North West Leicestershire
North West Leicestershire District | |
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![]() Coalville, the largest town and administrative centre of North West Leicestershire district | |
![]() Shown within Leicestershire | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Constituent country | England |
Region | East Midlands |
Administrative county | Leicestershire |
Admin. HQ | Coalville |
Government | |
• Type | North West Leicestershire District Council |
• MP: | Amanda Hack (Labour) |
Area | |
• Total | 108 sq mi (279 km2) |
• Rank | 126th |
Population (2022) | |
• Total | 107,672 |
• Rank | Ranked 224th |
• Density | 1,000/sq mi (390/km2) |
Ethnicity (2021) | |
• Ethnic groups | |
Religion (2021) | |
• Religion | List
|
Time zone | UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (British Summer Time) |
ONS code | 31UH (ONS) E07000134 (GSS) |
Ethnicity | 98.8% White |
North West Leicestershire is a local government district in Leicestershire, England. The towns in the district include of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Castle Donington, Coalville (where the council is based) and Ibstock. Notable villages in the district include Donington le Heath, Ellistown, Hugglescote, Kegworth, Measham, Shackerstone, Thringstone and Whitwick.
Castle Donington is notable as the location of Donington Park, a grand-prix circuit and a major venue for music festivals. The area has a long history of mineral extraction, with coal, brick clay, gravel and granite amongst the products. All the deep coal mines in the area have closed, but opencast mining still continues. The district is also home to part of the Battlefield Line and the Ibstock Brick.
The neighbouring districts are Charnwood, Hinckley and Bosworth, North Warwickshire, Lichfield, South Derbyshire, Erewash and Rushcliffe.
History
The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the whole area of five former districts plus a single parish from a sixth, which districts were all abolished at the same time:[2]
- Ashby-de-la-Zouch Urban District
- Ashby de la Zouch Rural District
- Ashby Woulds Urban District
- Castle Donington Rural District
- Coalville Urban District
- Market Bosworth Rural District (Ibstock parish only, rest went to Hinckley and Bosworth)
- Melton and Belvoir Rural District
The new district was named North West Leicestershire, reflecting its position in the wider county.[3]
Governance
North West Leicestershire District Council | |
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Type | |
Type | |
History | |
Founded | 1 April 1974 |
Leadership | |
Allison Thomas since 11 August 2022[5] | |
Structure | |
Seats | 38 councillors |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | 4 years |
Elections | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
Meeting place | |
![]() | |
Stenson House, London Road, Coalville, LE67 3FN | |
Website | |
www |
North West Leicestershire District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Leicestershire County Council. Much of the district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[6][7]
Political control
The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being run by an alliance of the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and two of the independent councillors, led by Conservative councillor Richard Blunt.[8]
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Since 1974 political control of the council has been as follows:[9]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 1974–1976 | |
No overall control | 1976–1979 | |
Labour | 1979–1983 | |
No overall control | 1983–1991 | |
Labour | 1991–2007 | |
Conservative | 2007–2023 | |
No overall control | 2023–present |
Leadership
The leaders of the council since 2003 have been:[10]
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Frank Straw | Labour | pre-2003 | 6 May 2007 | |
Richard Blunt | Conservative | 15 May 2007 |
Composition
Following the 2023 election the composition of the council was:[11]
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 17 | |
Conservative | 12 | |
Liberal Democrats | 5 | |
Independent | 4 | |
Total | 38 |
The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and two of the independent councillors sit together as the "Alliance Group" which forms the council's administration.[12] The next election is due in 2027.
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the district has comprised 38 wards, each of which elects one councillor. Elections are held every four years.[13]
The district is coterminous with the North West Leicestershire parliamentary constituency.[14]
Premises
The council meets at Stenson House on London Road in Coalville. The building was built in 1934 as the headquarters of the old Coalville Urban District Council.[15] Following the creation of North West Leicestershire in 1974 the building was significantly extended to the rear. In 2022 the extension was closed pending demolition, and the council opened a new customer services centre on Belvoir Road, retaining and refurbishing the 1934 front part of Stenson House to be used for meetings and civic functions.[16]
Demography
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Ashby-de-la-Zouch_Castle.jpg/220px-Ashby-de-la-Zouch_Castle.jpg)
Population growth in North West Leicestershire | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 | 2016 | 2021 | 2031 | ||
Population | 64,892 | 65,615 | 71,671 | 78,048 | 80,550 | 85,485 | 93,348 | 98,600 | 101,500 | 107,000 | ||
Census[17] | ONS[18] | ONS Projections[19] |
North West Leicestershire has experienced steady population growth in recent times as the district balances the agro-rural economy with the end of labour-intensive deep coal-mining. Alternative employment opportunities exist within the district in the services and distributive sectors, together with local or nearby manufacturing and extractive/transformative/construction industries. The lack of rail services to/from Leicester, Loughborough and other nearby centres limits access for employment, commerce and leisure to a road journey that competes with freight and heavy-haulage vehicles especially to the south and east.
Economy
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/DoningtonHallCastleDonington.jpg/220px-DoningtonHallCastleDonington.jpg)
Since 2013 Norton Motorcycles has its head office in Donington Hall, Castle Donington.[20] BMI (British Midland), an airline, was headquartered in Donington Hall.[21] The airline moved its headquarters to Donington Hall in 1982.[22] The subsidiary bmibaby also had its head office in Donington Hall.[23]
Prior to its disestablishment, Excalibur Airways had its head office on the grounds of East Midlands Airport in Castle Donington.[24] Prior to its disestablishment, Orion Airways had its head office on the grounds of East Midlands Airport.[25]
In 2011 Coalfield Resources plc were given permission to develop an opencast coal mining pit on the site of the former Minorca colliery between Measham and Swepstone on a seam which will be 1 mi (1.6 km) across and extract 1,250,000 tonnes (1,380,000 tons) of coal over five years, and 250,000 tonnes (280,000 tons) of clay.[26]
Media
In terms of television, the area receive better TV signals from the Sutton Coldfield TV transmitter which broadcast BBC West Midlands and ITV Central (West) from Birmingham.[27] Some eastern parts of the district are still able to receive the Waltham TV transmitter to get BBC East Midlands and ITV Central (East) from Nottingham.[28]
Radio stations for the area are:
- BBC Radio Leicester
- BBC Radio Derby can also be received
- Capital Midlands
- Smooth East Midlands
- Greatest Hits Radio Midlands
- Community based stations are Hermitage FM,[29] Fosse FM[30] and Carillon Radio.[31]
Parishes
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Market_Street_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2253706.jpg/220px-Market_Street_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2253706.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/North_end_of_High_Street%2C_Ibstock_-_geograph.org.uk_-_3384750.jpg/220px-North_end_of_High_Street%2C_Ibstock_-_geograph.org.uk_-_3384750.jpg)
Most of the district is covered by civil parishes. Parts of the former Coalville Urban District covering the main part of Coalville and the Thringstone area are unparished areas.[7] The parish councils for Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Ashby Woulds have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". (Whilst Ibstock is a post town and Castle Donington is sometimes called a town, neither parish council has formally declared them to be towns.)[32] The parishes are:[33]
- Appleby Magna, Acresford, Ashby Woulds, Ashby-de-la-Zouch,
- Bardon, Belton, Breedon on the Hill
- Castle Donington, Charley, Chilcote, Coleorton, Coalville
- Ellistown and Battleflat
- Heather, Hugglescote and Donington le Heath
- Ibstock, Isley cum Langley
- Kegworth
- Lockington-Hemington, Long Whatton and Diseworth
- Measham
- Normanton le Heath
- Oakthorpe and Donisthorpe, Osgathorpe
- Packington
- Ravenstone with Snibston
- Snarestone, Staunton Harold, Stretton en le Field, Swannington, Swepstone
- Whitwick, Worthington
Coat of arms
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References
- ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – North West Leicestershire Local Authority (E07000134)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 22 August 2022
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 22 August 2022
- ^ "North West Leicestershire District Council announces year of celebrations to mark 50th anniversary". Coalville Nub News. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "In Touch" (PDF). North West Leicestershire District Council. October 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ a b "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ Hill, Graham (23 May 2023). "Conservative alliance sees Blunt re-elected as council leader - as Labour's Sheahan highlights 'fragile' arrangement". Coalville Nub News. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "Council minutes". North West Leicestershire District Council. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- ^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
- ^ "Your councillors by political grouping". North West Leicestershire District Council. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ "The North West Leicestershire (Electoral Changes) Order 2014", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2014/3060, retrieved 2 November 2023
- ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ Coalville Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan (PDF). Coalville: North West Leicestershire District Council. May 2014. p. 15. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ "Stenson House renovation completes council's £4.3 million office redevelopment project in Coalville". Coalville Nub News. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ Vision of Britain through time
- ^ mid year estimate
- ^ ONS population projections 2014 base / projections uplifted by '21-1,700/'31-1,600 given underestimation at 2016 - 1,700/
- ^ The Wire (16 March 2013). "Historic Donington Hall to serve as Norton Motorcycles New World Headquarters and Manufacturing Facilities". Cycle World. Bonnier Corp. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
Where else in the world can one tour an 18th century Gothic Revival mansion, view a Norton Motorcycle being built, watch a World Superbike race and attend an Iron Maiden concert all in the same place?
- ^ "Contact us Archived 2008-11-02 at the Wayback Machine." BMI. Accessed September 23, 2008.
- ^ "the eighties Archived 2012-06-10 at the Wayback Machine." British Midland International. Retrieved on 28 December 2011.
- ^ "Company Information Archived 2012-07-14 at the Wayback Machine." bmibaby. Retrieved on 31 December 2011. "Registered office - Donington Hall Castle Donington Derby East Midlands DE74 2SB UK"
- ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. 24–30 March 1993. "91.
- ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. 29 March 1986. 114.
- ^ "Leicestershire opencast coal mine gains approval" BBC News
- ^ "Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) Full Freeview transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "Full Freeview on the Waltham (Leicestershire, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "Hermitage FM". Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "Fosse FM". Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "Carillon Wellbeing Radio". Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "Parish Councils in North West Leicestershire". North West Leicestershire District Council. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ "Parish Map of North West Leicestershire". Leicestershire County Council. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ "East Midlands Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
External links
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