Rushey Mead3Includes parts of the Belgrave area including Agar Street.
Saffron2
Spinney Hills2including parts of Highfields
Stoneygate3also including parts of Highfields
Thurncourt2The Thurnby Lodge estate
Troon2The Northfields estate, parts of the former Charnwood ward and a small part of the Rushey Mead area
Westcotes2
Western3The New Parks estate
Wycliffe2St Matthew's estate and part of Highfields

A new set of wards and ward boundaries came into effect for the 7 May 2015 council elections. Wards that previously existed and were abolished are Charnwood, Coleman, Freeman, Latimer, New Parks and Western Park.

The previous ward boundaries were adopted for the 2003 local elections.[39] Prior to this, there had been 28 wards, each electing 2 members. Wards that had existed and been abolished were Crown Hills, East Knighton, Mowmacre, North Braunstone, Rowley Fields, Saffron, St Augustine's, West Humberstone, West Knighton and Wycliffe.

Leicester Council (from 2028)

Leicester Council
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 2028
Preceded byLeicester City Council
Structure
Length of term
4 years
Elections
First past the post
First election
6 May 2027

Leicester Council is a planned unitary authority for Leicester, under expanded boundaries and replacing the existing Leicester City Council as well as Oadby and Wigston Borough Council and parts of Blaby District Council, Charnwood Borough Council, and Harborough District Council. It is planned to have a leader and cabinet model of government, in contrast to Leicester's existing model of having an elected Mayor of Leicester. It will have 91 councillors.[40]

The 2027 Leicester Council election is set to take place on 6 May 2027, with the authority initially functioning as a shadow council taking over local government responsibilities on 1 April 2028.[40]

Background

As part of the Starmer ministry local government reform, a goal of "simpler local government structures" was set out by the government, including a commitment to phase out two-tier local government structures.[41][42]

On 16 July 2026, the government announced its decision for new authorities to replace the existing councils in Leicestershire.

Premises

Council's main offices: City Hall, 115 Charles Street, Leicester, LE1 1FZ

The council has its main offices at City Hall on Charles Street, which was built in 1938, previously being called Municipal Buildings and Attenborough House until it was renamed City Hall in 2014.[43]

Council meetings are held at Leicester Town Hall on Town Hall Square, which was completed in 1876.[44]

Between 1975 and 2014 the council had its main offices at the New Walk Centre, which has since been demolished.

New Walk Centre, former council offices that were demolished in 2015

Coat of arms

Coat of arms of Leicester City Council
Notes
Arms and crest granted in 1619, supporters in 1926.[45]
Crest
On a wreath of the colours a wyvern sans legs Argent strewed with wounds Gules wings expanded Ermine.
Escutcheon
Gules a cinquefoil pierced Ermine.
Supporters
On either side a lion reguardant Gules gorged with a ducal coronet suspended therefrom by a chain Or a cinquefoil Ermine pierced Gules.
Motto
Semper Eadem ('Always The Same')

References

  1. ↑ Richardson, Hannah (22 May 2025). "New lord mayor confirmed for Leicester". Leicester Gazette. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  2. ↑ "Leicester City Council announces new chief operating officer". Leicester City Council. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "Open Council Data UK – compositions councillors parties wards elections".
  4. ↑ "Councillors". leicester.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "EA Bulletin: 441 England". www.electoralcommission.org.uk.
  6. ↑ Municipal Corporations Act 1835
  7. ↑ Local Government Act 1888
  8. ↑ "No. 33405". The London Gazette. 20 June 1928. p. 4898.
  9. ↑ "Leicester Municipal Borough / County Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 14 June 2025
  11. ↑ "The Leicestershire (City of Leicester and District of Rutland) (Structural Change) Order 1996", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1996/507, retrieved 6 November 2023
  12. ↑ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  13. ↑ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Leicester" in search box to see specific results.)
  14. ↑ "Leicester". BBC News. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  15. ↑ "City Labour group pick their leader". Leicester Mercury. 9 June 1973. p. 31. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  16. 1 2 "MP continues as member of council". Leicester Mercury. 30 October 1974. p. 21. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  17. ↑ "Leader declares war on Tories". Leicester Mercury. 11 May 1976. p. 31. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  18. ↑ "Veterans come back as Tories pick their committee leaders". Leicester Mercury. 8 May 1976. p. 11. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  19. ↑ "City elections leave Labour with 31 seats". Leicester Mercury. 5 May 1979. p. 10. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  20. ↑ Vann, Colin (22 May 1979). "City Council will resist pressure to sell houses". Leicester Mercury. p. 11. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  21. ↑ "Political era ends". Leicester Mercury. 12 March 1982. p. 11. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  22. ↑ Murphy, Brendan (28 April 1994). "Highs and lows of life in council hot seat". Leicester Mercury. pp. 26–27. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  23. ↑ "New leader's 'bread and butter' pledge". Leicester Mercury. 28 April 1994. p. 27. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  24. ↑ Wright, Kay (29 November 1995). "'I Quit'". Leicester Mercury. p. 1. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  25. ↑ Wright, Kay (13 December 1995). "Soulsby is back as city council leader". Leicester Mercury. p. 3. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  26. ↑ Walmsley, Helen (7 January 1999). "Roll of honour". Oadby & Wigston Mail. p. 36. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  27. ↑ "Inquiry set to delay stadium opening". Ashby Mail. 1 July 1999. p. 17. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  28. ↑ "Council minutes, 22 May 2003" (PDF). Leicester City Council. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  29. ↑ "Labour snatches council control". BBC News. 26 November 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  30. ↑ "Council minutes, 25 November 2004" (PDF). Leicester City Council. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  31. ↑ "Alliance returns to city chamber". BBC News. 20 May 2005. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  32. ↑ "Council minutes, 19 May 2005". Leicester City Council. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  33. ↑ "Council minutes, 17 May 2007". Leicester City Council. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  34. 1 2 "Council minutes, 25 March 2010". Leicester City Council. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  35. ↑ "Local elections 2023: full council results for England". The Guardian. London. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  36. ↑ "Leicester". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  37. ↑ "The Leicester (Electoral Changes) Order 2014", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2014/3339, retrieved 6 November 2023
  38. ↑ Local Government Boundary Commission for England. "Leicester (Electoral Changes) Order 2014". lgbce.org.uk. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  39. ↑ Local Government Boundary Commission for England. "Electoral review of Leicester 2002". lgbce.org.uk. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  40. 1 2 Andrews, Beatrice (20 July 2026). "Dear Chief Executives," (PDF).
  41. ↑ "Local government reorganisation: Policy and programme updates". GOV.UK. 11 July 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  42. ↑ "Summary of the local government reorganisation process". GOV.UK. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  43. ↑ "Local Heritage Asset Register" (PDF). Leicester City Council. 2023. p. 129. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  44. ↑ Historic England. "Town Hall (Grade II*) (1074780)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  45. ↑ "East Midlands Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 5 March 2021.

Notes

  1. ↑ First-past-the-post for by-elections

52°37′53″N 1°08′00″W / 52.6313°N 1.1334°W / 52.6313; -1.1334

This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.