Gedling is a local government district with borough status in Nottinghamshire, England. The council is based in Arnold. The borough also includes Carlton along with villages and rural areas to the north-east of Nottingham. The main built-up part of the borough around Arnold and Carlton forms part of the Nottingham Urban Area.

Borough of Gedling
Gedling
Arnold, the largest settlement and the administrative centre of the district
Arnold, the largest settlement and the administrative centre of the district
Coat of arms of Borough of Gedling
Shown within Nottinghamshire
Shown within Nottinghamshire
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionEast Midlands
Administrative countyNottinghamshire
Administrative headquartersArnold
Government
 • TypeGedling Borough Council
 • MPs:Tom Randall,
Mark Spencer
Area
 • Total50 sq mi (120 km2)
 • Rank179th
Population
 (2021)
 • Total117,298
 • RankRanked 203rd
 • Density2,500/sq mi (980/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
ONS code37UE (ONS)
E07000173 (GSS)

The neighbouring districts are Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood, Rushcliffe and Nottingham.

History edit

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The new district covered the whole area of two former districts and part of a third, which were all abolished at the same time:[2]

The new district was named after the old village of Gedling.[3][4] The civil parish of Gedling had been abolished in 1935 and absorbed into the Carlton Urban District.[5]

The new Gedling district was granted borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[6]

Governance edit

Gedling Borough Council
 
Type
Type
Leadership
Julie Najuk,
Labour
since 24 May 2023
John Clarke,
Labour
since 18 May 2011
Mike Hill
since July 2020[7]
Structure
Seats41 councillors
Political groups
Administration (26)
  Labour (26)
Other parties (13)
  Conservative (9)
  Liberal Democrat (4)
  Independent (2)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
 
Civic Centre, Arnot Hill Park, Arnold, Nottingham, NG5 6LU
Website
www.gedling.gov.uk
 
Carlton, the second largest settlement in the borough

Gedling Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Nottinghamshire County Council. Parts of the borough are also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[8]

Political control edit

The council has been under Labour majority control since 2011.

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[9][10]

Party in control Years
Conservative 1974–1995
Labour 1995–1999
Conservative 1999–2003
No overall control 2003–2007
Conservative 2007–2011
Labour 2011–present

Leadership edit

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Gedling. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2003 have been:[11][12]

Councillor Party From To
Ivan Gollop Labour 2003 2004
Roland Spencer Conservative 2004 11 May 2005
Ivan Gollop Labour 11 May 2005 10 May 2006
Roland Spencer Conservative 10 May 2006 18 May 2011
John Clarke Labour 18 May 2011

Composition edit

Following the 2023 election and changes of allegiance reported in November 2023, the composition of the council was:[13][14]

Party Councillors
Labour 26
Conservative 9
Liberal Democrats 4
Independent 2
Total 39

The next election is due in 2027.

Premises edit

The council is based at the Civic Centre in Arnot Hill Park. The building was purpose-built for the council in 1985 at a cost of £2.2 million. It was formally opened by Princess Anne on 1 November 1985.[15]

Elections edit

Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the council has comprised 41 councillors representing 19 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[16]

Wards edit

The wards are:[16][17]

  • Bestwood St Albans
  • Calverton
  • Carlton
  • Carlton Hill
  • Cavendish
  • Colwick
  • Coppice
  • Daybrook
  • Dumbles
  • Ernehale
  • Gedling
  • Netherfield
  • Newstead Abbey
  • Phoenix
  • Plains
  • Porchester
  • Redhill
  • Trent Valley
  • Woodthorpe

Parliamentary edit

The borough is covered by two parliamentary constituencies. The more urban southern part of the borough adjoining Nottingham is in the Gedling constituency, which until 1983 was known as Carlton. The more rural northern part of the borough, including Calverton and Ravenshead, forms part of the Sherwood constituency.[18]

Parishes edit

There are twelve civil parishes in the borough. The former Arnold Urban District and most of the former Carlton Urban District comprise an unparished area. The parish of Stoke Bardolph has a parish meeting rather than a parish council due to its small population.[19][18]

Culture edit

The Bonington Theatre in Arnold is named after the landscape painter Richard Parkes Bonington.[20]

The borough contains Newstead Abbey, a former Augustinian Priory. The building was converted into a house following the dissolution of the monasteries and was later the seat of the Byron family, including Lord Byron.

Arms edit

Coat of arms of Borough of Gedling
 
Crest
On a wreath of the colours issuant from a mural crown Or in front of two arrows in saltire points downwards a torch Sable enflamed Proper.
Escutcheon
Azure an oak tree fructed and eradicated Or on a chief lozengy Argent and Sable tree garbs of the second.
Supporters
On the dexter side a stag and on the sinister side a bear both Proper.
Motto
Omnibus Optimum (The Best For All)[21]

Freedom of the Borough edit

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of Gedling.

Individuals edit

Military units edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Gedling Local Authority (E07000173)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
  3. ^ "Gedling". Britannica. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  4. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
  5. ^ "Gedling Ancient Parish / Civil Parish". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  6. ^ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Council appoints new Chief Executive". Gedling Borough Council. 24 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  9. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  10. ^ "England council elections". BBC News Online. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  11. ^ "Council minutes". Gedling Borough Council. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Council leader history". What do they know?. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  14. ^ Whittaker, Anna (2 November 2023). "Second Gedling councillor resigns from Labour Party over refusal to call for Israel-Gaza ceasefire". Gedling Eye. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  15. ^ "All Smiles!". Nottingham Evening Post. 1 November 1985. p. 1. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  16. ^ a b "The Gedling (Electoral Changes) Order 2014", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2014/19, retrieved 2 July 2023
  17. ^ Council, Gedling Borough. "Data about our Wards - Gedling Borough Council". www.gedling.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  18. ^ a b "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  19. ^ "Parish council contact details". Gedling Borough Council. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  20. ^ "Arnold". Gedling Borough Council website. Gedling Borough Council. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  21. ^ "East Midlands Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  22. ^ "Former MP Vernon Coaker granted freedom of Gedling borough in ceremony". The Gedling Eye. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  23. ^ "Mercian regiment awarded Freedom of Gedling". BBC News. 20 October 2010. Retrieved 19 June 2022.

External links edit

52°58′31″N 1°04′33″W / 52.97531°N 1.07597°W / 52.97531; -1.07597