Borough of Melton

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{{#invoke:other uses|otheruses}} Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox settlement Melton is a local government district with borough status in north-eastern Leicestershire, England. It is named after its only town, Melton Mowbray. The borough also includes numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The north of the district includes part of the Vale of Belvoir. Melton is the least populous district of its type and the fourth least populous district in England overall.

The neighbouring districts are Harborough, Charnwood, Rushcliffe, Newark and Sherwood, South Kesteven and Rutland.

History

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of two former districts, which were both abolished at the same time:<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref>

The new district was named Melton after the area's only town, Melton Mowbray.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref> The district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Governance

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Melton Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Leicestershire County Council. Much of the borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref><ref name=electionmaps>Template:Cite web</ref>

Political control

The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being run by a joint administration of Labour and most of the independent councillors, led by Labour councillor Pip Allnatt.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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:<ref name=compositions>Template:Cite web (Put "Melton" in search box to see specific results.)</ref>

Party in control Years
Template:Party name with colour 1974–1995
Template:Party name with colour 1995–2003
Template:Party name with colour 2003–2023
Template:Party name with colour 2023–present

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Melton. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2011 have been:

Councillor Party From To
Malise Graham Template:Party name with colour 14 Dec 2011
Byron Rhodes<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=17May2016/> Template:Party name with colour 14 Dec 2011 17 May 2016
Pam Posnett<ref name=17May2016>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=16May2017/> Template:Party name with colour 17 May 2016 16 May 2017
Joe Orson<ref name=16May2017>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Party name with colour 16 May 2017 10 May 2023
Pip Allnatt<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Party name with colour 24 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2023 election,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to May 2025, the composition of the council was:<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Thorncliffe>Template:Cite web</ref>

Party Councillors
Template:Party name with colour 10
Template:Party name with colour 6
Template:Party name with colour 1
Template:Party name with colour 10
Total 28

Of the ten independent councillors, eight sit together as the "Independent Group" which forms the council's administration with Labour.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The next election is due in 2027.<ref name=Thorncliffe/>

Elections

Template:Also Since the last boundary changes in 2003 the council has comprised 28 councillors representing 16 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref>

The borough is part of the Melton and Syston parliamentary constituency.

Premises

The council is based at Parkside on Burton Street, adjoining Melton Mowbray railway station. The building was purpose-built for the council and opened in 2011.<ref name=fire>Template:Cite news</ref>

When first created in 1974 the council inherited offices at Egerton Lodge on Wilton Road from Melton Mowbray Urban District Council and at Warwick Lodge on Dalby Road from Melton and Belvoir Rural District Council.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> In 1986 the council moved to a new building called Council Offices on Nottingham Road.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> The Nottingham Road building burnt down on 30 May 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The northern wing of the building was repaired and is now called Phoenix House, but the rest of the building was beyond repair and was demolished. The council instead chose to build new headquarters at Parkside, spending £5.6m on the new building.<ref name=fire/>

East Midlands Councils is based at the Pera Business Park on Nottingham Road, opposite the former Melton borough offices.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The former East Midlands Regional Assembly was based at the same site until it was abolished in 2010.

Geography

The district borders South Kesteven, in Lincolnshire, to the east, Rutland to the south, Charnwood to the west (along the A46 Fosse Way), and Rushcliffe and Newark and Sherwood in Nottinghamshire to the north. The north part of the district is known as the Vale of Belvoir.

Parishes

The former Melton Mowbray Urban District is an unparished area. The rest of the borough is divided into civil parishes.<ref name=electionmaps/>

Electoral wards

The borough is divided into 16 electoral wards:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Economy

Farming and food production are the main industries with Pedigree Petfoods in Melton, and its Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition at Waltham on the Wolds. There is a large creamery (Long Clawson Dairy) at Long Clawson. Samworth Brothers are headquartered in Melton. The Royal Army Veterinary Corps and Defence Animal Training Regiment are also in Melton.

The Birmingham to Peterborough Line runs through the borough, and the borough is criss-crossed by the A607 (Leicester-Grantham) and the A606 (Nottingham-Oakham). Both these roads meet in the centre of Melton (outside Melton Brooksby College), with resulting congestion.

Food

The borough is the home of Stilton Cheese and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies.

Media

The area is served by BBC East Midlands and ITV Central with television signals received from the Waltham transmitter which is situated at Waltham-on-the-Wolds, 5 miles (8 km) north-east of Melton Mowbray. <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Radio stations for the area are:

Local newspapers are Leicester Mercury and Melton Times<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

Entering the borough near Twyford on the B6047

Until September 2008, the district operated the three-tier education system, whereby there were three middle schools. All these schools fed into the same upper school in Melton from 14-18. At both GCSE and A level, the district's results are above the England average. From age 16 Students can attend either Melton Vale Post 16 Centre for academic sixth form courses, or Brooksby Melton College for vocational courses.

Demography

Melton population pyramid

The Borough of Melton has experienced steady population growth in recent times albeit at a rate lower than the other districts within Leicestershire.

Population growth in the Borough of Melton
Year 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 2016 2021 2031
Population 32,825 34,512 38,897 42,578 45,105 47,890 50,376 50,900 53,000 55,500
Census <ref>Vision of Britain through time</ref> ONS<ref>mid year estimate</ref> ONS Projections <ref>ONS population projections 2014 base / projections reduced by '21 - 500/'31 - 500 given an overestimation at 2016 - 600/</ref>

Highest rate of accidental death in England in 2010/11

In March 2012, Melton was identified as having the highest rate of accidental death by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, with statistics over the period from 2010/11 showing an average of 29 deaths for 100,000 people.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Coat of arms

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References

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