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North West Leicestershire

Coordinates:52°43′01″N1°22′12″W/ 52.71694°N 1.37000°W/52.71694; -1.37000
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the district. For the constituency, seeNorth West Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency).
North West Leicestershire District
Non-metropolitan district
Coalville, the largest town and administrative centre of North West Leicestershire district
Coalville,the largest town and administrative centre of North West Leicestershire district
Shown within Leicestershire
Shown withinLeicestershire
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionEast Midlands
Administrative countyLeicestershire
Admin. HQCoalville
Government
• TypeNorth West Leicestershire District Council
•MP:Amanda Hack(Labour)
Area
• Total108 sq mi (279 km2)
• Rank126th
Population
(2022)
• Total107,672
• RankRanked 224th
• Density1,000/sq mi (390/km2)
Ethnicity(2021)
[1]
•Ethnic groups
List
Religion(2021)
[1]
•Religion
List
Time zoneUTC+0(Greenwich Mean Time)
• Summer (DST)UTC+1(British Summer Time)
ONS code31UH (ONS)
E07000134 (GSS)
Ethnicity98.8% White

North West Leicestershireis alocal government districtinLeicestershire,England. The towns in the district include ofAshby-de-la-Zouch,Castle Donington,Coalville(where the council is based) andIbstock.Notable villages in the district includeDonington le Heath,Ellistown,Hugglescote,Kegworth,Measham,Shackerstone,ThringstoneandWhitwick.

Castle Doningtonis notable as the location ofDonington Park,a grand-prix circuit and a major venue for music festivals. The area has a long history of mineral extraction, withcoal,brick clay, gravel andgraniteamongst the products. All the deepcoal minesin the area have closed, but opencast mining still continues. The district is also home to part of theBattlefield Lineand theIbstock Brick.

The neighbouring districts areCharnwood,Hinckley and Bosworth,North Warwickshire,Lichfield,South Derbyshire,ErewashandRushcliffe.

History

[edit]

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under theLocal 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]

The new district was named North West Leicestershire, reflecting its position in the wider county.[3]

Governance

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North West Leicestershire District Council
Logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1974
Leadership
Kenny Horn,
Conservative
since 7 May 2024[4]
Richard Blunt,
Conservative
since 15 May 2007
Allison Thomas
since 11 August 2022[5]
Structure
Seats38 councillors
Political groups
Administration (19)
Conservative(12)
Liberal Democrat(5)
Independent(2)
Other parties (19)
Labour(17)
Independent(2)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
Stenson House, London Road, Coalville, LE673FN
Website
www.nwleics.gov.uk

North West Leicestershire District Council providesdistrict-levelservices.County-levelservices are provided byLeicestershire County Council.Much of the district is also covered bycivil parishes,which form a third tier of local government.[6][7]

Political control

[edit]

The council has been underno overall controlsince the2023 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

[edit]

Theleaders of the councilsince 2003 have been:[10]

Councillor Party From To
Frank Straw Labour pre-2003 6 May 2007
Richard Blunt Conservative 15 May 2007

Composition

[edit]

Following the2023 electionthe 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

[edit]
See also:North West Leicestershire District Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the district has comprised 38wards,each of which elects onecouncillor.Elections are held every four years.[13]

The district is coterminous with theNorth West Leicestershire parliamentary constituency.[14]

Premises

[edit]

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

[edit]
Ashby-de-la-Zouch,best known forAshby Castleand the second-largest town in the district
Population growthin 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/fromLeicester,Loughboroughand 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

[edit]
Donington Hall,headquarters ofNorton Motorcycles,formerly ofBMI

Since 2013Norton Motorcycleshas its head office inDonington 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 subsidiarybmibabyalso had its head office in Donington Hall.[23]

Prior to its disestablishment,Excalibur Airwayshad its head office on the grounds ofEast Midlands Airportin Castle Donington.[24]Prior to its disestablishment,Orion Airwayshad its head office on the grounds of East Midlands Airport.[25]

In 2011Coalfield Resources plcwere given permission to develop anopencast coal miningpit on the site of the former Minorca colliery betweenMeashamandSwepstoneon 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

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In terms of television, the area receive better TV signals from theSutton ColdfieldTV transmitter which broadcastBBC West MidlandsandITV Central(West) fromBirmingham.[27]Some eastern parts of the district are still able to receive theWalthamTV transmitter to getBBC East Midlandsand ITV Central (East) fromNottingham.[28]

Radio stations for the area are:

Parishes

[edit]
Castle Donington
Ibstock

Most of the district is covered by civil parishes. Parts of the former Coalville Urban District covering the main part of Coalville and theThringstonearea areunparished 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 apost townand Castle Donington is sometimes called a town, neither parish council has formally declared them to be towns.)[32]The parishes are:[33]

Coat of arms

[edit]
Coat of arms of North West Leicestershire
Notes
Granted 30 October 1974[34]
Crest
On a wreath Argent Sable and Vert within a circlet of six lozenges conjoined Sable flames Proper issuant therefrom a demi-Lion Or gorged with a collar Gules bezanty and holding a Hhxagon Argent charged with a maunch Sable.
Escutcheon
Per chevron Argent and Sable in chief two ash trees couped and in base on a granite rock issuant Proper a castle of three towers Argent on a chief Vert between two garbs a mitre affrontée Or charged with two crosses formy Gules.
Motto
Ex Terra Opes (From The Earth Wealth)

References

[edit]
  1. ^abUK Census(2021)."2021 Census Area Profile – North West Leicestershire Local Authority (E07000134)".Nomis.Office for National Statistics.Retrieved5 January2024.
  2. ^"The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972",legislation.gov.uk,The National Archives,SI 1972/2039,retrieved22 August2022
  3. ^"The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973",legislation.gov.uk,The National Archives,SI 1973/551,retrieved22 August2022
  4. ^"North West Leicestershire District Council announces year of celebrations to mark 50th anniversary".Coalville Nub News.8 May 2024.Retrieved12 July2024.
  5. ^"In Touch"(PDF).North West Leicestershire District Council.October 2022.Retrieved2 November2023.
  6. ^"Local Government Act 1972",legislation.gov.uk,The National Archives,1972 c. 70,retrieved31 May2023
  7. ^ab"Election Maps".Ordnance Survey.Retrieved17 October2023.
  8. ^Hill, Graham (23 May 2023)."Conservative alliance sees Blunt re-elected as council leader - as Labour's Sheahan highlights 'fragile' arrangement".Coalville Nub News.Retrieved1 November2023.
  9. ^"Compositions calculator".The Elections Centre.Retrieved10 August2022.
  10. ^"Council minutes".North West Leicestershire District Council.Retrieved18 August2022.
  11. ^"Local elections 2023: live council results for England".The Guardian.
  12. ^"Your councillors by political grouping".North West Leicestershire District Council.Retrieved2 November2023.
  13. ^"The North West Leicestershire (Electoral Changes) Order 2014",legislation.gov.uk,The National Archives,SI 2014/3060,retrieved2 November2023
  14. ^"Election Maps".Ordnance Survey.Retrieved2 November2023.
  15. ^Coalville Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan(PDF).Coalville: North West Leicestershire District Council. May 2014. p. 15.Retrieved2 November2023.
  16. ^"Stenson House renovation completes council's £4.3 million office redevelopment project in Coalville".Coalville Nub News.24 August 2023.Retrieved2 November2023.
  17. ^Vision of Britain through time
  18. ^mid year estimate
  19. ^ONS population projections 2014 base / projections uplifted by '21-1,700/'31-1,600 given underestimation at 2016 - 1,700/
  20. ^The Wire (16 March 2013)."Historic Donington Hall to serve as Norton Motorcycles New World Headquarters and Manufacturing Facilities".Cycle World.Bonnier Corp.Retrieved17 April2013.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?
  21. ^"Contact usArchived2008-11-02 at theWayback Machine."BMI.Accessed September 23, 2008.
  22. ^"the eightiesArchived2012-06-10 at theWayback Machine."British Midland International.Retrieved on 28 December 2011.
  23. ^"Company InformationArchived2012-07-14 at theWayback Machine."bmibaby.Retrieved on 31 December 2011. "Registered office - Donington Hall Castle Donington Derby East Midlands DE74 2SB UK"
  24. ^"World Airline Directory."Flight International.24–30 March 1993. "91.
  25. ^"World Airline Directory."Flight International.29 March 1986.114.
  26. ^"Leicestershire opencast coal mine gains approval"BBC News
  27. ^"Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) Full Freeview transmitter".UK Free TV.1 May 2004.Retrieved18 April2024.
  28. ^"Full Freeview on the Waltham (Leicestershire, England) transmitter".UK Free TV.1 May 2004.Retrieved18 April2024.
  29. ^"Hermitage FM".Retrieved18 April2024.
  30. ^"Fosse FM".Retrieved18 April2024.
  31. ^"Carillon Wellbeing Radio".Retrieved18 April2024.
  32. ^"Parish Councils in North West Leicestershire".North West Leicestershire District Council.Retrieved4 November2023.
  33. ^"Parish Map of North West Leicestershire".Leicestershire County Council.Retrieved2008-12-10.
  34. ^"East Midlands Region".Civic Heraldry of England.Retrieved8 March2021.
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52°43′01″N1°22′12″W/ 52.71694°N 1.37000°W/52.71694; -1.37000

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