City of Lincoln Council explained

City of Lincoln Council
Logo Pic:City of Lincoln Council.svg
Logo Res:200px
House Type:Non-metropolitan district
Leader1 Type:Mayor
Leader1:Alan Briggs
Party1:
Conservative
Election1:14 May 2024[1]
Leader2 Type:Leader
Leader2:Naomi Tweddle
Party2:
Labour
Election2:14 May 2024[2]
Leader3 Type:Chief Executive
Leader3:Angela Andrews
Election3:September 2014[3]
Political Groups1:
Administration: Labour (23)
  • Other parties
  • Conservative (5)
  • Seats:33 councillors
    Structure1:lincoln2024.svg
    Structure1 Res:250
    Last Election1:2 May 2024
    Next Election1:7 May 2026
    Term Length:4 years
    Session Room:Guildhall and Stonebow, Lincoln.jpg
    Meeting Place:Guildhall, Saltergate, Lincoln, LN11DH

    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.[4] 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.[5]

    History

    The city of Lincoln had been an ancient borough and was made a county corporate in 1409 with its own sheriff and court of quarter sessions, making it independent from the Lindsey Quarter Sessions. The borough corporation was reformed in 1836 to become a municipal borough.[6] When elected county councils were established in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888 to take over the local government functions of the quarter sessions, Lincoln was considered large enough to provide its own county-level services and so it was made a county borough, independent from the new Lindsey County Council.[7]

    On 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, Lincoln was reconstituted to become a non-metropolitan district, altering its powers and responsibilities but keeping the same area and name. The separate county councils which had existed for each of the Parts of Lincolnshire were also amalgamated to create a single Lincolnshire County Council for the first time, with responsibility for county-level services in the city of Lincoln too.[8]

    Governance

    City of Lincoln Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Lincolnshire County Council. There are no civil parishes in the city, which is an unparished area.[9] [10]

    Political control

    The council has been under Labour majority control since 2011.

    Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:[11] [12]

    Party in control Years
    1974–1978
    1978–1979
    1979–1982
    1982–2007
    2007–2010
    2010–2011
    2011–present

    Leadership

    The role of Mayor of Lincoln is now largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:[13]

    Councillor Party From To
    Fred Allen 1 Apr 1974 May 1975
    Jean Bates[14] [15] May 1975 3 Oct 1978
    Cecil Robinson[16] 3 Oct 1978 May 1979
    Jim Sullivan[17] May 1979 May 1982
    Peter Archer[18] May 1982 May 1984
    Derek Miller[19] May 1984 May 1993
    Chris Meanwell[20] May 1993 May 1995
    Roland Hurst May 1995 May 1999
    Ric Metcalfe[21] 18 May 1999 22 May 2007
    Edmund Strengiel 22 May 2007 May 2008
    Darren Grice May 2008 24 May 2011
    Ric Metcalfe 24 May 2011 7 May 2024
    Naomi Tweddle 14 May 2024

    Composition

    Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was:[22]

    PartyCouncillors
    23
    5
    5
    Total 33

    The next election is due in 2026.

    Elections

    Since the last boundary changes in 2016 the council has comprised 33 councillors representing 11 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. 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. Lincolnshire County Council elections are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no city council elections.[23]

    Premises

    Council meetings are held at the Guildhall on Saltergate; the current building was completed on a site which had been used as a guildhall since 1237, having been created from part of one of the gates in the city wall.[24] [25]

    The council's main offices are at City Hall on Beaumont Fee, which was built in 1973 and formally opened on 16 March 1974.[26]

    Notes and References

    1. News: Karran . Ellis . Maslin . Eleanor . Lincoln welcomes new council leader and new mayor . 12 July 2024 . BBC News . 7 May 2024.
    2. News: Griffin . Joe . Naomi Tweddle chosen as next City of Lincoln Council leader following Ric Metcalfe's retirement . 12 July 2024 . Lincolnshire Live . 7 May 2024.
    3. News: Lincoln council appoints new chief executive . 26 November 2023 . ITV News . 6 July 2015.
    4. Web site: Councillors. City of Lincoln Council . 31 August 2022.
    5. Web site: Famous Lincoln landmark wins prestigious award. 29 March 2019. Lincolnshire Live. 31 August 2022.
    6. [Municipal Corporations Act 1835]
    7. Web site: Relationships and changes Lincoln MB/CB through time. A Vision of Britain through Time. 1 September 2022.
    8. Web site: The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972. legislation.gov.uk. 1 September 2022.
    9. act. Local Government Act 1972. 1972. 70. 31 May 2023.
    10. Web site: Election Maps . Ordnance Survey . 21 September 2023.
    11. Web site: Compositions calculator . The Elections Centre . 26 May 2023.
    12. News: Lincoln . 2010-05-07 . . 2009-04-19.
    13. Web site: Council minutes . City of Lincoln Council . 10 August 2022.
    14. News: Woman leader for city council . 26 November 2023 . Lincolnshire Echo . 1 March 1975 . Lincoln . 1.
    15. News: Tories take over – and get warning from Dem-Labs . 26 November 2023 . Lincolnshire Echo . 4 October 1978 . Lincoln . 1.
    16. News: City Council leader not to stand . 26 November 2023 . Lincolnshire Echo . 27 March 1979 . Lincoln . 1.
    17. News: Tories draw up 'Better Lincoln' plan . 26 November 2023 . Lincolnshire Echo . 10 May 1979 . Lincoln . 1.
    18. News: Lincoln's rulers decide future . 26 November 2023 . Lincolnshire Echo . 7 May 1982 . Lincoln . 1.
    19. News: Leader retires . 26 November 2023 . Lincoln Target . 13 May 1993 . 9.
    20. News: Leader goes in Labour Party's shake-up . 26 November 2023 . Lincolnshire Echo . 9 May 1995 . Lincoln . 3.
    21. News: New boss for City Council . 26 November 2023 . Lincolnshire Echo . 10 May 1999 . Lincoln . 12.
    22. Web site: RETURNING OFFICER’S DECLARATION OF RESULT. City of Lincoln Council.
    23. si. The Lincoln (Electoral Changes) Order 2015. 2015. 1461.
    24. Web site: The Stonebow and Guildhall. Lincolnshire Museums. 8 November 2020.
    25. Book: Antram . N.. Pevsner. N.. Harris . J.. 1989. The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire. 503. Yale University Press. 978-0300096200.
    26. News: City Hall opened - and relic saved . 26 November 2023 . Lincolnshire Echo . 18 March 1974 . Lincoln . 7.