North East Lincolnshire Council is the local authority of North East Lincolnshire. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It was established following the abolition of Humberside County Council on 1 April 1996. The council provides a full range of local government services including Council Tax billing, libraries, social services, processing planning applications, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority. Powers and functions The local authority derives its powers and functions from the Local Government Act 1972 and subsequent legislation. For the purposes of local government, North East Lincolnshire is within a non-metropolitan area of England. As a unitary authority, North East Lincolnshire Council has the powers and functions of both a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. In its capacity as a district council it is a billing authority collecting Council Tax and business rates, it processes local planning applications, it is responsible for housing, waste collection and environmental health. In its capacity as a county council it is a local education authority, responsible for social services, libraries and waste disposal. In July 2017 it was announced that the Council and the local Clinical Commissioning Group would have a joint chief executive. Political Make-up The present political make-up of the council is: Conservative (32), Labour (7) and Liberal Democrats (3) Wards and councillors A Walker was previously a councillor for Scartho from 1995 to 1999, before losing his seat to the Conservatives. He left Labour in February 2019, joining the Liberal Democrats and was re-elected for that party in May 2019. B Barber was first elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor, but defected to Labour shortly before he was due to stand for re-election in 2012. C James was first elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor, but defected to Labour shortly after Labour defeated a Lib Dem councillor in the same ward at the 2011 local elections. D Lindley was previously a Labour councillor for West Marsh from 2010 to 2014. E Shepherd was first elected as UKIP, but defected to the Conservatives shortly before he was due to stand for re-election in 2016. F Mickleburgh was previously a councillor for West Marsh from 2014 to 2018, before changing wards. G Wilson was previously a councillor for Heneage from 2010 to 2014, before losing his seat to UKIP. H Cairns was first elected as UKIP in