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.

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:
YearAreaTransferred fromTransferred to
1836The City of York-City of York '
1884The parish of Holgate and part of the parishes of Clifton, Dringhouses, Gate Fulford, Heworth, and Middlethorpe-City of York '

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:
YearAreaTransferred fromTransferred to
1884The City of YorkCity of York 'City of York '
1893Part of the parish of Clifton-City of York '
1934Part of the parishes of Clifton Without, Heworth Without, Huntington, and OsbaldwickRural District of FlaxtonCity of York '
1937The parish of Middlethorpe Without and part of the parishes of Bishopthorpe and Dringhouses WithoutRural District of BishopthorpeCity of York '
1937Part of the parishes of Acomb and KnaptonRural District of Great OuseburnCity of York '
1957Part of the parish of Askham BryanRural District of TadcasterCity of York '
1968Part of the City of YorkCity of York 'Rural District of Flaxton
1968Part of the parish of HeslingtonRural District of DerwentCity of York '
1968Part of the parish of Clifton WithoutRural District of FlaxtonCity of York '

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:
YearAreaTransferred fromTransferred to
1974The City of YorkCity of York 'City of York '

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:
YearAreaTransferred fromTransferred to
1996The City of YorkCity of York 'City of York '
1996The parishes of Hessay, Nether Poppleton, Rufforth, and Upper PoppletonBorough of HarrogateCity of York '
1996The parishes of Clifton Without, Earswick, Haxby, Heworth Without, Holtby, Huntington, Murton, New Earswick, Osbaldwick, Rawcliffe, Skelton, Stockton-on-the-Forest, Strensall, Towthorpe, and WiggintonDistrict of RyedaleCity of York '
1996The parishes of Acaster Malbis, Askham Bryan, Askham Richard, Bishopthorpe, Copmanthorpe, Deighton, Dunnington, Elvington, Fulford, Heslington, Kexby, Naburn, and WheldrakeDistrict of SelbyCity of York

Political control

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

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. The working majority of the joint administration shrunk in February 2018 to 24 seats, when former council leader Cllr David Carr and Cllr Suzie Mercer quit the Conservative group and party, Labour councillors Fiona Derbyshire and Hilary Shepherd resigned from the Labour Party in August to sit as Independent Socialists York.

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.

Lender option borrower option loans

The council has two lender option borrower option loans 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.