Croydon London Borough Council

Croydon London Borough Council
Coat of arms
Council logo
Type
Type	London Borough
History
Founded	1 April 1965 (1965-04-01)
Preceded by	Croydon Borough Council and Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Council
Leadership
Civic Mayor	Tony Pearson, Conservative since 17 May 2023[1][2]
Executive Mayor	Jason Perry, Conservative since 9 May 2022
Chief Executive	Katherine Kerswell since September 2020[3]
Structure
Seats	Executive mayor plus 70 councillors[4]
Political groups	Administration (33)   Conservative (33) Other parties (36)   Labour (33)   Green (2)   Liberal Democrat (1) Vacant (2)   Vacant (2)
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
Voting system	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
Town Hall, Katherine Street, Croydon, CR0 1NX
Website
www.croydon.gov.uk
Constitution
Constitution of the London Borough of Croydon

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.

History[edit]

The town of Croydon's first elected local authority was a local board of health established in 1849.^[5] The town was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1883.^[6] When elected county councils were established in 1889, Croydon was considered large enough to provide its own county-level services. It was therefore made a county borough, independent from the new Surrey County Council, whilst remaining part of Surrey for judicial and lieutenancy purposes.^[7][8]

The modern borough was created in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963, covering the combined area of the former County Borough of Croydon and Coulsdon and Purley Urban District. The area was transferred from Surrey to Greater London to become one of 32 London Boroughs.^[9] The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Croydon".^[10]

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 Croydon) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council, Croydon 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.^[11]

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.^[12]

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.^[13]

Governance[edit]

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.^[14] 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.^[15]

Political control[edit]

The council has been under no overall control since the 2022 election, being run by a minority Conservative administration under Jason Perry, the directly elected Mayor of Croydon.^[16]

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:^[17]

Leadership[edit]

Prior to 2022, political leadership was provided by the leader of the council. The leaders from 1965 to 2022 were:^[18][19]

In 2022 the council changed to having a directly elected mayor as its political leader. The directly elected mayor is termed the 'executive mayor' to distinguish it from the more ceremonial position of the 'civic mayor', who chairs council meetings.^[20] The executive mayor since 2022 has been:^[21]

Cabinet[edit]

The cabinet is appointed by the executive mayor. The current composition of Croydon Council's cabinet is as follows:^[22]

Shadow Cabinet[edit]

The largest opposition group on the council forms a Shadow Cabinet. The current composition of Croydon Council's Shadow Cabinet is as follows:^[23]

Premises[edit]

The council meets at Croydon Town Hall on Katherine Street, which was completed for the old county borough council in 1896.^[24]

The council has its main offices at Bernard Weatherill House on Mint Walk, immediately south of the Town Hall. The building was purpose-built for the council and opened in 2013 to replace the council's former offices at Taberner House on Park Lane, which was subsequently demolished.^[25]

Elections[edit]

Since the last boundary changes in 2018 the council has comprised 70 councillors representing 28 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.^[26] The addition of the directly elected mayor in 2022 means that there are now 71 seats on the council overall. The mayor is also elected every four years, at the same time as the council.^[27]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• London Borough of Croydon website
• Croydon Ward Map