Croydon London Borough Council

Croydon London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Croydon in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. Croydon is divided into 28 wards, electing 70 councillors.

Croydon London Borough Council
Council logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Mayor of Croydon
Cllr Maddie Henson, Labour
since 2019
Leader of the Council
Cllr Hamida Ali, Labour
Deputy Leader
Cllr Stuart King, Labour
Leader of the Opposition
Cllr Jason Perry, Conservative
Chief Executive
Katherine Kerswell
since September 2020
Structure
Seats70 councillors in 28 wards[1]
Political groups
Administration (41)
  •   Labour (41)

Opposition (29)

Length of term
Whole council elected every four years
Elections
First past the post
Last election
3 May 2018
Next election
2022
Meeting place
Croydon Town Hall, CR0 1NX Croydon
Website
www.croydon.gov.uk

History
A map showing the wards of Croydon from 2002 to 2018

There have previously been a number of local authorities responsible for the Croydon area. The current local authority was first elected in 1964, a year before formally coming into its powers and prior to the creation of the London Borough of Croydon on 1 April 1965. Croydon replaced Croydon Borough Council and Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Council. Croydon was a county borough from 1889, which meant that its council had the functions of both a county and a borough.[2]

It was envisaged, in accordance with the London Government Act 1963, that Croydon as a London local authority would share power with the Greater London Council. The split of powers and functions meant that the Greater London Council was responsible for "wide area" services such as fire, ambulance, flood prevention, and refuse disposal; with the local authorities responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council it has been an education authority since 1965. This arrangement lasted until 1986 when Croydon London Borough Council gained responsibility for some services that had been provided by the Greater London Council, such as waste disposal. Since 2000 the Greater London Authority has taken some responsibility for highways and planning control from the council, but within the English local government system the council remains a "most purpose" authority in terms of the available range of powers and functions.[3]

On 11 November 2020, the council issued a Section 114 Notice, under the Local Government Finance Act 1988, due to its difficult financial position, a de facto declaration of bankruptcy.[4]

Powers and functions

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the London Government Act 1963 and subsequent legislation. Croydon has the powers and functions of a London borough council. It is a billing authority collecting Council Tax and business rates, it processes local planning applications, and it is responsible for housing, waste collection and environmental health. It is a local education authority, responsible for social services, libraries and waste disposal. The council shares responsibility with the Greater London Authority for strategic policies including housing, planning and the environment.[5]

Finances

Croydon London Borough Council is the billing authority for Council Tax, and collects precepts on behalf of the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime, the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority the Greater London Authority and Transport for London.[6]

See also

References
  1. "Open Council Data UK - compositions councillors parties wards elections". opencouncildata.co.uk.
  2. "Is Croydon in London or Surrey?". Croydon Advertiser. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  3. Leach, Steve (1998). Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath. Routledge. p. 107. ISBN 978-0714648590.
  4. "Croydon Council bans spending under Section 114 notice". November 11, 2020 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. "Local Plan Responses – within and outside London". Mayor of London. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  6. "Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities". Council Tax Rates. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
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