Barnet London Borough Council

Last updated

Barnet Council
Coat of arms of the London Borough of Barnet.svg
Coat of arms
LB Barnet logo.svg
Council logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1965
Leadership
Tony Vorou,
Labour
since 21 May 2024 [1]
Barry Rawlings,
Labour
since 24 May 2022 [2]
John Hooton
since 31 January 2017 [3]
Structure
Seats63 councillors [4]
Political groups
Administration (40)
  Labour (40)
Other parties (23)
  Conservative (21)
  Independent (2)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
First past the post
Last election
 5 May 2022
Next election
7 May 2026
Meeting place
Hendon Town Hall.jpg
Hendon Town Hall, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BQ
Website
www.barnet.gov.uk

Barnet London Borough Council, also known as Barnet Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Barnet in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2022. The council meets at Hendon Town Hall and has its main offices at 2 Bristol Avenue in Colindale.

Contents

History

There has been a Barnet local authority since 1863 when a local government district was created for the town of Barnet, also known as Chipping Barnet, governed by an elected local board. [5] Such districts were reconstituted as urban districts under the Local Government Act 1894, which saw the board replaced by an urban district council. [6] [7]

The much larger London Borough of Barnet and its council were created under the London Government Act 1963, with the first election held in 1964. [8] For its first year the council operated as a shadow authority alongside the area's five outgoing authorities, being the borough councils of Finchley and Hendon and the urban district councils of Barnet, East Barnet and Friern Barnet. The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the old districts and their councils were abolished. [9] [10]

The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Barnet", although it styles itself as 'Barnet Council'. [11]

From 1965 until 1986 the council was a lower-tier authority, with upper-tier functions provided by 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 borough councils (including Barnet) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Barnet has been a local education authority since 1965. The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to the London borough councils, with some services provided through joint committees. [12]

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. [13]

In 2012 Barnet outsourced many functions to Capita under what it called the 'One Barnet' programme. [14] The scheme was controversial; a local resident tried to challenge the council's decision via a judicial review, but without success. [15] [16] Most of the outsourced functions were brought back in-house during 2023. [17]

Powers and functions

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the London Government Act 1963 and subsequent legislation, and has the powers and functions of a London borough council. It sets council tax and as a billing authority also collects precepts for Greater London Authority functions and business rates. [18] It sets planning policies which complement Greater London Authority and national policies, and decides on almost all planning applications accordingly. It is a local education authority and is also responsible for council housing, social services, libraries, waste collection and disposal, traffic, and most roads and environmental health. [19]

Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since 2022.

The first election was held in 1964, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1965. Political control of the council since 1965 has been as follows: [20]

Party in controlYears
Conservative 1965–1994
No overall control 1994–2002
Conservative 2002–2022
Labour 2022–present

Leadership

Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Barnet. The leaders since 1969 have been: [21] [22]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Alan Fletcher Conservative 19691973
Andrew Pares Conservative 19731975
Leslie Pym Conservative 19751991
Roy Schutz Conservative 19911994
Alan Williams Labour 19942002
Victor Lyon [23] Conservative May 200217 May 2005
Brian Salinger Conservative 17 May 200516 May 2006
Mike Freer Conservative 16 May 200615 Dec 2009
Lynne Hillan Conservative 15 Dec 200917 May 2011
Richard Cornelius Conservative 15 Jun 2011May 2019
Dan Thomas Conservative 21 May 201924 May 2022
Barry Rawlings Labour 24 May 2022

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 63 councillors representing 24 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Seats are filled using plurality block voting; elections are held every four years. [24]

Following the 2022 election and subsequent changes of allegiance in January 2023, March 2024, and November 2024, the composition of the council was: [25] [26] [27]

PartyCouncillors
Labour 40
Conservative 20
Independent 2
Reform UK 1
Total63

The next election is due in 2026.

Premises

2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale: Council's main offices since 2019 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, London.jpg
2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale: Council's main offices since 2019

The council has its main offices at 2 Bristol Avenue in Colindale, which was completed in 2019. [28] [29] [30] Council meetings are held at Hendon Town Hall, which had been completed in 1901 for Hendon Urban District Council. [31] [32]

Barnet House, 1255 High Road, Whetstone: Council's main offices 1986-2019 Barnet House - geograph.org.uk - 391220.jpg
Barnet House, 1255 High Road, Whetstone: Council's main offices 1986–2019

Prior to 2019 the council's main offices were at Barnet House in Whetstone, which had been built in 1966 as 'Ever Ready House', being the headquarters of the British Ever Ready Electrical Company. The council moved into the building in 1986 and renamed it Barnet House. [33]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Borough of Barnet</span> Borough in the United Kingdom

The London Borough of Barnet is a local authority area on the northern outskirts of London. The borough was formed in 1965 from parts of the ceremonial counties of Middlesex and Hertfordshire. It is the second largest London borough by population with 389,344 inhabitants as of 2021, also making it the 17th largest district in England. The borough covers an area of 86.74 square kilometres (33 sq mi), the fourth highest of the 32 London boroughs, and has a population density of 45.8 people per hectare, which ranks it 25th.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westminster City Council</span> Local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England

Westminster City Council is the local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2022. Full council meetings are generally held at Westminster Council House, also known as Marylebone Town Hall, and the council has its main offices at Westminster City Hall on Victoria Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Havering London Borough Council</span> London borough council

Havering London Borough Council, also known as Havering Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Havering in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under no overall control since 2014; after the 2022 election, it was run by a coalition of the Havering Residents Association and Labour; since 2024, it has been run solely by the HRA. The council is based at Havering Town Hall in Romford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newham London Borough Council</span> Local authority in London, England

Newham London Borough Council also known as Newham Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Newham in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 1971. It has been led by a directly elected mayor since 2002. The council meets at Newham Town Hall in East Ham and at Stratford Town Hall, and has its main offices at 1000 Dockside Road, overlooking the Royal Albert Dock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waltham Forest London Borough Council</span>

Waltham Forest London Borough Council, also known as Waltham Forest Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Waltham Forest in London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2010. The council is based at Waltham Forest Town Hall in Walthamstow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redbridge London Borough Council</span> Local authority for the London Borough of Redbridge

Redbridge London Borough Council, also known as Redbridge Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Redbridge in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2014. The council meets at Redbridge Town Hall in Ilford and has its main offices nearby at Lynton House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council</span> Local authority for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council, also known as Barking and Dagenham Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. It provides a broad range of local government services including Council Tax billing, libraries, social services, processing planning applications, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority. The council has been under Labour majority control since its creation in 1965. The council was created by the London Government Act 1963 as the Barking London Borough Council and replaced two local authorities: Barking Borough Council and Dagenham Borough Council. The council was renamed on 1 January 1980. It is based at Barking Town Hall in the centre of Barking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewisham London Borough Council</span>

Lewisham London Borough Council, also known as Lewisham Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Lewisham in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2010. It has been led by a directly elected mayor since 2002. The council meets at Lewisham Town Hall in the Catford area of the borough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sutton London Borough Council</span>

Sutton London Borough Council, also known as Sutton Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Sutton in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since 1990. The council is based at the Civic Offices in Sutton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hounslow London Borough Council</span>

Hounslow London Borough Council, also known as Hounslow Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Hounslow in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2010. The council is based at Hounslow House on Bath Road in Hounslow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wandsworth London Borough Council</span> Local authority for the London Borough of Wandsworth in Greater London, England

Wandsworth London Borough Council, also known as Wandsworth Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Wandsworth in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2022. It is based at Wandsworth Town Hall in the centre of Wandsworth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bexley London Borough Council</span> Local authority in England

Bexley London Borough Council, also known as Bexley Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Bexley in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Conservative majority control since 2006. It is based at Bexley Civic Offices in the Bexleyheath area of the borough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bromley London Borough Council</span>

Bromley London Borough Council, also known as Bromley 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 London. The council has been under Conservative majority control since 2001. It is based at the Civic Centre at Bromley Palace, but is in the process of moving to Churchill Court in the centre of Bromley, which is anticipated to open later in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croydon London Borough Council</span> Municipal body governing London Borough

Croydon London Borough Council, which styles itself Croydon 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 London. Croydon is divided into 28 wards, electing 70 councillors. Since 2022 the council has been led by a directly elected mayor. The council has been under no overall control since 2022, being run by a Conservative minority administration. The council meets at Croydon Town Hall and has its main offices in the adjoining Bernard Weatherill House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ealing London Borough Council</span>

Ealing London Borough Council, which styles itself Ealing Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Ealing in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2010. The council meets at Ealing Town Hall and has its main offices in the adjoining Perceval House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enfield London Borough Council</span>

Enfield London Borough Council, which styles itself Enfield Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Enfield in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2010. It is based at Enfield Civic Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrow London Borough Council</span> Local authority for the London Borough of Harrow in Greater London, England

Harrow London Borough Council, also known as Harrow Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Harrow in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Conservative majority control since 2022. Full council meetings are held at the Harrow Arts Centre and the council's main offices are at the Council Hub in Wealdstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillingdon London Borough Council</span> Local authority in London

Hillingdon London Borough Council, which styles itself Hillingdon Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Hillingdon in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Conservative majority control since 2006. The council is based at Hillingdon Civic Centre in Uxbridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council</span> London borough council

Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council, which styles itself Kingston 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 London. The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since 2018. It is based at Kingston upon Thames Guildhall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council</span> Local authority for the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council, also known as Richmond upon Thames Council, LBRUT or Richmond Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since 2018. Although the borough is named after Richmond, the council meets at York House in Twickenham, and has its main offices in the adjoining Civic Centre.

References

  1. ↑ "Councillor Tony Vourou sworn in as 60th Mayor of Barnet". Barnet London Borough Council. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  2. ↑ "Council minutes, 24 May 2022". Barnet London Borough Council. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  3. ↑ Peck, Natalie (1 February 2017). "New Chief Executive appointed to Barnet Council". Barnet London Borough Council. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  4. ↑ "Find your councillors". Barnet Council.
  5. ↑ "No. 22776". The London Gazette . 2 October 1863. p. 4745.
  6. ↑ Kelly's Directory of Hertfordshire. 1914. p. 32. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  7. ↑ "Barnet Urban District". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  8. ↑ "London Government Act 1963", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1978 c. 33, retrieved 16 May 2024
  9. ↑ McConnell, Anita; Wallis, Helen (1995). Historian's Guide to Early British Maps A Guide to the Location of Pre-1900 Maps of the British Isles Preserved in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Cambridge University Press. p. 241. ISBN   978-0521551526.
  10. ↑ Youngs, Frederic (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. Vol. I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN   0901050679.
  11. ↑ "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Barnet v Barnet Football Club Holdings Ltd, 2004". vLex Justis. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 5 April 2024
  13. ↑ Leach, Steve (1998). Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath. Routledge. p. 107. ISBN   978-0714648590.
  14. ↑ "'easyCouncil' Barnet offloads services to Capita in £1bn deal". Evening Standard. 5 December 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  15. ↑ High Court (Administrative Court), Nash, R (on the application of) v Capita Plc & Ors (2013) EWHC 1067 (Admin), published 29 April 2013, accessed 30 August 2022
  16. ↑ Keating Chambers, R (NASH) v BARNET LONDON BOROUGH COUNCIL, accessed 30 August 2022
  17. ↑ "Council services return in-house as outsourcing contract ends". Barnet Council. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  18. ↑ "Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities". Council Tax Rates. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  19. ↑ "Local Plan Responses – within and outside London". Mayor of London. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  20. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  21. ↑ "Council minutes". Barnet Council. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  22. ↑ "London Boroughs Political Almanac". London Councils. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  23. ↑ O'Neill, Natalie (7 July 2011). "Former leader of Barnet Council Victor Lyon has died". Times Series. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  24. ↑ "The London Borough of Barnet (Electoral Changes) Order 2020", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2020/1106, retrieved 12 April 2024
  25. ↑ Boothroyd, David (27 January 2023). "Labour scale Keppel's Column". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  26. ↑ "The Dream shall never Dye | LocalCouncils.co.uk". www.localcouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  27. ↑ https://twitter.com/mshooter/status/1861920156030480489 . Retrieved 5 December 2024.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ↑ "Council buildings". Barnet Council. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  29. ↑ "Colindale Office". Price Myers. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  30. ↑ "Financial Performance and Contracts Committee, 11 March 2019" (PDF). Barnet Council. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  31. ↑ Historic England. "Hendon Town Hall, Barnet (Grade II) (1294762)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  32. ↑ London's Town Halls. London: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1998. p. 11. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  33. ↑ "Ever Ready House". Modernism in Metro-land. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.