The council and our democratic structure

This council exists to serve the needs of our local residents and those working in, or visiting, the area.

We work according to the rules set out in our constitution and provide a democratic local government offering a wide range of services.

Our policies on how we deliver these services are decided by councillors, each of whom is elected for a period of four years. The borough is divided into 24 wards, each having one, two or three councillors depending on its size.

Following the elections on May 4, 2023, the political make-up of Charnwood Borough Council is as follows:

• 23 Conservative councillors
• 20 Labour councillors
• 8 Green Party councillors
• 1 Independent councillor

Council decisions

Most of our major council decisions are made by the Cabinet, which consists of councillors from the party in control. The Cabinet meets every four weeks or so and is made up of the Council Leader plus nine other appointed councillors.

The full council also meets regularly, as do the various council committees which have scrutiny, member conduct or regulatory functions. The dates and times of all meetings are published on our website, as are agendas and minutes.

You can find all this information on our Modern.gov website.

A Mayor is chosen annually to fulfil two important roles, firstly to chair the meetings and secondly to attend around 500 engagements as the First Citizen of the borough.

Budgets

Each year we set a budget which balances the cost of the services we provide - such as refuse collection, leisure facilities, housing and benefits - with the income from sources such as rents and government grants. Our priorities are set out in the Council's Corporate Strategy.

The Council organises the annual canvass and update for the Register of Electors, together with the organisation of parish council, borough council, county council, parliamentary, European parliamentary elections and referenda held within Charnwood.