Lincolnshire County Council

History

Lincolnshire was one of the historic counties of England. From the middle ages it was administered in three parts, called Holland, Kesteven and Lindsey, each of which had their own quarter sessions. From 1409 the city of Lincoln was also an independent county corporate. When elected county councils were created in 1889 taking over the administrative functions of the quarter sessions, each of Lincolnshire's three parts became a separate administrative county with its own county council, and Lincoln was made a county borough, maintaining its independence.

That arrangement continued until 1974 when the Local Government Act 1972 abolished Holland County Council, Kesteven County Council and Lindsey County Council and the County Borough of Lincoln, creating a Lincolnshire County Council for the first time.

In 2025 the council became a member of the new Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority, along with North Lincolnshire Council and North East Lincolnshire Council. The combined authority is chaired by the directly-elected Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire.

Governance

Lincolnshire County Council provides county-level services. District-level services are provided by the area's seven district councils:

• Boston
• Lincoln
• East Lindsey
• North Kesteven
• South Holland
• South Kesteven
• West Lindsey

Much of the county is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.

Political control

The council has been under Reform UK majority control since 2025.

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1974 have been:

Composition

Following the 2025 election, the current composition of the council is:

The three independent councillors and the Lincolnshire Independent councillor form the "Independent Group." The next election is due in 2029.

Executive

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2017 the county has been divided into 70 electoral divisions, each of which elects one councillor. Elections are held every four years.

Premises

The council has its main offices and meeting place at County Offices on Newland in Lincoln. The building was built in 1926–1932 as the headquarters for the former Lindsey County Council, one of Lincolnshire County Council's predecessors.

Chief executives

Chief executives have included:

• 1973–1979: David Drury Macklin
• 1983–1995: Robert John Dudley Proctor
• 1995–1998: Jill Helen Barrow, who was the first woman chief executive of a county council in England.
• 1999–2004: David Bowles
• 2005–2018: Tony McArdle
• 2018: Keith Ireland
• 2020–present: Debbie Barnes

References

References

1. (29 May 2025). "West Lindsey councillor is new chairman of Lincolnshire County Council". Lincolnshire World.
2. (30 December 2019). "New Lincolnshire County Council chief executive appointed". Newark Advertiser.
3. [[Local Government Act 1888]]
4. [[Local Government Act 1972]]
5. (5 February 2025). "Council elections go ahead as authority confirmed". BBC News.
6. (2 May 2025). "Reform's Andrea Jenkyns elected Lincolnshire mayor". BBC News.
7. {{cite legislation UK. (1972)
8. "Understand how your council works". [[Government of the United Kingdom.
9. "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey.
10. Hemmingham, Nathan. (2025-05-02). "Lincolnshire County Council election results: Reform take control".
11. "Compositions Calculator". University of Exeter.
12. (5 June 2009). "Lincolnshire". [[BBC]].
13. (14 May 1999). "Obituaries: Capt. Sir A. H. Thorold". Grantham Journal.
14. (14 May 1981). "Tory line to stay the same". Sleaford Standard.
15. (10 September 1987). "County council leader dies". Lincolnshire Standard.
16. (19 November 1987). "County leader". Sleaford Standard.
17. (21 May 1993). "Tories give up control". Gainsborough Standard.
18. Ionescu, Daniel. (6 May 2013). "Lincolnshire Labour leader Rob Parker steps down". The Lincolnite.
19. (8 May 1997). "Tories win control of the county". Lincoln Target.
20. (16 May 1997). "...and Jim is the leader of the gang". Skegness Standard.
21. Fear, Victoria. (26 April 2021). "Tributes paid to former Crowland councillor who died aged 84". Spalding Today.
22. (13 Sep 2002). "Council leader resigns". BBC News.
23. (18 March 2005). "Council leader leaves after audit". BBC News.
24. "Council Leaders 2003–2014 - Find a freedom of information request".
25. (6 May 2025). "Tory group leader steps down after 20 years". BBC News.
26. (23 May 2025). "Sean Matthews officially elected new leader of Lincolnshire County Council". Lincolnshire World.
27. (2012-05-08). "Your Councillors". Web Team, Room 5 City Hall, Orchard Street, Lincoln LN1 1XX lccconnect@lincolnshire.gov.uk.
28. "Your Councillors by Political Grouping".
29. "Lincolnshire". Thorncliffe.
30. https://lincolnshire.moderngov.co.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=121
31. {{cite legislation UK. (2016)
32. "Contact us".
33. [https://www.tes.com/news/tes-archive/tes-publication/people-132 "People"], ''Times Education Supplement'', 18 August 1995. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
34. [https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/local-news/lincolnshire-county-council-chief-executive-1044754 "Lincolnshire County Council chief executive Tony McArdle to step down after 12 years"], ''Lincolnshire Echo'', 11 January 2018.
35. {{usurped
36. [https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/local-news/lincolnshire-county-council-appoint-keith-1545077 "Lincolnshire County Council appoint Keith Ireland as new chief executive"],''Lincolnshire Echo'', 8 May 2018.
37. [https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/local-news/we-not-share-same-approach-2261397 "'We do not share the same approach' - chief executive of Lincolnshire County Council to leave just months after joining"],''Lincolnshire Echo'', 26 November 2018.
38. {{usurped
39. {{usurped
40. [https://www.bostonstandard.co.uk/news/county-council-leaders-gagged-over-departure-of-chief-executive-1-8740589 "County council leaders gagged over departure of chief executive"], ''Boston Standard'', 16 December 2018.