Exeter City Council
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2010) |
Exeter City Council | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms | |
| Logo Logo | |
| Type | |
| Type | City and non-metropolitan district council of Exeter |
| Houses | Unicameral |
Term limits | None |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1974 |
| Leadership | |
The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor | |
The Deputy Lord Mayor | Peter Holland[1] |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 39 |
 | |
Political groups | Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats |
| Elections | |
| First past the post election by thirds | |
Last election | 7 May 2015 |
Next election | 5 May 2016 Entire council |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Civic Centre, Dix's Field | |
| Website | |
| [1] | |
Exeter City Council is the council and local government of the city of Exeter, Devon.
The City Council provides a range of services within the city including housing, refuse collections and recycling, planning, economic development, tourism, leisure and arts facilities and activities. The Council also provides housing and council tax benefits as well as collecting the council tax on behalf of the city council, county council, police and fire services. Services such as education, social services, transport and highways are provided in the city by Devon County Council.
History
Unitary authority status
The government proposed that the city should become an independent unitary authority within Devon, much like neighbouring Plymouth and Torbay. The statutory orders to set up the unitary authority were passed in Parliament and a new unitary city council was due to start in Exeter on 1 April 2011. However, following the 2010 general election the new government announced in May 2010 that the reorganisation would be blocked.[2][3] Planned elections for seats on the City Council due to be held May 2010 were cancelled and new elections were held on the 9th of September 2010.
Wards and councillors
The wards of the city for City Council purposes are listed below. Most of these correspond to traditional divisions of the city that would be recognised by local inhabitants. One or two, inevitably, are somewhat artificial creations:
- Alphington - includes the Marsh Barton industrial estate
- Cowick - includes parts of the area known locally as St Thomas
- Duryard
- Exwick
- Heavitree
- Mincinglake - covers parts of Stoke Hill and Beacon Heath, little used locally as the name of an area
- Newtown - includes parts of the areas known locally as St Sidwells, St Leonards and Newtown itself.
- Pennsylvania
- Pinhoe
- Polsloe - little used locally as the name of an area, centred along Polsloe Road.
- Priory - includes parts of the areas referred to locally as Wonford and Countess Wear. The ward takes its name from the former local secondary school now known as Isca College. Priory School had been built on the site of the former Priory of St James
- St David's
- St James
- St Leonards
- St Loyes - includes areas referred to locally as Heavitree and Wonford, and most of the Sowton industrial estate
- St Thomas
- Topsham - the historic town of Topsham, plus parts of Countess Wear (principally the Golf and Country Club and the Southbrook estate).
- Whipton Barton
All city wards return two councillors to the Council, except for Alphington, Exwick, Priory, and Whipton Barton, which return three. The council holds elections by thirds over a four-year cycle - one third of seats being contested in each of three years, and elections to Devon County Council taking place in the fourth.
Three political parties are currently represented on the council, as shown below:
| Party[4] | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 28 | |
| Conservative | 11 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 1 | |
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England published its final recommendations in September 2015 for changes to the wards in Exeter. The aim was to reduce the city's high levels in electoral inequality. The number of wards will be reduced to 13; each electing three councillors for a total of 39. Following parliamentary approval, it will come into effect at the 2016 election.[5]
References
- ^ a b "Lord Mayoralty". Exeter City Council. Retrieved 11 Aug 2016.
- ^ "The Coalition: our programme for government" (PDF). HM Government, United Kingdom. 20 May 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- ^ Hennessy, Patrick (22 May 2010). "The Queen's Speech: Bill by Bill". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- ^ "Your Councillors by Party". Exeter City Council. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
- ^ "Final recommendation on the new electoral arrangements for Exeter City Council: Summary report" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 28 October 2015.