Leeds City Council is exploring the sale of its historic “U1” number plate, which has adorned the Lord Mayor’s civic vehicle for over 120 years, as it faces unprecedented financial challenges.
The council is seeking to bridge an estimated £58.4million financial gap, with experts suggesting the unique “U1” registration plate could fetch a substantial sum through a private sale.
The plate, one of the first issued in Leeds following the 1903 Motor Car Act, has been a symbol of civic pride since it was gifted between two prominent local figures at the turn of the 20th century.
Any proceeds from the potential sale would be directed back into the council’s budget to help protect front-line services.
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The iconic ‘U1’ number plate could go under the hammer to raise money for Leeds City Council
LEEDS CITY COUNCIL
In 1903, Leeds resident Rowland Winn, a motoring pioneer and founding member of the Automobile Association, purchased the first number plate issued in Leeds.
That same year, Winn gifted the “U1” plate to his friend Arthur Currer Briggs upon his election as Lord Mayor of Leeds for use on the civic vehicle.
The gesture marked the beginning of a tradition that has continued for 120 years, with every subsequent Lord Mayor of Leeds using the distinctive plate.
Winn himself later became Lord Mayor in 1938 and was awarded the Freedom of the City in 1956 for his contributions to Leeds’ prosperity.
After consulting industry experts, the council is moving forward with plans to appoint a private dealer to handle the sale if approved.
The sale process is estimated to take approximately three months to complete and could fetch up to £500,000.
The final value of the plate would be subject to formal valuation and would depend on the chosen sale process.
If the sale proceeds, the historic “U1” plate would be replaced on the Lord Mayor’s civic vehicle with “L6EDS”, another plate owned by the council but of substantially less value.
Leeds City Council’s executive member for resources, Debra Coupar, emphasised the gravity of the decision to consider selling council assets.
She said: “The sale of any assets is never something we take lightly and, in an ideal world, would not be something we’d wish to do.
“However, the financial pressures we are facing are simply so acute, we are being forced to look at all manner of options which we have never explored before.
“After consulting with experts, it’s clear that the sale of this number plate gives us a one-of-a-kind opportunity to secure a significant amount of funding, helping us protect vital services whilst having no tangible impact on the people of Leeds.”
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Leeds City Council said it could sell the plate to protect front-line services
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Current Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Al Garthwaite, reflected on the remarkable history of the number plate, saying: “It’s astonishing to think that the story of this historic number plate began with a kind, congratulatory gesture between two friends more than 120 years ago.
“I’m sure neither of those two former Lord Mayors of Leeds could have envisaged how valuable that gift would one day become.
“However, it is oddly fitting that the legacy of their friendship could be to potentially help their city when it is in the midst of such challenging circumstances all these years later.”