North East Lincolnshire Council is the local authority of North East Lincolnshire, a local government district in the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire, England. The council is a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council; it is independent from Lincolnshire County Council.
The council has been under no overall control since May 2024, being run by a Reform minority administration since May 2026. It meets at Grimsby Town Hall and has its main offices in the nearby Municipal Buildings.
History The district of North East Lincolnshire and its council were created on 1 April 1996. The new district covered the area of two former districts, both of which were abolished at the same time: Cleethorpes and Great Grimsby. Both had been lower-tier districts within the county of Humberside prior to the 1996 reforms, with Humberside County Council providing county-level services to the area. Humberside had only been created in 1974; prior to 1974 this area had been part of Lincolnshire.
The way the 1996 changes were implemented was to create both a non-metropolitan district and a non-metropolitan county called North East Lincolnshire, each covering the combined area of Cleethorpes and Great Grimsby, but with no separate county council. Instead, the district council also performs the functions that legislation assigns to county councils, making it a unitary authority.
At the same time, the new district was transferred for ceremonial purposes back to Lincolnshire, but as a unitary authority the council has always been independent from Lincolnshire County Council. The district was awarded borough status with effect from 23 August 1996, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.
In 2025 the council became a member of the new Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority, along with North Lincolnshire Council and Lincolnshire County Council. The combined authority is chaired by the directly-elected Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire.
Powers and functions The local authority derives its powers and functions from the Local Government Act 1972 and subsequent legislation. For the purposes of local government, North East Lincolnshire is within a non-metropolitan area of England. As a unitary authority, North East Lincolnshire Council has the powers and functions of both a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. In its capacity as a district council it is a billing authority collecting Council Tax and business rates, it processes local planning applications, it is responsible for housing, waste collection and environmental health. In its capacity as a county council it is a local education authority, responsible for social services, libraries and waste disposal.
In July 2017 it was announced that the Council and the local Clinical Commissioning Group would have a joint chief executive.
Governance Political control The council has been under no overall control since the 2024 election, being led by a Reform minority administration since May 2026.
The first election to the council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1996 has been as follows: (Put "North East Lincolnshire" in search box to see specific results.)
Party in controlYears 1996–2003 2003–2012 2012–2014 2014–2019 2019–2024 2024–present
Leadership The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in North East Lincolnshire. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since the council's creation in 1996 have been:
Councillor Party From To Muriel Barker 1 Apr 1996 May 1999 Len Taylor May 1999 May 2003 Keith Brookes 22 May 2003 Jun 2004 Andrew De Freitas 24 Jun 2004 May 2005 Keith Brookes May 2005 2006 Andrew De Freitas 2006 2011 Chris Shaw 26 May 2011 May 2015 Ray Oxby May 2015 11 Mar 2019 Philip Jackson 21 May 2019 May 2026 Oliver Freeston 21 May 2026
Composition Following the 2026 election, and a subsequent change of allegiance in August 2026, the composition of the council was as follows:
Four of the five independent councillors sit together as the "Independents for North East Lincolnshire" group, and the other does not belong to a group. The next election is due in May 2027.
Cabinet
Party key
Post Party Councillor Ward Mayor and Deputy Mayor Mayor Marian BoydPark Deputy Mayor Robson AugustaPark Leader and Deputy Leader Leader of the Council Portfolio Holder for Strategic Renewal, Delivery and Place Leadership Oliver FreestonCroft Baker Deputy Leader Portfolio Holder for Children and Education Samuel GriceHaverstoe Cabinet members Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care Nigel OliverPark Portfolio Holder for Finance, Resources and Assets Simon TaylorHumberston and New Waltham Portfolio Holder for Waste, Recycling and Energy Darren MayneWolds Portfolio Holder for Housing, Infrastructure and Transport Paul BatsonSouth Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger Communities James SawkinsWaltham Portfolio Holder for Environment, Tourism and Culture Bob CallisonSidney Sussex
Premises
Council meetings are held at Grimsby Town Hall, which had been built in 1863 for the old borough council of Great Grimsby. The council's main offices are in the Municipal Buildings opposite the town hall, which had been completed in 1941.
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2003 the council has comprised 42 councillors representing 15 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with roughly a third of the council elected each time for a four-year term of office.
Wards The wards are:
Croft Baker East Marsh Freshney Haverstoe Heneage Humberston and New Waltham Immingham Park Scartho Sidney Sussex South Waltham West Marsh Wolds Yarborough
Wider politics The borough straddles the parliamentary constituencies of Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes and Brigg and Immingham.
References
External links North East Lincolnshire – Official website