City of York Council is the local authority for York, in Yorkshire, England. York has had a city council from medieval times, which has been reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1996 the council has been a unitary authority, performing both district-level and county-level functions. It is composed of 47 councillors and has been under Labour majority control since 2023. The council is based at West Offices on Station Rise.
History
York was an ancient borough, which held city status from time immemorial. In 1396 the city was given the right to appoint its own sheriffs, making it a county corporate, outside the jurisdiction of the Sheriff of Yorkshire.[3] In 1449 an adjoining rural area called the Ainsty, covering several villages to the south-west of York, was brought under the city's authority.[4]
By the nineteenth century the city corporation's powers were deemed inadequate to deal with the challenges of providing and maintaining the infrastructure of the city. A separate body of improvement commissioners was established in 1825 to pave, light and repair the streets, provide a watch, and supply water.[5][6]
York was reformed in 1836 to become a municipal borough under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which standardised how many boroughs operated across the country. The city was then governed by a body formally called the "lord mayor, aldermen and citizens of the city of York", generally known as the corporation or city council.[7] Shortly afterwards the question arose as to whether the reformed corporation's area still included the Ainsty. This was resolved later in 1836 when the Municipal Corporation (Boundaries) Act 1836 confirmed that the municipal boundaries only covered the city proper, and the Ainsty was transferred to the West Riding.[8]
The improvement commissioners continued to exist alongside the reformed corporation until 1850, when the city was also made a local board district with the city council acting as the local board, thereby taking over the responsibilities of the abolished commissioners.[9]
The city's municipal boundaries were enlarged on a number of occasions, notably in 1884 when it gained areas including Clifton and Heworth, and in 1937 when it gained areas including Acomb, Dringhouses and Middlethorpe. There were more modest adjustments to the boundaries in 1934, 1957 and 1968.[10][11]
When elected county councils were established in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888, York was considered large enough to provide its own county-level services and so it was made a county borough, independent from the three county councils established for the surrounding East Riding, North Riding and West Riding.[12] For lieutenancy purposes York was deemed part of the West Riding.[13]
In 1996, following a review under the Local Government Act 1992, the district was replaced by a unitary authority with significantly larger boundaries, gaining a number of civil parishes from the neighbouring districts of Harrogate, Ryedale and Selby. Some of these parishes were already effectively suburbs, having been absorbed into the city's urban area since the boundaries had last been reviewed in 1968; others formed part of the rural hinterland around the city.[15] The city remains part of the wider ceremonial county of North Yorkshire for the purposes of lieutenancy.[16]
Local government across North Yorkshire was reviewed again in 2023, when North Yorkshire County Council also became a unitary authority, and rebranded itself as North Yorkshire Council. As part of the process leading up to those reforms various alternatives were considered, some of which would have divided North Yorkshire into smaller unitary authorities which could have included York, but these alternatives were ultimately rejected.[17][18][19][20]
Instead, it was decided to create a new combined authority led by a directly elected mayor covering both York and North Yorkshire. The first election for the new mayor will take place in May 2024.[21][22]
Governance
City of York Council provides both county-level and district-level services. Parts of the city are included in civil parishes, which form a second tier of local government for their areas. The central part of the modern city, corresponding to the former city boundaries as existed between 1968 and 1996, is an unparished area.[23][24]
Political control
Following the 2023 election the Labour Party emerged with a majority. The leader is Claire Douglas, the first female council leader in the city's history.[25]
Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:[26][27][28]
The role of Lord Mayor of York is largely ceremonial, and tends to be held by a different person each year. Political leadership is provided instead by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1984 have been:[29]
Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the council has comprised 47 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[36]
Premises
Back of West Offices, showing the 2013 extension.
The council is based at West Offices on Station Rise, which is the converted and extended original York railway station of 1841.[37] The council moved into the newly-extended building in 2013.[38]
Guildhall, York: Council's former headquarters, where the council chamber is still used for some full council meetings.
Prior to 2013 the council was based at York Guildhall on the banks of the River Ouse, the oldest parts of which date back to the fifteenth century.[39] Full council meetings are still occasionally held in the council chamber at the Guildhall, which is now occupied by the University of York.[40]
Social care
In October 2020 the council provided older people in the city with smart watches, which monitor a range of indicators including body temperature, heart rate, sleep patterns and step count. They are supported by sensors in their homes that can capture temperature and humidity, movement, how often doors open and close and power consumption. The service is provided by Sensing247 and North SP Group Limited and is intended to help people stay independent.[41]
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