Leicestershire County Council
Encyclopedia
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 the Conservative Party
, and is led by David Parsons. The headquarters of the council is County Hall at Glenfield
, just outside the city of Leicester
.
of Leicestershire, excluding Leicester
. In 1974 the Local Government Act
reconstituted Leicestershire County Council, adding the former county borough
of Leicester, and the small county of Rutland
to the area. On 1 April 1997 these were removed from the County Council area again, to become unitary authorities
.
councils and parish councils. In urban areas the work of the parish
council is likely to be undertaken by the county or district council. The seven district councils in Leicestershire are :
These district councils are responsible for local planning
and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health
, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling
, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism
They leave the subjects of education
, social services, libraries
, main roads, public transport
policy and fire services, trading standards
, waste disposal and strategic planning for Leicestershire to the County Council.
Elections were held for the reconstituted county council (including Leicester and Rutland) in 1973, leading to no overall control
. 1977 saw the Conservative Party
take control, but they lost it again in 1981. Elections in 1985, 1989, 1993 and 1997 continued No Overall Control. The Conservatives took control in 2001, helped in part by the removal of the strongly Labour-voting Leicester from the county.
Increasingly governance is breaking away from the departmental structure and becoming programme-based. There are currently six major programmes:
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
for the English non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
. It was originally formed in 1889 by the Local Government Act 1888
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...
. The county is divided into 52 electoral divisions, which return a total of 55 councillors. The council is controlled by the Conservative Party
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...
, and is led by David Parsons. The headquarters of the council is County Hall at Glenfield
Glenfield
Glenfield may refer to:*Glenfield, Leicestershire, the administrative base of Leicestershire County Council, Leicestershire in England.*Glenfield, New Zealand, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand.*Glenfield, New South Wales, is a suburb of Sydney, Australia....
, just outside 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...
.
History
From its establishment in 1889 to 1974 the county council covered the administrative countyAdministrative counties of England
Administrative counties were a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government from 1889 to 1974. They were created by the Local Government Act 1888 as the areas for which county councils were elected. Some large counties were divided into several administrative...
of Leicestershire, excluding 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...
. In 1974 the Local Government Act
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....
reconstituted Leicestershire County Council, adding the former 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...
of Leicester, and the small county of Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
to the area. On 1 April 1997 these were removed from the County Council area again, to become unitary authorities
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...
.
Districts and Boroughs
Leicestershire has three tiers of local government. These tiers are the county council, seven district or boroughNon-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...
councils and parish councils. In urban areas the work of the parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
council is likely to be undertaken by the county or district council. The seven district councils in Leicestershire are :
- Blaby District CouncilBlaby (district)Blaby is a local government district in Leicestershire, England.The district is named after the village of Blaby. It covers the civil parish of Blaby and 23 others. Among these are Cosby, Countesthorpe, Enderby, Huncote, Narborough , Sapcote, Stoney Stanton, and Wigston Parva...
- Charnwood Borough CouncilCharnwood (borough)Charnwood is a borough of northern Leicestershire, England. It is named after Charnwood Forest, which it contains. Loughborough is the largest town in the district and serves as the borough's administrative and commercial centre.-History:...
- Harborough District Council
- Hinckley & Bosworth Borough CouncilHinckley and BosworthHinckley and Bosworth is a local government district with borough status in south-western Leicestershire, England, administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. Its only towns are Hinckley, Earl Shilton and Market Bosworth...
- Melton Borough Council
- North West Leicestershire District CouncilNorth West LeicestershireNorth West Leicestershire is a local government district in Leicestershire, England. Its main towns are Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Coalville.The district contains East Midlands Airport, which operates flights to the rest of Britain and to various places in Europe...
- Oadby & Wigston Borough CouncilOadby and WigstonOadby and Wigston is a local government district and borough in the English county of Leicestershire.-Geography:It is composed of the areas of Oadby, Wigston Magna and South Wigston. It is predominantly urban, and runs directly into Leicester, to the north-west...
These district councils are responsible for local planning
Planning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health
Environmental health
Environmental health is the branch of public health that is concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment that may affect human health...
, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism
They leave the subjects of education
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
, social services, libraries
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, main roads, public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
policy and fire services, trading standards
Trading Standards
Trading Standards is the name given to local authority departments in the UK formerly known as Weights and Measures. These departments investigate commercial organisations that carry out trade in unethical ways or outside the scope of the law.-History:...
, waste disposal and strategic planning for Leicestershire to the County Council.
Political control
The most recent election was the June 2009 elections, where all seats were up for re-election. Leicestershire County Council consists of 55 elected members.| Party | Councillors |
|---|---|
| Conservative Party 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... |
36 |
| Liberal Democrats | 14 |
| 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... |
4 |
| British National Party British National Party The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982... |
1 |
Elections were held for the reconstituted county council (including Leicester and Rutland) in 1973, leading to 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...
. 1977 saw the Conservative Party
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...
take control, but they lost it again in 1981. Elections in 1985, 1989, 1993 and 1997 continued No Overall Control. The Conservatives took control in 2001, helped in part by the removal of the strongly Labour-voting Leicester from the county.
Departments
There are five departments:- Corporate Resources (including Property, Financial Services and ICT Services)
- Environment and Transport
- Adults and Communities
- Children and Young People's Services
- Chief Executive's (Policy, publicity)
Increasingly governance is breaking away from the departmental structure and becoming programme-based. There are currently six major programmes:
- Organisational Efficiency (mostly financial projects)
- People and Performance (human resources)
- Customer First (service shops and call centres)
- Work Well (mobile and flexible working)
- Highways Service Efficiency
- Waste Strategy
Electoral divisions
| Electoral division | Councillors |
|---|---|
| Blaby Blaby Blaby is a village in central Leicestershire, England, some five miles south of Leicester city centre. It has population of around 6,240 , and its proximity to the city causes it to form part of the Leicester Urban Area.... and Glen Parva Glen Parva Glen Parva is a civil parish in Leicestershire with a population of over 5,000. To the north it runs into Aylestone, and to the east Eyres Monsell and South Wigston... |
1 |
| Braunstone Town Braunstone Town Braunstone is a civil parish and is the largest parish within the district of Blaby in Leicestershire, England, now known as the Town of Braunstone or more commonly, Braunstone Town. At 2007 the population is around 15,000. There are around 7,500 households including Thorpe Astley.Braunstone is... |
1 |
| Cosby Cosby, Leicestershire thumb|Cosby Village centreCosby is a village in the English county of Leicestershire. Cosby is located in the south west of the county near the larger villages and towns of Whetstone, Blaby and Wigston. Its proximity to the city of Leicester means it is part of the Leicester Urban Area.It is not... and Countesthorpe Countesthorpe Countesthorpe is a large village and civil parish in the Leicestershire district of Blaby, with a population of 6,393 . It lies to the south of Leicester, and is about six miles from the city centre, but only two miles south of the suburb of South Wigston... |
1 |
| Enderby Enderby, Leicestershire Enderby is a civil parish in the district of Blaby , in Leicestershire, England. It is situated on the south western outskirts of the city of Leicester and has a population of 5,648 at the time of the 2001 census.... Meridian |
1 |
| Glenfields Glenfield, Leicestershire Glenfield is a village and civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It is part of the Blaby district, and has a population of about 10,000. Its location at the northwestern fringe of the city of Leicester effectively makes it a suburb, although it is politically and administratively separate... |
1 |
| Kirby Muxloe Kirby Muxloe Kirby Muxloe is a town and civil parish west of Leicester. Its proximity to the city causes it to form part of the Leicester Urban Area. The Leicester Forest East parish border runs along the Hinckley Road A47... and Leicester Forest East Leicester Forest East Leicester Forest East or LFE is a settlement in Leicestershire, England, west of Leicester, straddling the M1 motorway. It is part of the Blaby district.LFE is a popular location among commuters and young families... |
1 |
| Narborough and Whetstone Whetstone, Leicestershire Whetstone is a village and civil parish in the Blaby district of Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 6,000 and largely acts as a commuter village for Leicester, five miles to the north... |
1 |
| Stanton Croft and Normanton | 1 |
| Birstall Birstall, Leicestershire Birstall is a large village and civil parish within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is three miles north of the Leicester city centre and is part of the wider Leicester Urban Area.... |
1 |
| Bradgate Bradgate Electoral Division Bradgate Electoral Division is a County Council electoral division in Leicestershire, England, taking its name from Bradgate Park which is at the centre of the division. It includes the villages of Anstey, Cropston, Thurcaston, Newtown Linford, Ulverscroft, Swithland, Woodhouse and Woodhouse... |
1 |
| Loughborough Loughborough Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University... East |
1 |
| Loughborough Loughborough Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University... North |
1 |
| Loughborough North West | 1 |
| Loughborough South | 1 |
| Loughborough South West | 1 |
| Quorn Quorn, Leicestershire Quorn is a village in Leicestershire, England, situated next to the university town of Loughborough. Quorn's name was shortened from Quorndon in 1889, to avoid postal difficulties owing to its similarity to the name of another village, Quarndon, a few miles away. Its original name is said to derive... and Barrow |
1 |
| Rothley Rothley, Leicestershire Rothley is a village and civil parish within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. Situated around west of the River Soar and north of the city of Leicester, it has a population of 3,612 inhabitants.... and Mountsorrel Mountsorrel Mountsorrel is a village in Leicestershire on the River Soar, just south of Loughborough with a population in 2001 of 6,662 inhabitants.-Geography:... |
1 |
| Shepshed Shepshed Shepshed, often known until 1888 as Sheepshed, is a town in Leicestershire, England with a population of around 14,000 people... |
1 |
| Sileby Sileby Sileby is a former industrial village and civil parish in the Soar Valley in Leicestershire, between Leicester and Loughborough. Nearby villages include Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel, Ratcliffe-on-the-Wreake, Seagrave and Cossington.... and The Wolds Burton on the Wolds Burton on the Wolds is a village situated on the B676 road west of the A46 in Leicestershire and has a population of around 800. The Parish Council of Burton on the Wolds, Cotes and Prestwold serves the village and its two neighbouring hamlets... |
1 |
| Syston Syston Syston is a town and civil parish in the district of Charnwood in Leicestershire, England. The population is 11,508 as of the 2001 Census.-Overview:... Fosse |
1 |
| Syston Ridgeway | 1 |
| Thurmaston Thurmaston Thurmaston is a village and civil parish within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. As of the 2001 census its population was 8,945... |
1 |
| Broughton Astley Broughton Astley Broughton Astley is a large village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is situated in the south west of Leicestershire, about east of Hinckley and about from the centre of Leicester.- History :... |
1 |
| Bruntingthorpe | 1 |
| Gartree Gartree (Leicestershire) Gartree was a hundred of Leicestershire.It was in the south-east of the county, roughly corresponding to today's Harborough district. The town of Market Harborough was its largest settlement... |
1 |
| Launde Launde Launde is a civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, bordering Rutland. The parish is the site of Launde Abbey. It gives its name to an electoral division of Leicestershire that stretches all the way from Scraptoft, Thurnby and Stoughton, near Leicester, to the border with... |
1 |
| Lutterworth Lutterworth Lutterworth is a market town and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. The town is located in southern Leicestershire, north of Rugby, in Warwickshire and south of Leicester. It had a population of 8,293 in the 2001 UK census.... |
1 |
| Market Harborough Market Harborough Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border... East |
1 |
| Market Harborough West and Foxton Foxton, Leicestershire thumb|Foxton parish churchFoxton is a village in Leicestershire, England, to the north-west of Market Harborough. It is on the Grand Union Canal and is the site of the Foxton Locks and Foxton Inclined Plane.-External links:****... |
1 |
| Burbage Burbage, Leicestershire Burbage is a civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It is a southern suburb of the town of Hinckley. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001 the parish had a population of 14,324.-History:... Castle |
2 |
| Earl Shilton Earl Shilton Earl Shilton is a small town in Leicestershire, England, some from Hinckley and about 10 miles from Leicester, with a population of around 9,000 .-History:... |
1 |
| Groby Groby Groby is a large English village in the county of Leicestershire, to the north west of the city of Leicester. The population at the time of the 2001 census was 7,301.-Description:... and Ratby Ratby Ratby is a commuter village and civil parish in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire. It is situated to the west of Leicester, and just south of the motorway. It has a population of about 4,000. The Roman name for Leicester was Ratae Corieltauvorum... |
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| Hinckley Hinckley Hinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 43,246 . It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council... |
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| Mallory | 1 |
| Market Bosworth Market Bosworth Market Bosworth is a small market town and civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It formerly formed a district known as the Market Bosworth Rural District. In 1974 it merged with the Hinckley Rural District to form a new district named Hinckley and Bosworth... |
1 |
| Markfield Markfield Markfield is a commuter village sitting within both the National Forest and Charnwood Forest and in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire, England. The settlement dates back to at least the time of the Norman conquest and is mentioned in the Domesday Book under the name... Desford Desford Desford is a village and civil parish in the North West Leicestershire district, west of the centre of Leicester. The parish includes the hamlets of Botcheston and Newtown Unthank and a scattered settlement at Lindridge.-Manors:... and Thornton Thornton, Leicestershire Thornton is a village in Leicestershire, England. The village is within the civil parish of Bagworth and Thornton. It is a linear village lying along a scarp overlooking Thornton Reservoir.... |
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| Asfordby Asfordby Asfordby is a village and civil parish in the Melton district of Leicestershire, to the west of Melton Mowbray on the A6006 road.The parish consists of Asfordby proper, Asfordby Valley and Asfordby Hill, which together have a population of around 3,000... |
1 |
| Belvoir Belvoir, Leicestershire Belvoir is a village and civil parish in the Melton district of Leicestershire, England. It is close to the county boundary, the nearest town being Grantham in Lincolnshire .... |
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| Melton North | 1 |
| Melton South | 1 |
| Ashby de la Zouch | 1 |
| Castle Donington Castle Donington Castle Donington is a village, with a population of around 7000 in the North West of Leicestershire, part of the Derby postcode area and on the edge of the National Forest. It is the closest town to East Midlands Airport.-Transport and housing:... |
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| Coalville Coalville Coalville is a town in North West Leicestershire, England, with a population estimated in 2003 to be almost 33,000. It is situated on the A511 trunk road 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... |
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| Forest and Measham Measham Measham is a village in Leicestershire, near the Staffordshire and Derbyshire border, located just off the A42 just south of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and within the National Forest... |
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| Ibstock Ibstock Ibstock is a village and civil parish about south of Coalville in North West Leicestershire, England. The village is on the A447 road Between Coalville and Hinckley.... and Appleby |
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| Valley | 1 |
| Warren Hills | 1 |
| Whitwick | 1 |
| Oadby Oadby Oadby is a town within the borough of Oadby and Wigston, in Leicestershire, England. It is to the east of Wigston Magna, and to the southeast of Leicester. Oadby forms part of the Leicester Urban Area, and is situated on the A6 road.... |
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| Wigston Bushloe | 1 |
| Wigston Poplars | 1 |
| Wigston South | 1 |