Leicester City Council
Encyclopedia
Leicester City Council is a unitary authority
responsible for local government
in the city of Leicester
, England
. It consists of 54 councillors, representing 22 wards in the city, overseen by a directly elected mayor. It is currently controlled by the Labour Party
and has been led by Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby since his election on 6 May 2011. The main council building is the New Walk Centre, but council meetings are held in the 19th century Town Hall
.
As a unitary authority, the council is responsible for running nearly all local services in Leicester with the exception of the Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service
and Leicestershire Constabulary
which are run by joint boards with Leicestershire County Council
and Rutland County Council
.
s, 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
.
The Corporation, as with most English municipal corporations, continued effectively unreformed until the Municipal Reform Act of 1835, although the freemen in general obtained the right to participate in the election of MPs after the Restoration
. The Municipal Reform Act replaced the existing system of co-option for members of the council with election
s by rate-payers. This led to a prolonged spell of Liberal
control of the council.
Leicester became, in 1889, under the Local Government Act
, a county borough
. The Corporation was replaced in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972
, with the modern Leicester City Council, a non-metropolitan district
council under Leicestershire County Council
. Leicestershire County Council's jurisdiction over the City of Leicester was transferred to the City Council on 1 April 1997, making it a unitary authority, as part of the 1990s UK local government reform
.
of Leicester is mainly a ceremonial post, and is combined with that of chair of the council. The position is elected yearly by members of the council and rotates. Here is a history of Leicester's Lord Mayors:
Hall served as Lord Mayor for 2010-11 but was the only Lord Mayor to resign from the office on 30 April 2011. The then Deputy-Lord Mayor Wann served as Acting Lord Mayor until he himself was elected as Lord Mayor for 2011-12 on 26 May 2011.
system, as follows
The current ward boundaries were adopted for the 2003 local elections. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20022988.htm 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.
from 1979 until the 2003 local elections, where no overall control
was established. Labour regained control in 2007 and consolidated its position in 2011.
In December 2010 the Council voted to introduce a directly elected mayor with effect from May 2011. On 5 May 2011 Sir Peter Soulsby was elected to the post with 55% of the vote on the first ballot. He will serve for a term of four years.
The results at the 2011 Council Elections were:
Veejay Patel was the Leader of the Council until May 2011, having replaced Ross Willmott on 25 March 2010. Councillor Willmott served for three spells as Leader: from May 1999 to May 2003; from November 2004 to May 2005; and from May 2007 to March 2010.
The period of minority administration came about due to the collapse of the Liberal Democrat-Conservative coalition in November 2004 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/4044621.stm, when the council was in a state of no overall control following the 2003 elections. The coalition regrouped in 2005, but was later hit by Liberal Democrat infighting, leading to the creation of the splinter 'Focus Team' group which worked with Labour in opposition. Labour returned to power with a landside victory in 2007 and consolidated its position still further in May 2011. Ross Grant is the only remaining Conservative Councillor. Nigel Porter is the only remaining Liberal Democrat Councillor, having defected to the Liberal Democrats from the Conservatives, several weeks prior to the election.
The next Local Election is due to take place on 7 May 2015., although by-elections take place when a seat becomes vacant due to resignation or death of a councillor. As of May 2011, the Council was composed of 53 Labour Councillors (including the City Mayor, who is eligible to take part and vote in Council meetings), 1 Conservative Councillor, and 1 Liberal Democrat Councillor.
The May 1996 elections were held out of sequence because of the upcoming unitary authority status, which came into effect on 1 April 1997.
Former leaders include
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
responsible for local government
Local government in the United Kingdom
The pattern of local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements. Legislation concerning local government in England is decided by the Parliament and Government of the United Kingdom, because England does not have a devolved...
in the city of Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It consists of 54 councillors, representing 22 wards in the city, overseen by a directly elected mayor. It is currently controlled by the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and has been led by Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby since his election on 6 May 2011. The main council building is the New Walk Centre, but council meetings are held in the 19th century Town Hall
Leicester Town Hall
Leicester Town Hall in the City centre of Leicester, England.Built between 1874 and 1876 in the Queen Anne Style by Francis Hames, it was built on the former cattle market. Before it was built the Guildhall acted as the town hall....
.
As a unitary authority, the council is responsible for running nearly all local services in Leicester with the exception of the Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service
Leicestershire and Rutland Fire and Rescue Service is the fire and rescue service which covers Leicestershire and Rutland including the unitary authority of Leicester.-History:...
and Leicestershire Constabulary
Leicestershire Constabulary
Leicestershire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland in England. Its headquarters are at Enderby, Leicestershire.The current Chief Constable is Simon Cole.-History:...
which are run by joint boards with Leicestershire County Council
Leicestershire County Council
Leicestershire County Council is the county council for the English non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire. It was originally formed in 1889 by the Local Government Act 1888. The county is divided into 52 electoral divisions, which return a total of 55 councillors. The council is controlled by...
and Rutland County Council
Rutland County Council
Rutland County Council is a unitary authority responsible for local government in the historic county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. The current Council was created in April 1997....
.
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 JuratJurat
Jurat is the name given to the clause at the foot of an affidavit showing when, where, and before whom the actual oath was sworn or affirmation was made....
s, 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
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
. 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
Co-option
A co-opting or less frequently co-optation most commonly refers to action performed in a number of fields whereby an opponent is nullified or neutralized by absorption but there are other distinct senses as well....
, 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
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
of the Corporation, and the 48 other Burgesses as the Common Council
Common Council
Common Council may refer to:* The Court of Common Council, an elected body of the City of London Corporation* Buffalo Common Council, the legislative branch of the Buffalo, NY City Government...
. The members of the Corporation chose the burgesses to send to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
.
The Corporation, as with most English municipal corporations, continued effectively unreformed until the Municipal Reform Act of 1835, although the freemen in general obtained the right to participate in the election of MPs after the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
. The Municipal Reform Act replaced the existing system of co-option for members of the council with election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
s by rate-payers. This led to a prolonged spell of Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
control of the council.
Leicester became, in 1889, under the Local Government Act
Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...
, a county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
. The Corporation was replaced in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, with the modern Leicester City Council, a non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
council under Leicestershire County Council
Leicestershire County Council
Leicestershire County Council is the county council for the English non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire. It was originally formed in 1889 by the Local Government Act 1888. The county is divided into 52 electoral divisions, which return a total of 55 councillors. The council is controlled by...
. Leicestershire County Council's jurisdiction over the City of Leicester was transferred to the City Council on 1 April 1997, making it a unitary authority, as part of the 1990s UK local government reform
1990s UK local government reform
The structure of local government in the United Kingdom underwent large changes in the 1990s. The system of two-tier local government introduced in the 1970s by the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Government Act 1973 was abolished in Scotland and Wales on April 1, 1996, and replaced with...
.
Lord Mayor
The position of Lord MayorLord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
of Leicester is mainly a ceremonial post, and is combined with that of chair of the council. The position is elected yearly by members of the council and rotates. Here is a history of Leicester's Lord Mayors:
- James Thomas (1927–1928)
- Harry Hand (1928–1929)
- William Hincks (1929–1930)
- Harry Carver (1930–1931)
- Walter Wilford (1931–1932)
- Arthur Hawkes (1932–1933)
- William Billings (1933–1934)
- Ernest Grimsley (1934–1935)
- Richard Hallam (1935–1936)
- Arthur Swain (1936–1937)
- Frank Acton (1937–1938)
- Thomas Gooding (1938–1939)
- George Parbury (1939–1940)
- William Joseph Cort (1940–1941)
- Elizabeth Rowley Frisby (1941–1942)
- Sydney Taylor (1942–1943)
- Charles Edward Gillot (1943–1944)
- John Minto (1944–1945)
- Charles Edward Worthington, C.B.E. (1945–1946)
- William Henry Smith (1946–1947)
- John Newton Frears (1947–1949)
- John William Wale (1949–1950)
- Alderman Frederick Ernest Oliver (1950–1951)
- Aderman Thomas Rowland Hill (1951–1952)
- Alderman Geoffrey Morris Barnett (1952–1953)
- Alderman Charles Robert Keene (1953–1954)
- Alderman Cecil Herbert Harris (1954–1955)
- Alderman Samuel Cooper (1955–1956)
- Alderman Alfred Harkyard (1956–1957)
- Alderman Frederick John Jackson (1957–1958)
- Alderman Sidney Brown (1958–1959)
- Alderman Bertram Powell (1959–1960)
- Alderman Dorothy Russell (1960–1961)
- Alderman May Goodwin (1961–1962)
- Alderman Harold Heard (1962–1963)
- Alderman Constance Elizabeth Jackson (1963–1964)
- Alderman Archibald Henry William Kimberlin (1964–1965)
- Alderman Sidney William Bridges (1965–1966)
- Alderman Mrs Monica Mary Trotter (1966–1967)
- Alderman Sir Mark Henig (1967–1968)
- Alderman Kenneth William Bowder (1968–1969)
- Alderman Edward Marston (1969–1970)
- Alderman George Baldwin (1970–1971)
- Alderman Percy Watts (1971–1972)
- Alderman Herbert Stanley Tomlinson (1972–1973)
- Councillor Clarence Arnold Wakefield (1973–1974)
- Councillor Mrs Anne Irene Pollard (1974–1975)
- Councillor Mrs Lily Roma Marriott J,P. (1975–1976)
- Councillor Bernard Toft (1976–1977)
- Councillor Albert Turner Baker (1977–1978)
- Councillor Albert Sylveter Watson (1978–1979)
- Councillor William Henry Scotton (1979–1980)
- Councillor Herbert Henry Sowden (1980–1981)
- Councillor Archibald Berridge (1981–1982)
- Councillor William Page (1982–1983)
- Councillor George Billington (1983–1984)
- Councillor Michael Cuffllin (1984–1985)
- Councillor Mrs Janet Setchfield (1985–1986)
- Councillor Sydney St.John Phipps (1986–1987)
- Councillor Gordhan Parmar (1987–1988)
- Councillor Guy Collis (1988–1989)
- Councillor David Anthony Taylor (1989–1990)
- Councillor Peter Kimberlin (1990–1991)
- Councillor Colin Grundy (1991–1992)
- Councillor Robert Wigglesworth (1992–1993)
- Councillor Henry Dunphy (1993–1994)
- Councillor Margaret Bell (1994–1995)
- Councillor Michael Johnson (1995–1996)
- Councillor Culdipp Bhatti (1996–1997)
- Councillor Raymond Flint (1997–1998)
- Councillor John Mugglestone (1998–1999)
- Councillor Phil Swift (1999–2000)
- Councillor Mrs Barbara Chambers (2000–2001)
- Councillor John Allen (2001–2002)
- Councillor Maggie Bodell-Stagg (2002–2003)
- Councillor Ramnik Kavia (2003–2004)
- Councillor Piara Singh Clair (2004–2005)
- Councillor Mary Draycott (2005–2006)
- Councillor Paul Westley (2006–2007)
- Councillor Gary G Hunt (2007–2008)
- Councillor Manjula Sood (2008–2009)
- Councillor Roger BlackmoreRoger BlackmoreRoger Blackmore is a Liberal Democrat politician. He was leader of Leicester City Council from 2003 to 2004 and 2005 to 2007 and Lord Mayor of Leicester 2009/10....
(2009–2010) - Councillor Colin Hall (2010-2011)
- Councillor Robert Wann (Acting Lord Mayor April/May 2011)
- Councillor Robert Wann (2011-2012)
Hall served as Lord Mayor for 2010-11 but was the only Lord Mayor to resign from the office on 30 April 2011. The then Deputy-Lord Mayor Wann served as Acting Lord Mayor until he himself was elected as Lord Mayor for 2011-12 on 26 May 2011.
Wards
The City is divided into various electoral wards, each of which returns two or three councillors, using the bloc votingPlurality-at-large voting
Plurality-at-large voting is a non-proportional voting system for electing several representatives from a single multimember electoral district using a series of check boxes and tallying votes similar to a plurality election...
system, as follows
| Ward | Councillors | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Abbey | 3 | from Abbey Park up to Stocking Farm and Mowmacre Hill |
| Aylestone Aylestone Aylestone is a suburb of Leicester, England at . It is south-west of the city centre, but to the east of the River Soar.It was formerly a separate village, but the growth of the city has meant that it is now part of the urban area, largely surrounded by 20th century housing. However, the area... |
2 | |
| Beaumont Leys Beaumont Leys Beaumont Leys is an electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England, comprising the north-western Leicester suburb of Beaumont Leys.-Geography:... |
3 | |
| Belgrave Belgrave, Leicestershire Belgrave is an electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England, consisting of the Leicester suburb of Belgrave in its entirety.... |
2 | the northern half of the Belgrave area |
| Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields | 3 | including most of Braunstone Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields is an electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England. It comprises the western Leicester suburbs of Braunstone Frith, Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields.-Geography:... |
| Castle Castle Ward Castle Ward is an 18th century National Trust property located near the village of Strangford, in County Down, Northern Ireland. It overlooks Strangford Lough and is 7 miles from Downpatrick and 1.5 miles from Strangford.... |
3 | city centre Leicester City Centre Leicester City Centre is an area covering the core inner city area and central business district of the city of Leicester, England. It is roughly delineated from Leicester's suburbs by the A594, Leicester's inner ring road.... , Southfields, Clarendon Park |
| Charnwood | 2 | Northfields, around Charnwood Street |
| Coleman | 2 | Crown Hills and North Evington, around Coleman Road |
| Evington Evington Evington is an electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England. It used to be a small village centred around Main Street and the Anglican church of St Denys but was close enough to Leicester to become one of the outer suburbs in the 1930s... |
2 | |
| Eyres Monsell Eyres Monsell Eyres Monsell is an electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England, comprising the southern Leicester suburb of Eyres Monsell.-Geography:Eyres Monsell is bounded to the north by the wards of Aylestone, Freemen and Knighton... |
2 | |
| Fosse | 2 | |
| Freemen | 2 | Knighton Fields and the Saffron estate |
| Humberstone and Hamilton | 3 | including Nether Hall |
| Knighton Knighton, Leicestershire Knighton is an area of Leicester, situated roughly between Clarendon Park to the north, Stoneygate to the east, Oadby and Wigston to the south and the Saffron Lane estate to the west... |
3 | |
| Latimer | 2 | the southern half of the Belgrave area |
| New Parks New Parks New Parks is an electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England, consisting of the Leicester suburb of New Parks in its entirety.-Geography:... |
3 | Braunstone Frith Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields is an electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England. It comprises the western Leicester suburbs of Braunstone Frith, Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields.-Geography:... |
| Rushey Mead Rushey Mead Rushey Mead is an electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England. It comprises the northern Leicester suburb of Rushey Mead in its entirety, as well as historical parts of Northfields and Thurmaston.-Geography:... |
3 | |
| Spinney Hills | 3 | including parts of Highfields and Evington Valley Evington Valley Evington Valley is an area in Leicester, England. It is roughly bounded by East Park Road to the west , Chesterfield/Ethel Road to the north , Wakerly Road to the east and to the south borders Stoneygate.... , and the St Matthew's estate |
| Stoneygate Stoneygate Stoneygate is part of the City of Leicester, England.Situated on the south-east side of the city some two miles from the centre, Stoneygate is a mainly residential suburb characterised by its large Victorian houses... |
3 | also including parts of Highfields |
| Thurncourt | 2 | Thurnby Lodge, around Thurncourt Road |
| Westcotes Westcotes Westcotes is an area to the west of the city of Leicester. It is also known as the West End. The area is quite small in comparison with other areas of the city, but it is well known as it has many shops, bars and restaurants and is a popular choice for students and young professionals.-Roman:Two... |
2 | |
| Western Park | 2 |
The current ward boundaries were adopted for the 2003 local elections. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20022988.htm 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
West Knighton, Leicestershire
West Knighton is an area bounded by Knighton Fields Road East to the North, Welford Road to the East, the London-bound railway line to the West and boundary to the South in Leicestershire. It was mostly constructed during the 1950s and contains a variety of semi-detached and detached housing,...
and Wycliffe.
Political control
The Council had been under the control of the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
from 1979 until the 2003 local elections, where no overall control
No overall control
Within the context of local councils of the United Kingdom, the term No Overall Control refers to a situation in which no single party achieves a majority of seats and is analogous to a hung parliament...
was established. Labour regained control in 2007 and consolidated its position in 2011.
In December 2010 the Council voted to introduce a directly elected mayor with effect from May 2011. On 5 May 2011 Sir Peter Soulsby was elected to the post with 55% of the vote on the first ballot. He will serve for a term of four years.
The results at the 2011 Council Elections were:
| Party | Seats |
|
|---|---|---|
| 52 | ||
| 1 | ||
| 1 | ||
Veejay Patel was the Leader of the Council until May 2011, having replaced Ross Willmott on 25 March 2010. Councillor Willmott served for three spells as Leader: from May 1999 to May 2003; from November 2004 to May 2005; and from May 2007 to March 2010.
The period of minority administration came about due to the collapse of the Liberal Democrat-Conservative coalition in November 2004 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/4044621.stm, when the council was in a state of no overall control following the 2003 elections. The coalition regrouped in 2005, but was later hit by Liberal Democrat infighting, leading to the creation of the splinter 'Focus Team' group which worked with Labour in opposition. Labour returned to power with a landside victory in 2007 and consolidated its position still further in May 2011. Ross Grant is the only remaining Conservative Councillor. Nigel Porter is the only remaining Liberal Democrat Councillor, having defected to the Liberal Democrats from the Conservatives, several weeks prior to the election.
The next Local Election is due to take place on 7 May 2015., although by-elections take place when a seat becomes vacant due to resignation or death of a councillor. As of May 2011, the Council was composed of 53 Labour Councillors (including the City Mayor, who is eligible to take part and vote in Council meetings), 1 Conservative Councillor, and 1 Liberal Democrat Councillor.
Elections
Previous results of elections to the city council:| Overall control | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Lib Dem | Green Green Party of England and Wales The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including... |
|
| 2011 | Labour | 52 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 2007 | Labour | 38 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| 2003 | No overall control | 20 | 9 | 25 | - |
| 1999 | Labour | 30 | 10 | 16 | - |
| 1996 | Labour | 41 | 7 | 8 | - |
| 1995 | Labour | 45 | 4 | 7 | - |
| 1991 | Labour | - | - | - | - |
| 1987 | Labour | - | - | - | - |
| 1983 | Labour | - | - | - | - |
| 1979 | Labour | - | - | - | - |
| 1976 | Conservative | 21 | 27 | - | - |
| 1973 | Labour | 37 | 11 | - | - |
The May 1996 elections were held out of sequence because of the upcoming unitary authority status, which came into effect on 1 April 1997.
Former leaders include
- Jim MarshallJim Marshall (UK politician)James Marshall was a British Labour Party politician.-Education:Marshall was born into a working class family in the Attercliffe district of Sheffield...
(1973–74) - Sir Peter Soulsby (1981–1994, 1995–99, current directly elected mayor)
- Roger BlackmoreRoger BlackmoreRoger Blackmore is a Liberal Democrat politician. He was leader of Leicester City Council from 2003 to 2004 and 2005 to 2007 and Lord Mayor of Leicester 2009/10....
2003-04 and 2005-07 - Ross Willmott (1999-2003, 2004-05, 2007-2010 stood down to run for Parliament)
- Veejay Patel (2010-2011)