Salisbury City Council

The civil parish of Salisbury – which excludes some of the city's suburbs such as Laverstock, Ford, Britford, Netherhampton and Odstock – had a population of 40,302 at the 2011 census.[2]

As New Sarum, Salisbury has been ranked as a city since "time immemorial". The Local Government Act 1972, which took effect in 1974, eliminated the administration of the City of New Sarum under its charters, with the Salisbury District taking over its administrative functions. However, the status of a city was preserved after 1974 by the Charter Trustees of the City of New Sarum. That name was only formally changed from "New Sarum" to "Salisbury" by the reforms of 2009, which established the new Salisbury City Council.[3] The parish was once again granted city status by letters patent dated 1 April 2009.[4]

On 23 March 2010, the city council was granted a royal licence, transferring to it the armorial bearings of the previous City of New Sarum. The arms and supporters were originally recorded at the heraldic visitations of Wiltshire in 1565 and 1623.[5] The blazon of the arms is:

Barry of eight Azure and Or. Supporters: On either side an eagle displayed with two heads Or, ducally gorged Azure.[6][7]

There do not appear to be any meanings attached to the design.[8] The traditional explanation that the blue stripes represent the rivers that meet in the city is now discounted.[8][9] It has also been suggested that the eagles derive from the arms of the Bouverie family, Earls of Radnor, benefactors of the city. However, this also can be discounted, as the arms of the city were recorded before the family was connected with it.[8][9]

The council consists of twenty-three councillors, elected in eight wards, each having three councillors except St Mark's & Bishopdown ward which has two.[10] Elections to the city council took place on Thursday, 4 May 2017. The city councillors are now as follows, those marked with an * are also Wiltshire Councillors:

At the first elections to the city council in 2009, the Liberal Democrats gained twelve seats, giving them a majority of one over all other parties.

At the next elections, on Thursday, 2 May 2013, the council had no overall control. Days after the election, Jo Broom, who had been elected in Fisherton & Bemerton Village as a Liberal Democrat, joined the Conservatives. Then, following the resignation of a Conservative, there was a by-election in the St Martin's & Cathedral ward on 9 January 2014, won by Patricia Fagan for Labour.

In 2017, the Conservatives won an overall majority for the first time.

The council is initially responsible for the following properties and services:

• Parks and associated public conveniences
• Car parks
• Cemeteries
• Play areas
• Sports pitches
• Open spaces
• Guildhall
• Allotments
• Salisbury Crematorium
• Charter market etc.
• Charter fair
• Bemerton Heath Neighbourhood centre
• General fund shops and garages owned by the city prior to 1974
• Events: Christmas Lights, St George's Day, Salisbury Food Festival, Music in the Parks, Britain in Bloom
• City Centre management
• General Community Fund

• 2013 Salisbury City Council election
• 2009 Salisbury City Council election
• City status in the United Kingdom

• Official website
• "Views sought on new city council". BBC News Online. 5 March 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2015. Under the new system of local government, the city council would have the same powers and functions as a town or parish council. These include looking after allotments, burial ground, cemeteries and crematoria, bus shelters, community centres, the arts, public footpaths and public toilets.