Government
Grantham once lay within the ancient Winnibriggs and Threo wapentake in the Soke of Grantham in the Parts of Kesteven.
Politically the town is part of the Grantham and Stamford constituency and is represented in Parliament by Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) Nicholas Boles who was elected in May 2010 after the resignation of Quentin Davies. Davies had been elected to the seat as a Conservative before crossing the floor to join the Labour Party; the constituency has a long history of electing Conservative members of Parliament, and Davies holding the seat for Labour was the subject of much local resentment.
Two of Grantham's MPs in recent years (Joe Godber and Douglas Hogg) have been Secretary of State for Agriculture.
The local authority - South Kesteven District Council - is currently Conservative controlled, with the current political makeup being 38 Conservative, 12 Independent, 7 Labour and 1 Liberal Democrat councillors. Before SKDC in 1974, the local area was represented by Grantham Borough Council, based on St Peters Hill, and West Kesteven Rural District, based on Sandon Close; this became the planning department of SKDC. In November 1973 it was decided to make Grantham the headquarters of SKDC, first based in the former offices of Grantham Corporation.
The Grantham Charter Trustees have responsibility for the ceremonial functions remaining from the former Grantham Borough Council. These include civic ceremonies, annual commemorative events, hosting official visits and maintaining the town's regalia. The Charter Trustees consist of the Grantham District Councillors on South Kesteven District Council and two members of the Charter Trustees are elected annually to become the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Grantham. The Charter Trustees hold meetings in the Guildhall, in the Mayor's Parlour. Currently, Grantham does not have a Town Council, the only town in South Kesteven without one. This unresolved situation has been a subject of local debate and controversy.
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Famous quotes containing the word government:
“I can’t say that the college-bred woman is the most contented woman. The broader her mind the more she understands the unequal conditions between men and women, the more she chafes under a government that tolerates it.”
—Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906)
“... it were impossible for a people to be more completely identified with their government than are the Americans. In considering it, they seem to feel, “It is ours, we have created it, and we support it; it exists for our protection and service; it lives as the breath of our mouths; and, while it answers the ends for which we decreed it, so long shall it stand, and nought shall prevail against it.””
—Frances Wright (1795–1852)
“The lesson should be constantly enforced that though the people support the Government, Government should not support the people.”
—Grover Cleveland (1837–1908)