Editing Grantham (section)

==Governance==
[[File:Grantham Guildhall.jpg|thumb|[[Grantham Guildhall]], completed in 1869]]
Grantham once lay within the ancient [[Winnibriggs and Threo]] [[wapentake]] in the Soke of Grantham.<ref>Vision of Britain site: [https://archive.today/20121205081358/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10005838&c_id=%20 Retrieved 16 March 2012.]</ref>
[[File:Grantham unparished area UK locator map.svg|thumb|the unparished area in South Kesteven district, the current parish and previous district have the same boundaries as the former unparished area]]
In 1894 Grantham became a [[municipal borough]] which became part of the administrative county of the [[Parts of Kesteven]] in 1889.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10027070|title=Relationships and changes Grantham MB through time|publisher=[[A Vision of Britain through Time]]|accessdate=28 December 2024}}</ref> On 1 April 1974 the district and parish were abolished and became part of South Kesteven [[non-metropolitan district]] in the [[non-metropolitan county]] of Lincolnshire.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1972/2039/schedule/part/25/made|title=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|publisher=[[legislation.gov.uk]]|accessdate=28 December 2024}}</ref> No [[successor parish]] was formed so it became [[unparished area|unparished]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/grantham%20and%20west%20kesteven.html|title=Grantham and West Kesteven Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|accessdate=28 December 2024}}</ref> A [[charter trustees]] was formed to preserve the borough status of the former borough.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1976-04-12/debates/d3a6a770-a0f1-45ea-ab22-55514941bec4/CharterTrustees|title=Charter Trustees|publisher=Hansard - UK Parliament|accessdate=28 December 2024}}</ref> 

On 1 April 2024 Grantham was parished and the responsibilities of the charter trustees were transferred to the parish.<ref name=reorg2023>{{cite web|url=https://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-12/Reorganisation%20Order_Redacted.pdf|title=The South Kesteven District Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) (Grantham Parish) Order 2023|publisher=[[South Kesteven District Council]]|accessdate=28 December 2024}}</ref> The parish council is named Grantham Town Council and is made up of 22 councillors representing seven wards: Arnoldfield ward, Barrowby Gate ward, Earlesfield ward, Harrowby ward, Springfield ward, St Vincent's ward and St Wulfram's ward. Each elects three councillors except St Vincent's which elects four. These wards are similar to, but not identical with, the district wards used for election to [[South Kesteven District Council]].<ref name=reorg2024 /><ref>{{cite web |title=Parish council - Grantham Town Council |url=https://moderngov.southkesteven.gov.uk/mgParishCouncilDetails.aspx?ID=556 |website=moderngov.southkesteven.gov.uk |publisher=South Kesteven District Council |access-date=20 January 2025 |date=11 August 2022}}</ref>

Politically the town belongs to the [[Grantham and Bourne (UK Parliament constituency)|Grantham and Bourne]] constituency, represented in Parliament by [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) [[Gareth Davies (English politician)|Gareth Davies]], elected at the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|4 July 2024 general election]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moss |first1=Adam |title=New MP Gareth Davies takes over in Grantham and Stamford |url=https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/local-news/new-mp-gareth-davies-takes-3640216 |website=lincolnshirelive |date=13 December 2019}}</ref>

Two of Grantham's MPs in recent years, [[Joseph Godber|Joe Godber]] and [[Douglas Hogg]], have been [[Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food|Secretary of State for Agriculture]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5310069/MPs-expenses-Clearing-the-moat-at-Douglas-Hoggs-manor.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5310069/MPs-expenses-Clearing-the-moat-at-Douglas-Hoggs-manor.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=MPs' expenses: clearing the moat at Douglas Hogg's manor |publisher=The Telegraph |date=12 May 2009 |access-date=12 July 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Before 1974, the local area was represented by Grantham Borough Council, based at [[Grantham Guildhall]] on St Peters Hill, and [[West Kesteven Rural District]], based in Sandon Close. The local authority is now Grantham Town Council.

The Grantham Charter Trustees had responsibility for ceremonial functions remaining from the former Grantham Borough Council. They include civic ceremonies, annual commemorative events, hosting official visits and maintaining the town's regalia. The Charter Trustees consist of the Grantham District Councillors on South Kesteven District Council. Two members of these are elected annually as Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Grantham.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.granthamjournal.co.uk/news/charter-trustees-elect-new-mayor-of-grantham-9069488/ |title=New mayor of Grantham elected |publisher=Grantham Journal |date=8 May 2019 |access-date=12 July 2020}}</ref>

The 2016 population, put at 44,580, divides by electoral ward into Belmont 4,900; Grantham Arnoldfield 4,666, Grantham Barrowby Gate 5,195, Grantham Earlsfield 6,557, Grantham Harrowby 4,770, Grantham St Vincent's 7,637, Grantham St Wulfram's 5,461, and Grantham Springfield 5,394.<ref name=ons.gov.uk/>