At the time of writing, the ruling Conservative party and Labour have lost a combined 60 county council seats, most of them to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

Fragrance Group wants to deliver spaces for 103 vehicles on the site of the former St Chads Hotel while detailed designs for a £30m hotel are worked up and a “globally recognised” occupier secured.

The race is on to implement the planning permission for the 15-floor Store Street scheme before it expires later this year.

Castle Home Estates wants to convert Empire House on Church Street in the city centre into homes for 30 people.

The borough claims it has a "disproportionately high number of HMOs" and is to pursuing the introduction of measures to wrestle back control.