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.
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History
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.
Abolition
Under current local government reform plans, the district will be abolished in 2028 with its area becoming part of a Leicestershire and Rutland unitary authority.
Governance
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.
Political control
The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election. Since April 2026, it has been run by a Conservative minority administration, led by Conservative councillor Ronan Browne.
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:
Leadership
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Melton. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2011 have been:
Composition
Following the 2023 election, and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to April 2026, the composition of the council was:
Of the eleven independent councillors, seven sit together as the "Independent Group", and the other four (one of whom is a portfolio holder in the council's cabinet alongside the Conservatives) are not aligned to any group.
Elections
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.
Premises
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.
Geography
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 northern part of the district is known as the Vale of Belvoir.
Parishes
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
Electoral wards
The borough is divided into 16 electoral wards:
Asfordby - covering the parish of Asfordby
Bottesford - covering the parish of Bottesford
Croxton Kerrial - covering the parish of Croxton Kerrial
Frisby-on-the-Wreake - covering the parishes of Frisby on the Wreake, Kirby Bellars, Grimston and Hoby with Rotherby
Gaddesby - covering the parishes of Burton and Dalby and Gaddesby
Long Clawson and Stathern - covering the parishes of Clawson, Hose and Harby, Redmile and Stathern
Melton Craven - one of six wards covering Melton Mowbray
Melton Dorian - one of six wards covering Melton Mowbray
Melton Egerton - one of six wards covering Melton Mowbray
Melton Newport - one of six wards covering Melton Mowbray
Melton Sysonby - one of six wards covering Melton Mowbray
Melton Warwick - one of six wards covering Melton Mowbray
Old Dalby - covering the parishes of Ab Kettleby, and Broughton and Old Dalby
Somerby - covering the parishes of Knossington and Cold Overton, Somerby, and Twyford and Thorpe
Economy
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.
Food
The borough is the home of Stilton Cheese and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies.
Media
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
Education
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 to 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.
Demography
The Borough of Melton has experienced steady population growth in recent times albeit at a rate lower than the other districts within Leicestershire.
Highest rate of accidental death in England in 2010/11
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.