City of Colchester

Colchester was an ancient borough with urban forms of local government from Saxon times. Burgesses were already established by the time of the Domesday survey of 1086. The earliest known borough charter dates from 1189, but that charter appears to confirm pre-existing borough rights rather than being the foundation of a new borough.{{cite book |editor1-last=Cooper |editor1-first=Janet |editor2-last=Elrington |editor2-first=C. R. |title=A History of the County of Essex: Volume 9, the Borough of Colchester |date=1994 |publisher=Victoria County History |location=London |pages=48–57 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol9/pp48-57 |access-date=4 June 2023 |chapter=Medieval Colchester: Borough government}} The borough was reformed in 1836 to become a municipal borough.{{cite web |title=Colchester Municipal Borough |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10166767 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=4 June 2023}}

The current district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, covering four former districts which were abolished at the same time:{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|access-date=31 May 2023}}

• Colchester Municipal Borough
• Lexden and Winstree Rural District
• West Mersea Urban District
• Wivenhoe Urban District

The new district was named Colchester after its largest settlement.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=551|access-date=31 May 2023}} The new district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor, continuing Colchester's series of mayors.{{cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1974/mar/28/district-councils-and-boroughs#S5CV0871P0_19740328_CWA_145|title=District Councils and Boroughs|date=28 March 1974|work=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)|access-date=16 January 2012}}

As part of the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II celebrations in 2022, the borough of Colchester was granted city status, confirmed by Letters Patent dated 5 September 2022, allowing the council to change its name to "Colchester City Council".{{Cite web |date=29 September 2022 |title=Crown Office - The Gazette |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/4171582 |quote=The Late QUEEN was pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 5 September 2022 to ordain that the Borough of Colchester shall have the status of a City.}}

{{Infobox legislature

| name = Colchester City Council

| logo_pic = Colchester City Council logo.svg

| logo_res = 200px

| house_type = Non-metropolitan district

| leader1_type = Mayor

| leader1 = Mike Lilley

| party1 =
Labour

| election1 = 21 May 2025{{cite news |last1=Groves |first1=Halle |title=Colchester council appoint 192nd Mayor, cllr Mike Lilley |url=https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/25180829.colchester-council-appoint-192nd-mayor-cllr-mike-lilley/ |access-date=29 May 2025 |work=Daily Gazette / Essex County Standard |date=21 May 2025}}

| leader2_type = Leader

| leader2 = David King

| party2 =
Liberal Democrat

| election2 = 22 May 2022

| leader3_type = Chief Executive

| leader3 = Pamela Donelly

| party3 =

| election3 = 1 April 2022{{cite news |title=Colchester Borough Council appoints new Chief Executive |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-59741855 |access-date=4 June 2023 |work=BBC News |date=21 December 2021}}

| members = 51

| structure1 = ColchesterCouncilJune2024.svg

| structure1_res = 250

| political_groups1 =

Administration (28)

: {{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Labour (14)

: {{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Liberal Democrats (14)}}

Other parties (23)

: {{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Conservatives (19)}}

: {{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}|border=darkgray}} Green (3)}}

: {{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Independent politician}} |border=darkgray}} Independent (1)}}

| committees1 =

| committees2 =

| joint_committees =

| voting_system1 =

| voting_system2 =

| last_election1 = 2 May 2024

| next_election1 = 7 May 2026

| session_room = File:Colchester Town Hall.jpg

| session_res =

| meeting_place = Town Hall, High Street, Colchester, CO1{{nbsp}}1PJ

| website = {{URL|www.colchester.gov.uk}}

| footnotes =

}}

Colchester City Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Essex County Council. Parts of the district are also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1972|year=1972|chapter=70|access-date=31 May 2023}}

The council has been under no overall control since 2008. A Liberal Democrat and Labour coalition formed in May 2025, with Liberal Democrat councillor David King serving as leader of the council and Labour councillor Julie Young serving as deputy leader.{{cite news |last1=Hensel |first1=Natalie |title=Colchester Labour and Lib Dems announce new coalition |url=https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/25179801.colchester-labour-lib-dems-announce-new-coalition/ |access-date=29 May 2025 |work=Daily Gazette / Essex County Standard |date=21 May 2025}} Between the 2023 election and the new coalition forming in 2025, the council had been run by a Liberal Democrat minority administration with informal support from the Labour Party and the Green Party on a case-by-case basis.{{cite news |last1=Dedman |first1=Simon |title=Colchester: Power-sharing ends between Labour and Lib Dems |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-65693352 |access-date=4 June 2023 |work=BBC News |date=24 May 2023}}

The first election to the borough council following the reforms of the Local Government Act 1972 was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:{{cite web |title=Compositions Calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/composition_calc.html |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=The Elections Centre |publisher=University of Exeter}} (Put "Colchester" in search box to see specific results.){{cite news| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/local_council/08/html/22ug.stm | title = Colchester | access-date = 2010-03-17 | work = BBC News Online | date=19 April 2008}}{{cite news|url=http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/1535697.Colchester__Lib_Dems_furious_at_pair___s_defection_to_the_Tories/|title=Colchester: Lib Dems furious at pair's defection to the Tories|last=Wilkin|first=Chris|date=11 July 2007|work=Daily Gazette|access-date=30 May 2014}}

{{also|List of mayors of Colchester}}

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Colchester. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2000 have been:

Following the 2024 council elections and a subsequent change of allegiance later in May 2024,{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/24355492.colchester-councillor-lesley-scott-boutell-quits-lib-dems/|title=Colchester councillor Lesley Scott-Boutell quits Lib Dems|first1=Elliot|last1=Deady|date=30 May 2024|access-date=3 June 2024|work=Daily Gazette (Colchester)}} the composition of the council was:

The next election is due 7 May 2026.{{cite web |title=Colchester |url=https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/councils/?council=colchester |website=Local Councils |publisher=Thorncliffe |access-date=29 May 2025}}

The council meets at Colchester Town Hall on the High Street. The current building was completed in 1902 on a site which had been occupied by Colchester's main civic buildings since 1277.{{cite web|first1=A. P. |last1=Baggs |first2=Beryl |last2=Board|first3=Philip|last3= Crummy|first4=Claude |last4=Dove|first5=Shirley|last5= Durgan|first6= N. R. |last6=Goose|first7= R. B.|last7= Pugh|first8=Pamela|last8= Studd |first9=C. C.|last9= Thornton|title= 'Municipal buildings', in A History of the County of Essex: Volume 9, the Borough of Colchester, ed. Janet Cooper and C R Elrington |location=London|year=1994|pages=274–277|publisher=British History Online |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol9/pp274-277 |access-date= 11 November 2020}}

Most of the council's administrative offices are at a modern office building called Rowan House at 33 Sheepen Road, north-west of the city centre.{{cite web |title=Our buildings and fleet vehicles |url=https://www.colchester.gov.uk/sustainability/buildings-fleet-vehicles/ |website=Colchester City Council |access-date=29 May 2025}}

{{also|Colchester City Council elections}}

Since the last boundary changes in 2016 the council has comprised 51 councillors representing 17 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, choosing one councillor for each ward at a time to serve a four year term. In the fourth year of the cycle when there are no elections to the city council, elections for Essex County Council are held instead.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Colchester (Electoral Changes) Order 2015|year=2015|number=1859|access-date=4 June 2023}}

File:The Anchor PH, Station Road, Tiptree, Essex - geograph.org.uk - 2016697.jpg, one of the outlying settlements of the City of Colchester District]]

File:All Saints church, Great Horkesley, Essex - geograph.org.uk - 164123.jpg, one of the many outlying villages of the City of Colchester District]]

According to the Office for National Statistics as of 2008, Colchester had a population of approximately 181,000.[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=276961&c=CO4+9PU&d=13&e=13&g=445088&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1267928831714&enc=1&dsFamilyId=1818 Colchester Resident Population] ONS. Retrieved on 2010-03-07. Average life expectancy was 78.7 for males. and 83.3 for females.[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=276961&c=CO4+9PU&d=13&e=13&g=445088&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1267928831714&enc=1&dsFamilyId=937 Colchester Life Expectancy] ONS. Retrieved on 2010-03-07. By the time of the 2021 census, the population had risen to 192,700.{{Cite web |title=Colchester City Council |url=https://www.colchester.gov.uk/2021-census/ |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=www.colchester.gov.uk |language=en-US}}

At the previous census, in 2011, 92% of the population was White (87.5% British, 0.7% Irish and 3.8% Other White), Asians were the second largest group making up 3.6% (0.8% Indian, 0.2% Pakistani, 0.2% Bangladeshi and 1% Chinese, other 1.4%), Black people constituted 1.4% (0.3% Caribbean, 1% African, 0.1% other), those of mixed race made up 1.8%, 0.6% were Arab and there were 0.4% from other ethnic groups.{{cite web|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls|publisher=Office for National Statistics (ONS)|title=Neighbourhood Statistics|access-date=2012-12-22}} 57.7% identified themselves as Christian, while 31.4% had no affiliation to a religion. Of other religions, 1.6% identified as Muslim, 0.7% Hindu, 0.6% Buddhist, 0.2% Jewish, 0.1% Sikh, 0.5% others, and 7.3% did not answer.{{cite web|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks209ew.xls|publisher = Office for National Statistics (ONS)|title = 2011 Census: Religion, local authorities in England and Wales|access-date=2012-12-22}}

There are 35 civil parishes in the district. The former Colchester Municipal Borough is an unparished area (subject to some adjustments since 1974 to that area's boundaries with neighbouring parishes).{{cite web |title=Election Maps |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=5 June 2023}} The parish councils of Wivenhoe and West Mersea take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes are grouped together to share a parish council: Abberton and Langenhoe Parish Council covers those two parishes, and the Winstred Hundred Parish Council covers the four parishes of Great and Little Wigborough, Peldon, Salcott, and Virley. The two parishes of Layer Breton and Layer Marney have parish meetings rather than parish councils due to their small populations.{{cite web |title=Parish and Town Councils |url=https://www.colchester.gov.uk/parish-and-town-councils/?id=&page=abberton--and--langenhoe--parish--c |website=Colchester City Council |access-date=5 June 2023}}

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Abberton
• Aldham
• Birch
• Boxted
• Chappel
• Copford
• Dedham
• East Donyland
• East Mersea
• Eight Ash Green
• Fingringhoe
• Fordham
• Great and Little Wigborough
• Great Horkesley
• Great Tey
• Langenhoe
• Langham
• Layer Breton
• Layer de la Haye
• Layer Marney
• Little Horkesley
• Marks Tey
• Messing-cum-Inworth
• Mount Bures
• Myland
• Peldon
• Salcott
• Stanway
• Tiptree
• Virley
• Wakes Colne
• West Bergholt
• West Mersea (town)
• Wivenhoe (town)
• Wormingford

{{div col end}}

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{{Colchester}}

{{Essex}}

{{East_of_England}}

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Category:Non-metropolitan districts of Essex

Category:Boroughs in England

Category:Cities in the East of England