Oadby and Wigston

Oadby and Wigston is a local government district and borough in the county of Leicestershire, England. It was formed in 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, from the merger of the Oadby and Wigston urban districts. The population of the district at the 2011 census was 56,170.[1] The district forms part of the Harborough constituency.

Borough of Oadby and Wigston
Oadby, one of the two towns that form the borough
Oadby, one of the two towns that form the borough
Shown within Leicestershire
Shown within Leicestershire
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionEast Midlands
Administrative countyLeicestershire
Admin. HQWigston Magna
Government
  TypeOadby and Wigston Borough Council
  Leadership:Alternative - Sec.31
  Executive:Liberal Democrat
  MPs:Neil O'Brien
Area
  Total9.08 sq mi (23.53 km2)
  Rank286th
Population
 (2021)
  Total57,753
  RankRanked 291st
  Density6,400/sq mi (2,500/km2)
Time zoneUTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
  Summer (DST)UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
ISO 3166-2GB-LEC
ONS code31UJ (ONS)
E07000135 (GSS)
NUTS 3UKF22
Ethnicity82.8% White
13.5% S.Asian
1.3% Black British
WebsiteOadby-Wigston.gov.uk

Geography

It is composed of the areas of Oadby, Wigston Magna, South Wigston and the hamlet of Kilby Bridge. It is predominantly urban, and borders Leicester directly to the north-west. There are no civil parishes in the district.

The most northerly corner is near the junction of the A6030 and B582, and near the Bupa hospital it meets Harborough. It runs along the B582 then along the former Roman road (which runs to Corby), passing the playing fields of the University of Leicester. It passes along the north edge of Oadby Lodge, a farm owned by the Co-op. Towards the deserted village of Stretton Magna (outside the district), the boundary passes southwestwards. This area was proposed to be the site of the eco-town Pennbury. It crosses the A6 at Glen Gorse Golf Club. It crosses Newton Lane and the Midland Main Line. It crosses the Grand Union Canal, and towards Kilby it meets the district of Blaby at the River Sence. It follows the River Sence, crossing the A5199 (Welford Road). At Rose Farm it follows Countesthorpe Road towards South Wigston, to the Grand Union Canal, crossing the former Midland Counties Railway, which it follows westwards. It passes northwards across St Thomas Road (B582) and the Birmingham to Peterborough Line. It passes northwards on the east side of the Glen Parva prison (in Blaby district). It meets Leicester UA south of Eyres Monsell, a large housing estate.

Following the Leicester boundary, it crosses Saffron Road (B5366), then follows Dorset Avenue, follows the Midland Main Line northwards, crossing Aylestone Lane (B5418), then crosses the Midland Main Line. It crosses the Welford Road (A5199) at the point where the road becomes a dual-carriageway south of the Best Western Leicester Stage Hotel (in Leicester UA). It passes on the south edge of Knighton Park, and the western edge of Oadby Golf Club, west of Leicester Racecourse (in the district). Near the racecourse entrance it crosses the A563 southern ring road, then London Road (A6), passing northwards along the western edge of the University of Leicester's Oadby Student Village, west of the University of Leicester Botanic Garden (in the district).

Demographics

Population growth in Oadby and Wigston
Year 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 2016 2021 2031
Population 23,943 34,206 50,253 50,014 51,542 55,773 56,170 55,800 56,500 59,700
Census [2] ONS[3] ONS Projections [4]

Education

Both Beauchamp College, in the south of Oadby, and Wigston College, on the B582 in Wigston, are former grammar schools. Both were upper schools, as the three tier system operated in the district's schools. Also near the council offices on the B582 is South Leicestershire College, an FE college. Next to the Beauchamp College is Gartree High School, a former middle school. Another school is Manor High School, Oadby, which was the largest middle school in the country.

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council
Logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1974
Leadership
Samia Haq,
Liberal Democrat
since 5 May 2023
Structure
Seats26 councillors
Political groups
Administration (19)
  Liberal Democrat (19)
Opposition (7)
  Conservative (7)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
Last election
4 May 2023
Meeting place
Council Offices, Station Road, Wigston
Website
https://www.oadby-wigston.gov.uk/

Like many other shire districts, authority over Oadby and Wigston 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. Oadby and Wigston Borough Council has 26 members. Since 1991 it has been administered by a Liberal Democrat led-executive. Samia Haq has been leader of the council since 5 May 2023.

The composition of the council following the May 2023 election was:

Party Seats [5]
Liberal Democrats 19
Conservative 7

Historical control

The Conservatives held a majority of seats on the council from its creation in 1973 until 1991. The Liberal Democrats first won a majority in 1991 and have retained control since then.[6][7]

Party in controlYears
Conservative1973–1991
Liberal Democrats1991–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2014 have been:[8]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
John Boyce Liberal Democratspre-20145 May 2023
Samia Haq Liberal Democrats5 May 2023

Wards

Borough council ward map

The borough is divided into two and three member wards:

  • Oabdy Brocks Hill (2)
  • Oadby Grange (3)
  • Oadby St Peter's (2)
  • Oadby Uplands (2)
  • Oadby Woodlands (2)
  • South Wigston (3)
  • Wigston All Saints (3)
  • Wigston Fields (3)
  • Wigston Meadowscroft (3)
  • Wigston St Walstan's (3)

Arms

Coat of arms of Oadby and Wigston
Crest
On a wreath Argent and Gules an owl affronty supporting with the wings a Brown pelt charged with a shuttle erect all Proper.
Escutcheon
Quarterly Gules and Vert on a bend Or between in the second and third quarters two bars gemelles Or surmounted of a pile reversed Argent a lion's gamb erased Gules between two pierced cinquefoils Ermine
Supporters
On the dexter side a lamb guardant Argent and on the sinister side a tiger guardant the tail reflexed upward along the exterior thigh Proper.
Motto
Obtain Wisdom [9]

Freedom of the borough

The following people, military units and Organisations have received the Freedom of the Borough of Oadby and Wigston.

Individuals

  • H. Embacher: 1988.

Military units

Organisations and groups

References

  1. "Local Government district population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  2. Vision of Britain through time
  3. mid year estimate
  4. ONS population projections 2014 base
  5. "Oadby and Wigston Borough Council".
  6. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  7. "Oadby & Wigston". BBC News Online. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  8. "Council minutes". Oadby and Wigston Borough Council. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  9. "East Midlands Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  10. "Freedom of the Borough march to be held in Wigston". Leicester Mercury. 1 May 2012. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012.
  11. "Freedom of the Borough".
  12. "University of Leicester granted Honorary Freedom of the Borough". Oadby and Wigston Borough Council. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  13. "University of Leicester Granted Freedom of The Borough". In Your Area. 4 April 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.

52.592°N 1.095°W / 52.592; -1.095

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