City of York Council

City of York Council is the municipal governing body of the City of York, a unitary authority in Yorkshire, England. It is composed of 47 councillors, one, two, or three for each of the 21 electoral wards of York. It is responsible for all local government services in the City of York, except for services provided by York's town and parish councils.

City of York Council
Whole council elected every four years
Type
Type
Leadership
Lord Mayor
Cllr Janet Looker, Labour
since 22 May 2019
Cllr Keith Aspden, Lib Dems
since 22 May 2019
Cllr Andy D’Agorne, Green
since 22 May 2019
Leader of the Opposition
Cllr Danny Myers, Labour
since 22 May 2019
Structure
Seats47 councillors
Political groups
Administration (25)
     Liberal Democrats (21)
     Green (4)
Opposition (22)
     Labour (17)
     Conservative (2)
     Independent (3)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
First past the post
Last election
2 May 2019
Next election
4 May 2023
Meeting place
The Guildhall, York
Website
www.york.gov.uk

History

Municipal borough

The ancient liberty of the City of York was replaced in 1836 by a municipal borough, with city status, as a result of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. As a municipal borough, the York Corporation was responsible for all local government services in the City of York. The municipal borough was expanded to serve the following areas:[1]

Year Area Transferred from Transferred to
1836 The City of York - City of York (municipal borough)
1884 The parish of Holgate and part of the parishes of Clifton, Dringhouses, Gate Fulford, Heworth, and Middlethorpe

County borough

The municipal borough was replaced in 1884 by a county borough, with city status, as a result of the Municipal Corporations Act 1882. As a county borough, the York Corporation was responsible for all local government services in the City of York. When county councils were established for the East Riding, North Riding, and West Riding in 1889, as a result of the Local Government Act 1888, the City of York remained outside of their jurisdiction. The county borough was expanded and reduced in size to serve the following areas:[1]

Year Area Transferred from Transferred to
1884The City of York City of York (municipal borough) City of York (county borough)
1893 Part of the parish of Clifton -
1934 Part of the parishes of Clifton Without, Heworth Without, Huntington, and Osbaldwick Rural District of Flaxton
1937 The parish of Middlethorpe Without and part of the parishes of Bishopthorpe and Dringhouses Without Rural District of Bishopthorpe
Part of the parishes of Acomb and Knapton Rural District of Great Ouseburn
1957 Part of the parish of Askham Bryan Rural District of Tadcaster
1968 Part of the City of York City of York (county borough) Rural District of Flaxton
1968 Part of the parish of Heslington Rural District of Derwent City of York (county borough)
Part of the parish of Clifton Without Rural District of Flaxton

Non-metropolitan district

The county borough was replaced in 1974 by a non-metropolitan district, with city status, as a result of the Local Government Act 1972. As a non-metropolitan district, York City Council was responsible for some local government services in the City of York, with others being the responsibility of North Yorkshire County Council. The non-metropolitan district served the same area as the county borough:

Year Area Transferred from Transferred to
1974 The City of York City of York (county borough) City of York (non-metropolitan district)

Unitary authority

The non-metropolitan district was replaced in 1996 by a unitary authority, with city status, as a result of the Local Government Act 1992. As a unitary authority, City of York Council is responsible for all local government services in the City of York, except for services provided by York's town and parish councils. The unitary authority serves the following areas:

Year Area Transferred from Transferred to
1996 The City of York City of York (non-metropolitan district) City of York (unitary authority)
The parishes of Hessay, Nether Poppleton, Rufforth, and Upper Poppleton Borough of Harrogate
The parishes of Clifton Without, Earswick, Haxby, Heworth Without, Holtby, Huntington, Murton, New Earswick, Osbaldwick, Rawcliffe, Skelton, Stockton-on-the-Forest, Strensall, Towthorpe, and Wigginton District of Ryedale
The parishes of Acaster Malbis, Askham Bryan, Askham Richard, Bishopthorpe, Copmanthorpe, Deighton, Dunnington, Elvington, Fulford, Heslington, Kexby, Naburn, and Wheldrake District of Selby

Political control
Main article: City of York Council elections

Since 1995 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:[2]

Party in controlYears Council leader
Labour1995 – 2003 Cllr Rodney Hills, Cllr David Merrett
Liberal Democrats2003 – 2007 Cllr Steven Galloway
No overall control2007 – 2011 Cllr Andrew Waller
Labour2011 – 2015 Cllr James Alexander, Cllr Dafydd Williams
No overall control2015 – 2019 Cllr Chris Steward, Cllr David Carr, Cllr Ian Gillies, Cllr Keith Aspden
No overall control2019 - present Cllr Keith Aspden

2015-2019

Conservatives and Liberal Democrats 26 of the 47 seats formed a joint administration to run the council in May 2015. Both parties are opposed to green belt development on the scale proposed by the Labour Party.[3] The working majority of the joint administration shrunk in February 2018 to 24 seats, when former council leader Cllr David Carr (Copmanthorpe Ward) and Cllr Suzie Mercer (Wheldrake Ward) quit the Conservative group and party,[4] Labour councillors Fiona Derbyshire and Hilary Shepherd resigned from the Labour Party in August to sit as Independent Socialists York.[5]

Map showing the makeup of York City Council as of 10 November 2017

2019-present

Due to no overall control, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party, who hold 25 of the 47 seats between them, joined forces to form a coalition to run the City of York Council, revealed by YorkMix on 14 May 2019. Support for the Liberal Democrats and Green Party in York increased at the poll. Both parties combined received more than 50% of the vote. Furthermore, the two parties are opposed to Brexit.[6]

Map showing the makeup of York City Council as of 22 May 2019

Lender option borrower option loans

The council has two lender option borrower option loans (LOBOs) worth £5 million. Each run until 2060 and 2077, with current interest rates of 3.66 percent and 3.8 percent. One of the loans was taken out in 2008, on a 69-year term, and the other in 2010, on a 50-year term.[7]

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gollark: Maybe it's some whitespace which isn't being stripped properly.
gollark: I could assimilate it into potatOS if it's good then.

References
  1. Tillott, PM, ed. (1961). "The boundaries of the City". A History of the County of York: the City of York. Victoria County History. London: Victoria County History. pp. 311–321.
  2. "English local elections 2007 - York". BBC News. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  3. "Tories & Lib Dems to run York - Chris Steward to be leader - Labour ousted - First policies revealed". York Press. Newsquest Yorkshire & North-East. 18 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  4. "Council in chaos as outgoing leader quits Tories over 'act of betrayal' - but council tax set". York Press. Newsquest Yorkshire & North-East. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  5. "Two councillors quit Labour but continue as Independent Socialists York". York Press. Newsquest Yorkshire & North-East. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  6. "Lib Dems and the Green Party join forces to run City of York Council". YorkMix. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  7. Victoria Prest (14 July 2015). "City defends long-term loans, amid national controversy". York Press. Newsquest Yorkshire & North-East.
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