Melton is a local government district with borough status in north-eastern Leicestershire, England. It is named after its only town, Melton Mowbray. The borough also includes numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The north of the district includes part of the Vale of Belvoir. Melton is the least populous district of its type and the fourth least populous district in England overall.

The neighbouring districts are Harborough, Charnwood, Rushcliffe, Newark and Sherwood, South Kesteven and Rutland.

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of two former districts, which were both abolished at the same time:

• Melton Mowbray Urban District
• Melton and Belvoir Rural District

The new district was named Melton after the area's only town, Melton Mowbray. The district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.

Melton Borough Council
Type
Type	Non-metropolitan district
History
Founded	1 April 1974
Leadership
Mayor	Tim Webster, Conservative since 16 May 2024
Leader	Pip Allnatt, Labour since 24 May 2023
Chief Executive	Edd de Coverly since 28 August 2017
Structure
Seats	28 councillors
Political groups	Administration (15)   Independent (9)   Labour (6) Other parties (13)   Conservative (10)   Liberal Democrat (1)   Independent (2)
Length of term	4 years
Elections
Last election	4 May 2023
Next election	6 May 2027
Meeting place
Parkside, Station Approach, Burton Street, Melton Mowbray, LE13 1GH
Website
www.melton.gov.uk

Melton Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Leicestershire County Council. Much of the borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.

The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being run by a joint administration of Labour and most of the independent councillors, led by Labour councillor Pip Allnatt.

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

Party in control		Years
	Conservative	1974–1995
	No overall control	1995–2003
	Conservative	2003–2023
	No overall control	2023–present

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Melton. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2010 have been:

Councillor	Party		From	To
Malise Graham		Conservative	pre-2010	14 Dec 2011
Byron Rhodes		Conservative	14 Dec 2011	17 May 2016
Pam Posnett		Conservative	17 May 2016	16 May 2017
Joe Orson		Conservative	16 May 2017	10 May 2023
Pip Allnatt		Labour	24 May 2023

Following the 2023 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to May 2024, the composition of the council was:

Party		Councillors
	Independent	11
	Conservative	10
	Labour	6
	Liberal Democrats	1
Total		28

Of the eleven independent councillors, nine sit together as the "Independent Group" which forms the council's administration with Labour. The next election is due in 2027.

Since the last boundary changes in 2003 the council has comprised 28 councillors representing 16 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.

The borough is part of the Melton and Syston parliamentary constituency.

The council is based at Parkside on Burton Street, adjoining Melton Mowbray railway station. The building was purpose-built for the council and opened in 2011.

When first created in 1974 the council inherited offices at Egerton Lodge on Wilton Road from Melton Mowbray Urban District Council and at Warwick Lodge on Dalby Road from Melton and Belvoir Rural District Council. In 1986 the council moved to a new building called Council Offices on Nottingham Road. The Nottingham Road building burnt down on 30 May 2008. The northern wing of the building was repaired and is now called Phoenix House, but the rest of the building was beyond repair and was demolished. The council instead chose to build new headquarters at Parkside, spending £5.6m on the new building.

East Midlands Councils is based at the Pera Business Park on Nottingham Road, opposite the former Melton borough offices. The former East Midlands Regional Assembly was based at the same site until it was abolished in 2010.

The district borders South Kesteven, in Lincolnshire, to the east, Rutland to the south, Charnwood to the west (along the A46 Fosse Way), and Rushcliffe and Newark and Sherwood in Nottinghamshire to the north. The north part of the district is known as the Vale of Belvoir.

The former Melton Mowbray Urban District is an unparished area. The rest of the borough is divided into civil parishes.

• Ab Kettleby, Asfordby
• Barkestone-le-Vale, Plungar and Redmile, Belvoir, Bottesford, Buckminster
• Broughton and Old Dalby, Branston, Burton and Dalby
• Clawson, Hose and Harby, Croxton Kerrial
• Eaton, Eastwell
• Freeby, Frisby on the Wreake
• Gaddesby, Garthorpe, Goadby Marwood, Grimston
• Harby, Hoby with Rotherby
• Kirby Bellars, Knossington and Cold Overton
• Saxelbye, Scalford, Shoby, Somerby, Sproxton, Stathern
• Twyford and Thorpe
• Waltham and Thorpe Arnold, Wymondham

Farming and food production are the main industries with Pedigree Petfoods in Melton, and its Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition at Waltham on the Wolds. There is a large creamery (Long Clawson Dairy) at Long Clawson. Samworth Brothers are headquartered in Melton. The Royal Army Veterinary Corps and Defence Animal Training Regiment are also in Melton.

The Birmingham to Peterborough Line runs through the borough, and the borough is criss-crossed by the A607 (Leicester-Grantham) and the A606 (Nottingham-Oakham). Both these roads meet in the centre of Melton (outside Melton Brooksby College), with resulting congestion.

The borough is the home of Stilton Cheese and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies.

The area is served by BBC East Midlands and ITV Central with television signals received from the Waltham transmitter which is situated at Waltham-on-the-Wolds, 5 miles (8 km) north-east of Melton Mowbray.

Radio stations for the area are:

• BBC Radio Leicester on 104.9 FM
• Smooth East Midlands on 106.6 FM
• Capital Midlands on 96.2 FM
• Greatest Hits Radio Midlands on 106 FM
• The Eye, a community based station that serves Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir on 103 FM

Local newspapers are Leicester Mercury and Melton Times

Until September 2008, the district operated the three-tier education system, whereby there were three middle schools. All these schools fed into the same upper school in Melton from 14-18. At both GCSE and A level, the district's results are above the England average. From age 16 Students can attend either Melton Vale Post 16 Centre for academic sixth form courses, or Brooksby Melton College for vocational courses.

The Borough of Melton has experienced steady population growth in recent times albeit at a rate lower than the other districts within Leicestershire.

Population growth in the Borough of Melton
Year	1951	1961	1971	1981	1991	2001	2011		2016		2021	2031
Population	32,825	34,512	38,897	42,578	45,105	47,890	50,376		50,900		53,000	55,500
Census									ONS		ONS Projections

In March 2012, Melton was identified as having the highest rate of accidental death by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, with statistics over the period from 2010/11 showing an average of 29 deaths for 100,000 people.

Coat of arms of Borough of Melton

Notes Granted 17 December 1986 Crest On a wreath Argent and Gules a lion rampant quarterly Argent and Gules holding in the dexter claw a Latin cross Or and in the sinister claw a roll of parchment Proper. Escutcheon Quarterly Gules and Vert in the first and fourth quarters a tower and in the second and third quarters a garb Or over all a lion rampant Argent. Supporters On the dexter side a bull Sable armed Or and gorged with a collar dancetty of two points upward Argent and on the sinister side a horse Argent gorged with a like collar Gules each resting the interior hoof on a tower Or the whole upon a grassy compartment divided per pale by furrows. Motto Unity With Diversity

• Community profile at Leicestershire County Council
• Council returns to Melton in October 2008
• Council office demolished in June 2008
• Stapleford Miniature Railway

52°48′N 0°48′W / 52.8°N 0.8°W / 52.8; -0.8