Leeds City Council

Leeds City Council, established in 1974 employs approximately 34,400 people (including school based employees), is the second largest local authority in the UK and is a constituent council of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority

The council is structured into the following directorates with their respective Directors responsible for meeting the needs of the city and its citizens through closer working with other public sector partners.  These form part of the Council’s (CLT) Corporate Leadership Team CLT:

• Chief Executive – Tom Riordan
• Adults and Health – Cath Roff
• Resources and Housing – Neil Evans
• Communities and Environment – James Rogers
• Children and Families – Steve Walker
• City Development – Martin Farrington (CO role reports into this Director)

Working closely with the CLT are:

• Director of Public Health – Dr Ian Cameron
• City Solicitor – Catherine Witham
• Chief Financial Services Officer – Doug Meeson

Each service area is supported by corporate functions incorporating human resources, finance and information technology services, democratic services, procurement, legal services and planning, policy and improvement activities. The management of council homes returned to Leeds City Council during 2013 from three Arms-Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) – Aire Valley Homes, East North East Homes and West North West Homes.

Political Composition

Elected for a four-year term of office, there are 99 councillors representing 33 wards. The current political composition of the council is:

• Labour – 59
• Conservative – 19
• Liberal Democrat – 9
• Morley Borough Independents – 5
• Green Party – 3
• Garforth and Swillington Independent Group – 2
• East Leeds Independent Group – 2

The political leadership of the council is provided by the Executive Board.