Sheffield - Government

Government

Sheffield is governed at the local level by Sheffield City Council. It consists of 84 councillors elected to represent 28 wards—three councillors per ward. It is currently controlled by the Labour Party. Following the 2011 local elections, the distribution of council seats is Labour 49, Liberal Democrats 32, the Green Party two, and one independent (lately joined the Labour group). The city also has a Lord Mayor; though now simply a ceremonial position, in the past the office carried considerable authority, with executive powers over the finances and affairs of the city council. As of 2011, the Lord Mayor is Sylvia Dunkley.

For much of its history the council was controlled by the Labour Party, and was noted for its leftist sympathies; during the 1980s, when Sheffield City Council was led by David Blunkett, the area gained the epithet the "Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire". However, the Liberal Democrats controlled the Council between 1999 and 2001 and took control again from 2008 to 2011. The council is currently Labour controlled.

The majority of council-owned facilities are operated by independent charitable trusts. Sheffield International Venues runs many of the city's sporting and leisure facilities, including Sheffield Arena, Don Valley Stadium and English Institute of Sport – Sheffield. Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust and the Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust take care of galleries and museums owned by the council.

The city returns five Members of Parliament to the House of Commons, with a sixth, the Member of Parliament for Penistone and Stocksbridge representing parts of Sheffield and Barnsley.

Read more about this topic:  Sheffield

Famous quotes containing the word government:

    Which government is the best? The one that teaches us to govern ourselves.
    Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749–1832)

    In government offices which are sensitive to the vehemence and passion of mass sentiment public men have no sure tenure. They are in effect perpetual office seekers, always on trial for their political lives, always required to court their restless constituents.
    Walter Lippmann (1889–1974)

    I’d wish the government took honest people into consideration, it shows enough consideration for scoundrels.
    Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872)