Newport City Council is the governing body for Newport, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. It consists of 51 councillors, who represent the city's 20 wards. The council is currently, and has historically been, held by the Labour Party. Newport City Council is a single tier unitary authority responsible for the administration of all areas of local government. The council was formed as a county borough in 1996 and was granted city status in 2002. It is the eighth largest council in Wales and provides all major services such as education, leisure, housing, social services, planning and highway
