Borough of Charnwood
The Borough of Charnwood is a local government district with borough status in the north of Leicestershire, England, which has a population of 183,971 as of the 2021 census.[1] It borders Melton to the east, Harborough to the southeast, Leicester and Blaby to the south, Hinckley and Bosworth to the southwest, North West Leicestershire to the west and Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire to the north. It is named after Charnwood Forest, an area much of which lies within the borough.
Borough of Charnwood | |
---|---|
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Constituent country | England |
Region | East Midlands |
Administrative county | Leicestershire |
Admin. HQ | Loughborough |
Government | |
• Type | Charnwood Borough Council |
• Leadership: | Leader & Cabinet |
• Executive: | Labour with Green support |
• MPs: | Edward Argar, Jane Hunt |
Area | |
• Total | 108 sq mi (279 km2) |
• Rank | 127th |
Population (2021) | |
• Total | 182,817 |
• Rank | Ranked 111th |
• Density | 1,700/sq mi (660/km2) |
Time zone | UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (British Summer Time) |
ONS code | 31UC (ONS) E07000130 (GSS) |
Ethnicity | 91.7% White |
Website | www.charnwood.gov.uk |
The administrative centre of the borough is located in Loughborough, which is also the district's largest town and its main commercial centre. The town is also the location of Loughborough University. Other notable settlements include Shepshed, Syston, Birstall and Thurmaston.
History
The district of Charnwood was formed on 1 April 1974 as a merger of the municipal borough of Loughborough, the Shepshed urban district and the Barrow upon Soar Rural District. It was then granted borough status on 15 May 1974.[2]
The symbol of Charnwood Borough Council is the fox, historically linked with Leicestershire, and this is also the symbol used by Leicestershire County Council. Charnwood also contains Quorn, which is believed to be the birthplace of fox-hunting.
Geography
To the south it borders the City of Leicester, about 20 km away from Loughborough. There is a moderately urbanised A6 corridor between the two population centres and close to the River Soar, including Quorn, Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Birstall, Sileby, Thurmaston, Syston, Queniborough and East Goscote.
To the south of the borough, Birstall, Queniborough, Thurmaston and Syston form part of the Leicester Urban Area, while Quorn and Shepshed (the second-largest town in the district), amongst others, might be considered to be part of a Loughborough urban agglomeration.
The highest point is Beacon Hill (248m/814 ft) to the north of the Charnwood Forest 'area of natural beauty' extending WN-west into the National Forest.
Demographics
Charnwood is the largest borough by population in Leicestershire,[3] and has the largest school population as well.
Population growth in Charnwood | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 | 2021 | 2031 | |
Population | 89,980 | 103,282 | 127,046 | 132,170 | 141,759 | 153,428 | 166,100 | 183,971 | 207,000 | |
Census [4] | Nomis[5] | ONS Projections [6] |
Charnwood Borough Council
Charnwood Borough Council | |
---|---|
Type | |
Type | |
History | |
Founded | 1 April 1974 |
Leadership | |
Structure | |
Seats | 52 councillors |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | 4 years |
Elections | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Meeting place | |
Southfield Road, Loughborough | |
Website | |
https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/ |
There are two Parliamentary constituencies covering the district. Charnwood is represented by the Conservative Edward Argar MP. Loughborough is represented by the Conservative Party's Jane Hunt.
As with many other shire districts, authority over Charnwood is shared between the borough council and Leicestershire County Council. Areas of responsibility of the borough council include local planning, building control, council housing, refuse collection, recycling, and some leisure services and parks.
Charnwood Borough Council has 52 members. Following the 2023 Charnwood Borough Council election, the council came under no overall control, and a Green-supported Labour minority administration led by Jewel Miah formed the executive on 22 May 2023.[7][8]
Following the most recent elections in May 2023, the composition of the borough council is as follows:[9]
Political party | Seats | |
Conservative | 23 | |
Labour | 20 | |
Green | 8 | |
Independent | 1 | |
Leadership
The leaders of the council since 2010 have been:[10]
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
David Slater[11] | Conservative | 2010 | 6 Nov 2017 | |
Jonathan Morgan[12] | Conservative | 6 Nov 2017 | 5 May 2023 | |
Jewel Miah[8] | Labour | 22 May 2023 |
Parishes
- Anstey
- Barkby, Barkby Thorpe, Barrow upon Soar, Beeby, Birstall, Burton on the Wolds
- Cossington, Cotes
- East Goscote
- Hamilton Lea, Hathern, Hoton
- Mountsorrel
- Newtown Linford
- Prestwold
- Queniborough, Quorn
- Ratcliffe on the Wreake, Rearsby, Rothley
- Seagrave, Shepshed, Sileby, South Croxton, Swithland, Syston
- Thrussington, Thurcaston and Cropston, Thurmaston
- Ulverscroft
- Walton on the Wolds, Wanlip, Woodhouse, Wymeswold
Freedom of the Borough
The following people, military units, and organisations and groups have received the Freedom of the Borough of Charnwood.
Individuals
- Paula Radcliffe: 28 June 2004.
- Michael Jones: 29 September 2008.
- Lez Cope-Newman: 24 June 2019.
Military Units
- 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment: 4 September 2006.[14]
- 203 (Loughborough) Squadron The 158 (Royal Anglian) Transport Regiment: 15 April 2010.[15]
- The Royal Logistic Corps: April 2010.[16]
Organisations and Groups
- Leicester City Football Club: 14 September 2021.[17][18]
References
- "2021 Census Profile". Nomis Web. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- Charnwood Borough Council; The Mayoralty in Charnwood. Archived 20 February 2006 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 31 January 2006.
- excluding the City of Leicester part of Ceremonial Leicestershire
- Vision of Britain through time
- "2021 Census Profile - Nomis". Nomis. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ONS population projections 2014 base / projections uplifted by '21-1050/'31-1,400 given underestimation at 2016 - 1,100/
- Team, Communications Team Online: Contact Communications. "Recommendation made for Leader of Charnwood Borough Council". Charnwood Borough Council.
- Team, Communications Team Online: Contact Communications. "New Leader of Charnwood Borough Council is elected". Charnwood Borough Council.
- "Charnwood result - Local Elections 2023". BBC News.
- "Council minutes". Charnwood Borough Council. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- Rush, Andy (30 April 2018). "Tributes paid after former council leader David Slater passes away". Loughborough Echo. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- Coleman, Liam (2 November 2017). "New leader of Charnwood Borough Council chosen". Loughborough Echo. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- "Freedom of the Borough". Charnwood Borough Council. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- "FREEDOM OF ENTRY – ROYAL ANGLIAN REGIMENT" (PDF). www.charnwood.gov.uk. 4 September 2006. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- Watkins, Amy (15 April 2010). "TA is given freedom of the borough". The Loughborough Echo. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- "Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Charnwood" (PDF). www.charnwood.gov.uk. 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- "LCFC Granted Freedom Of The Borough Of Charnwood". Leicester City Football Club. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Charnwood Borough Council (14 September 2021). "Extraordinary Council – Conferment of Freedom of the Borough to Leicester City Football Club)" – via YouTube.