Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council

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

Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council
Type
Type
Leadership
Mayor of Kingston Upon Thames
Cllr Margaret Thompson
since May 2019
Leader of the Council
Cllr Caroline Kerr, Liberal Democrat
since March 2020
Chief executive
Ian Thomas
since 11 December 2018
Structure
Seats48 councillors
Political groups
Administration (38)
  •   Liberal Democrats (38)

Opposition (10)

Elections
First past the post
Last election
3 May 2018
Meeting place
Kingston upon Thames Guildhall
Website
www.kingston.gov.uk

History
A map showing the wards of Kingston upon Thames since 2002

There have previously been a number of local authorities responsible for the Kingston upon Thames 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 Kingston upon Thames on 1 April 1965. Kingston upon Thames replaced the Municipal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames (which itself was a Royal Borough), the Municipal Borough of Malden and Coombe and the Municipal Borough of Surbiton.[1]

It was envisaged, in accordance with the London Government Act 1963, that Kingston upon Thames 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 Kingston upon Thames 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]

Powers and functions

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the London Government Act 1963 and subsequent legislation. Kingston upon Thames 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.[3]

Finances

Kingston upon Thames 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.[4]

Criticism

Size of staff departure payments

In the financial year 2018-19, the Liberal Democrat-run council spent £2.4 million of public money on so-called ‘golden goodbyes’ to departing senior staff, including:

  • £316,000 to Ms Charlie Adan, former council chief executive, who left her role two months after the May 2018 local elections, reportedly because she clashed with new council leader, Liz Green.[5] Adan had been in the chief executive role for two years and had previously received a salary between £170,000 and £175,000.[6]
  • £160,000 to Mr Roy Thompson, who served as temporary Chief Executive for less than six months, while Adan's successor was found.[5]
  • £442,000 split between five ‘senior officers’.[5]

Current chief executive Ian Thomas reportedly received a pay-off of £185,000, equivalent to one year's salary, when he moved to Kingston council in November 2018 from Lewisham council, where he had worked for seven months.[5]

See also

References
  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. "Local Plan Responses – within and outside London". Mayor of London. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  4. "Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities". Council Tax Rates. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  5. Private Eye, Issue 1502, p.18
  6. "MyLondon News".


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