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
History
FoundedApril 1, 1965 (1965-04-01)
Preceded byCroydon Borough Council and Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Council
New session started
May 25, 2022 (2022-05-25)
Leadership
Civic Mayor of Croydon[1]
Alisa Flemming, Labour
since May 2022
Jason Perry, Conservative
since May 2022
Deputy Mayor
Lynne Hale, Conservative
since May 2022
Leader of the Opposition
Stuart King, Labour
since May 2022
Chief Executive
Katherine Kerswell
since September 2020
Structure
SeatsThe Mayor of Croydon and 70 councillors in 28 wards[2]
Political groups
Administration (34)
  •   Conservative (34)

Opposition (37)

Committees
Committees (9)
  • Appointments & Disciplinary
  • Audit & Governance
  • Civic Mayoralty & Honorary Freedom Selection
  • Ethics
  • General Purposes
  • Licensing
  • Pension
  • Planning
  • Scrutiny & Overview
Boards (2)
  • Health & Wellbeing
  • Pension
Other Bodies (non-statutory) (17)
  • Adoption Panel
  • Adult Social Services Review Panel
  • Corporate Parenting Panel
  • Croydon Adult Social Services Users' Panel
  • Croydon Arnhem Working Group
  • Cycle Forum
  • Fostering Panel
  • Housing Disability Panel
  • Members' Learning & Development Panel
  • Mobility Forum
  • Public Transport Liaison Panel
  • Safer Neighbourhood Board
  • Schools Forum
  • Sheltered Housing Panel
  • Staff Partnership Panel
  • Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education
  • Tenant & Leaseholder Panel
Joint committees
(4)
  • Bandon Hill Cemetery
  • Croydon & Lewisham Street Lighting
  • South London Partnership
  • South London Waste Partnership
Length of term
Whole council elected every four years
Elections
First past the post
Last election
5 May 2022
Next election
7 May 2026
Motto
Ad Summa Nitamur
Let us strive after Perfection
Meeting place
Croydon Town Hall, CR0 1NX Croydon
Website
www.croydon.gov.uk
Constitution
Constitution of the London Borough of Croydon

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.[3]

It was envisaged that through the London Government Act 1963 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.[4]

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.[5]

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.[6] 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.[7]

Leadership

The London Borough of Croydon is led by the Mayor of Croydon and a cabinet appointed by the Mayor.[8] The Mayor is directly elected by voters in the London Borough of Croydon at the same time as the council election once every four years. The first and current Mayor is Jason Perry who has held the position since 2022.[9]

Cabinet

The current composition of Croydon Council's Cabinet is as follows:[10]

Party key Conservative
Post Member Ward
Mayor and Deputy Mayor
Mayor of Croydon Jason Perry Elected Mayor
Deputy Mayor of Croydon
Cabinet Member for Homes
Lynne Hale Sanderstead
Cabinet members
Cabinet Member for Finance Jason Cummings Shirley South
Cabinet Member for Children and Young People Maria Gatland South Croydon
Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care Yvette Hopley Sanderstead
Cabinet Member for Community Safety Ola Kolade Kenley
Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration Jeet Bains Addiscombe East
Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment Scott Roche Shirley South
Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture Andy Stranack Selsdon Vale & Forestdale

Shadow Cabinet

The largest opposition group on the council forms a Shadow Cabinet. The current composition of Croydon Council's Shadow Cabinet is as follows:[11]

Party key Labour
Post Member Ward
Leader and Deputy Leaders of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition Stuart King West Thornton
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance
Callton Young Thornton Heath
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care
Janet Campbell West Thornton
Shadow Cabinet members
Shadow Cabinet Member for Children and Young People Mike Bonello Woodside
Shadow Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture Brigitte Graham Woodside
Shadow Cabinet Member for Community Safety Enid Mollyneaux Bensham Manor
Shadow Cabinet Member for Homes Chrishni Reshekaron West Thornton
Shadow Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration Chris Clark Fairfield
Shadow Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment Nina Degrads Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood

See also

References

  1. "The Civic Mayor of Croydon | Croydon Council". www.croydon.gov.uk. Retrieved 2022-05-10.
  2. "Open Council Data UK - compositions councillors parties wards elections". opencouncildata.co.uk.
  3. "Is Croydon in London or Surrey?". Croydon Advertiser. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  4. Leach, Steve (1998). Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath. Routledge. p. 107. ISBN 978-0714648590.
  5. "Croydon Council bans spending under Section 114 notice". BBC News. November 11, 2020.
  6. "Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities". Council Tax Rates. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  7. "Local Plan Responses – within and outside London". Mayor of London. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  8. "Role of the Elected Mayor | Croydon Council". www.croydon.gov.uk. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  9. "Meet your 2022 Conservative Mayoral Candidate!". Croydon Conservatives. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
  10. "Mayor Perry announces first Cabinet for Croydon under new mayoral system". Croydon Council. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  11. "Shadow Cabinet Members | Croydon Council". www.croydon.gov.uk. 2022-05-30. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
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