Redbridge London Borough Council Explained

Redbridge London Borough Council
Coa Pic:Arms-redbridge.jpg
Coa Res:100px
Logo Pic:LBRedbridge logo.png
Logo Res:200px
House Type:London borough council
Leader1 Type:Mayor
Leader1:Sheila Bain
Party1:
Labour
Election1:16 May 2024
Leader2 Type:Leader
Leader2:Kam Rai
Party2:
Labour
Election2:25 July 2024
Leader3 Type:Chief Executive
Leader3:Claire Symonds
Election3:May 2022[1]
Members:63 councillors[2]
Structure1:United_Kingdom_Redbridge_London_Borough_Council_2024.svg
Structure1 Res:250px
Political Groups1:
Administration (55)
  • Labour (55)
    Other parties (8)
  • Conservative (5)
  • Joint Committees:East London Waste Authority
    Voting System1:First past the post
    Last Election1:5 May 2022
    Next Election1:7 May 2026
    Session Room:Ilford Redbridge Town Hall.JPG
    Session Res:250
    Meeting Place:Redbridge Town Hall, High Road, Ilford, IG11DD

    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.

    History

    The London Borough of Redbridge and its council were created under the London Government Act 1963, with the first election held in 1964.[3] For its first year the council acted as a shadow authority alongside the area's outgoing authorities, being the municipal borough councils of Ilford, Wanstead and Woodford, and Dagenham (the latter in respect of the Hog Hill area only, the rest of that borough went to the London Borough of Barking) and the urban district council of Chigwell in respect of parts of the Hainault area.[4] The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the three boroughs and their councils were abolished and the Chigwell Urban District was reduced to remove the Hainault parts.[5]

    The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Redbridge", but it styles itself Redbridge Council.[6]

    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 boroughs (including Redbridge) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Redbridge has been a local education authority since 1965. The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to the London Boroughs, with some services provided through joint committees.[7]

    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.[8]

    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.[9] 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.[10]

    Political control

    The council has been under Labour majority control since 2014.

    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:[11]

    Party in control Years
    1965–1994
    1994–2002
    2002–2009
    2009–2014
    2014–present

    Leadership

    Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1965 have been:[12] [13] The role of Mayor of Redbridge is largely ceremonial.

    Councillor Party From To
    Roy Dalton 1965 1972
    Alexander Escott 1972 1974
    John Telford 1974 1975
    Keith Webb 1975 1979
    Keith Salter 1979 1985
    John Ramsden 1985 1988
    John Lovell 1988 1991
    Ronnie Barden 1991 1994
    Liz Pearce 1994 1999
    Keith Axon 1999 18 May 2000
    Mohammed Javed 18 May 2000 23 May 2002
    Keith Axon 23 May 2002 2 Feb 2003
    Allan Burgess 20 Mar 2003 20 May 2004
    Elaine Norman[14] 25 May 2004 15 Jul 2004
    Laurence Davies 15 Jul 2004 7 May 2006
    Alan Weinberg 25 May 2006 21 May 2009
    28 May 2009 12 Jun 2014
    12 Jun 2014 25 July 2024
    25 July 2024

    Elections

    Since the last boundary changes in 2018 the council has comprised 63 councillors representing 22 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[15]

    Following the 2022 election and changes of allegiance up to April 2024, the composition of the council was:[16]

    Party Councillors
    55
    5
    3
    Total 63
    The next election is due in May 2026.

    Premises

    The council meets at Redbridge Town Hall, formerly known as Ilford Town Hall, which had been completed in 1901 for the old Ilford Urban District Council, predecessor of Ilford Borough Council.

    The council's main offices are at a nearby tower block called Lynton House at 255–259 High Road in Ilford, which was built in 1969.[17] [18]

    Mayors

    The Mayor of Redbridge is elected by the council annually. The mayor presides over meetings of the council and attends civic and ceremonial functions.[19]

    Municipal Year Mayor Deputy
    1965/66 Sydney Loveless Charles Loveless, FAIA
    1966/67 H.R. Aly Sydney Loveless
    1967/68 Lionel Gooch H.R. Aly
    1968/69 Sydney G. Gleed L. Fallaize, OBE, JP
    1969/70 I.B Natzler O.F. Walters, JP
    1970/71 A.J. Escott, CENG, FIEE J.W.S. Telford, DFH, CENG, FIEE
    1971/72 Charles Loveless, FAIA D.A. Stephens, FCA, ATII
    1972/73 L.G. Bridgeman, JP B.E.R. Hamilton, FRSA
    1973/74 G. Chamberlin, JP Albert Reynolds
    1974/75 J.W.S. Telford, DFH, CENG, FIEE F.C. Mountier, MIPR, MHCIMA
    1975/76 T.F. Cobb, SBStJ, FSCA E.J. Watts
    1976/77 F.C. Mountier, MIPR, MHCIMA R.C. Brian
    1977/78 A.N. Barker H.G.A. Pearce
    1978/79 B.E.R. Hamilton, FRSA L.G. Bridgeman, JP
    1979/80 J.W.S. Telford, DFH, CENG, FIEE S.G. Curtis, OBE, FlnstB
    1980/81 J.M. Clark J.D. Banyard
    1981/82 R.C. Brian B.E.R. Hamilton, FRSA
    1982/83 N.H. Thurgood S.G. Curtis, OBE, FlnstB
    1983/84 S.G. Curtis, OBE, FlnstB G.F. Borrott, AIB
    1984/85 J.J.M. Smith, RIBA, FFAS, FRSH, FBID R.B.R. Hill, FCA
    1985/86 R.E. Smith, BA R.W. Brunnen
    1986/87 R.W. Brunnen D.S. Candy
    1987/88 G.F. Borrott, AIB A.E. Weinberg
    1988/89 K.E. Axon, FFA, FIAB, MBIM D.S. Candy
    1989/90 G.H. Brewer, TD B.E.R. Hamilton, FRSA
    1990/91 W.J. Roberts G.F. Borrott, AIB
    1991/92 R.B.R. Hill, FCA J.J.M. Smith, RIBA, FFAS, FRSH, FBID
    1992/93 D.S. Candy A.E. Weinberg
    1993/94 E.J. Watts R.A. Cole, ARICS
    1994/95 J.W. Fairley-Churchill
    1995/96 R.I. Barden, BSc (Hons) T.C.W. Howl
    1996/97 R.H Hoskins R.J. Scott, OMA, MCIPS, Ml Mgt
    1997/98 R.E. Golding K. M. Turner, BSC (Econ)
    1998/99 J.R. Lovell A.E. Weinberg
    1999/00 F. K. Maravala D.R. Sharma
    2000/01 M. Hoskins, BA (Hons) A. Boyland
    2001/02 A.E. Weinberg S. Nolan
    2002/03 D.R. Sharma J.P. Coombes
    2003/04 V. Cole L. Davies
    2004/05 A. Leggatt J. Ryan
    2005/06 C. Elliman M. Hickey
    2006/07 A. Kumar J. O'Shea (18.05.06 - 20.07.06) & C. Cummins
    2007/08 J. Ryan C. Cummins
    2008/09 L. Sladden G. Hinds
    2009/10 T. Chan B. Lambert
    2010/11 J. 0 Shea R. Clark
    2011/12 C. Cummins F. Banks
    2012/13 M. Javed E. Norman
    2013/14 F. Banks T. Solomon
    2014/15 A. Kissin L. Huggett
    2015/16 B. White T. Jeya ranjan
    2016/17 G. Bhamra Z. Hussain
    2017/18 L. Huggett A. Kissin
    2018/19 D Kaur-Thiara Taifur Rashid MBE
    2019/20 Z. Hussain J. Ryan
    2020/21 Z. Hussain TBA
    2021/22 R. Emmett[20] J. Islam[21]
    2022/23 T. Jeyaranjan[22] N. Chaudhry
    2023/24 Jyotsna Islam[23] S. Jamil
    2024/25 Sheila Bain[24] John Howard

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Claire Symonds appointed Chief Executive at London Borough of Redbridge . Redbridge Council . 26 April 2024 . 14 February 2022.
    2. Web site: Your Councillors by Party. Redbridge London Borough Council. 26 April 2020.
    3. act. London Government Act 1963. 33. 16 May 2024.
    4. Book: Youngs, Frederic . Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England . I: Southern England . 1979 . Royal Historical Society . London . 0901050679.
    5. Book: Youngs, Frederic . Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England . I: Southern England . 1979 . Royal Historical Society . London . 0901050679.
    6. Web site: Inter Authority Agreement for the Local London Partnership Programme . Havering Council . 9 April 2024 . 2023.
    7. act. Local Government Act 1985. 1985. 51. 5 April 2024.
    8. Book: Leach, Steve . Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath. 107. Routledge. 1998. 978-0714648590.
    9. Web site: Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities. Council Tax Rates. 8 April 2020.
    10. Web site: Local Plan Responses – within and outside London. 12 November 2015 . Mayor of London. 9 April 2020.
    11. Web site: Compositions calculator . The Elections Centre . 3 March 2023.
    12. Web site: Council minutes . Redbridge Council . 10 July 2022.
    13. Web site: London Boroughs Political Almanac . London Councils . 10 July 2022.
    14. News: All change at Town Hall . 10 July 2022 . Guardian Series . 31 May 2004.
    15. si. The London Borough of Redbridge (Electoral Changes) Order 2017. 2017. 609. 26 April 2024.
    16. Web site: Your Councillors by Party . Redbridge Council . 26 April 2024.
    17. Web site: Contact us . Redbridge Council . 26 April 2024.
    18. Web site: Project: Lynton House, Ilford . PREOU . 26 April 2024.
    19. https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/about-the-council/redbridge-constitution/ London Borough of Redbridge Constitution, 26 June 2017, p. 14
    20. Web site: Redbridge elects its new Mayor. London Borough of Redbridge. 29 April 2021. 5 August 2023.
    21. Web site: Talking about an admirable lady, The Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Jyotsna Islam. CINEBUZZ TIMES.COM. 5 December 2021. 5 August 2023.
    22. Web site: Leader sets out a new vision for Redbridge as new council meets for first time. London Borough of Redbridge. 1 June 2022. 5 August 2023.
    23. Web site: Redbridge Mayor. London Borough of Redbridge. 29 April 2021. 5 August 2023.
    24. News: Mann . Sebastian . New Redbridge Mayor vows to 'raise borough's profile' over next year . 24 May 2024 . Asian Standard . 17 May 2024.