wards, elected every four years. The council is led by David Mellen, of the majority Labour Party.[4][5]
History
Nottingham was an ancient borough. The earliest known borough charter was issued by Henry II sometime between 1155 and 1165; that charter did not purport to create the borough, but instead confirmed to it the rights that it had already held in the time of Henry I (reigned 1100–1135). The borough was governed by a corporation, also known as the town council. A later charter of 1284 granted the borough the right to appoint a mayor.[6]
Nottingham was awarded city status on 7 August 1897, allowing the corporation to call itself Nottingham City Council.[8] In 1928 the city council was given the right to appoint a lord mayor.[9]
In 1974 Nottingham became a
exclave from Nottinghamshire containing the Shire Hall.[10][11] Nottingham kept its borough and city statuses and its lord mayoralty.[12][13]
Nottingham became a unitary authority on 1 April 1998, regaining its independence from Nottinghamshire County Council.[14]
On 29 November 2023, the council declared itself effectively bankrupt, with a £23m overspend forecast for the 2023-24 financial year.[15] This has been speculated to be mainly due to the Robin Hood Energy initiative, which was setup by the council in 2015 and was closed in 2020.[16] Being unable to produce a balanced budget (as required by law), it issued a Section 114 notice which requires all expenditure to cease except for statutory duties.[17]
Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 55 councillors representing 20 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[28]
On a wreath of the colours a castle walled triple-towered and capped Proper the dexter tower surmounted of a crescent Argent and the sinister tower by an estoile Or (granted 10 June 1898).
Escutcheon
Gules issuant from the base a ragged cross couped Proper between two ducal coronets in chief Or the lower limb of the cross enfiled with a like coronet (recorded at the 1614 visitation).
Supporters
On either side standing on a staff raguly erased a royal stag guardant Proper ducally gorged Or (granted 3 November 1908).
Motto
Vivit Post Funera Virtus (Virtue Survives Death)[29]
Badge
A saltire raguly Vert ensigned by a stag's head caboshed Proper (granted 7 November 1911).