Bromley London Borough Council

Bromley London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Bromley in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London.

Bromley London Borough Council
Council logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Mayor of Bromley
Councillor Hannah Gray, Conservative
since 13 May 2020
Leader of the Council
Cllr Colin Smith, Conservative
since 26 September 2017
Leader of the Opposition
Cllr Angela Wilkins, Labour
Chief Executive
Ade Adetosoye OBE
since December 2018
Structure
Seats60 councillors
Political groups
Administration
  Conservative (50)
Other parties
  Labour (8)
  Independent (2)
Length of term
Whole council elected every four years
Elections
First past the post
Last election
3 May 2018
Next election
May 2022
Meeting place
Civic Centre, Bromley
Website
www.bromley.gov.uk

History

There have previously been a number of local authorities responsible for the Bromley 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 Bromley on 1 April 1965. Bromley replaced the Municipal Borough of Bromley, the Municipal Borough of Beckenham, Penge Urban District, Orpington Urban District and the Chislehurst part of Chislehurst and Sidcup Urban District.[1]

It was envisaged, in accordance with the London Government Act 1963, that Bromley 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 Bromley 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.[2]

In August 2015 Bromley Council was criticised over a 40-foot "stinking pile of rubbish" abandoned next to people's homes. The rubbish had been there for four years but, according to the Telegraph, little progress had been made since the council became involved in March 2015.[3]

Powers and functions

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the London Government Act 1963 and subsequent legislation. Bromley 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.[4]

Finances

Bromley 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.[5]

Political control

Since the first election to the council in 1964 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:

Party in controlYears
Conservative1964 - 1998
No overall control1998 - 2001
Conservative2001–present
A map showing the wards of Bromley since 2002

See also

Notes

  1. Youngs, Frederic (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0-901050-67-9.
  2. Leach, Steve (1998). Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath. Routledge. p. 107. ISBN 978-0714648590.
  3. Victoria Ward (17 August 2015). "Rat-infested rubbish mountain that towers over homes causes misery for families". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  4. "Local Plan Responses – within and outside London". Mayor of London. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  5. "Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities". Council Tax Rates. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
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