Haringey London Borough Council

Last updated
Haringey London Borough Council
Coat of arms of the London Borough of Haringey.svg
Coat of arms
Haringey London Borough Council.svg
Council logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Lester Buxton,
Labour
since 15 May 2023 [1]
Peray Ahmet,
Labour
since 27 May 2021
Andy Donald
since February 2022 [2]
Structure
Seats57 councillors [3]
Haringey Council 2022.svg
Political groups
Administration (46)
  Labour (46)
Other parties (11)
  Liberal Democrat (7)
  Independent (4)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
 5 May 2022
Next election
7 May 2026
Meeting place
Haringey Civic Centre.JPG
Civic Centre, 255 High Road, Wood Green, London, N22 8LE
Website
www.haringey.gov.uk

Haringey London Borough Council, also known as Haringey Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Haringey 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. The council is usually based at Haringey Civic Centre in Wood Green, although the building has been closed since 2020 pending refurbishment.

Contents

History

The London Borough of Haringey and its council were created under the London Government Act 1963, with the first election held in 1964. For its first year the council acted as a shadow authority alongside the area's three outgoing authorities, being the borough councils of Hornsey, Tottenham and Wood Green. The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the old boroughs and their councils were abolished. [4] [5] The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Haringey". [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 Haringey) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Haringey 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]

For several years, Haringey Council was the subject of criticism over its handling of the welfare of young children, notably in connection with the murder of Victoria Climbié in 2000 and the killing of Peter Connelly ("Baby P") in 2007. [9] George Meehan, leader of the council at the time of both the Victoria Climbie inquiry and the death of Baby P, resigned after a "damning" examination of the council's social services functions following by the Baby P case. [10] In March 2009, Haringey Council's performance was placed by the Audit Commission in the bottom four of the country and the worst in London. [11] In December 2009, Haringey's performance was placed by Ofsted in the bottom nine in the country for children's services. [12] A later series of positive Ofsted inspections culminated in the service being taken out of 'special measures' by the government in February 2013. [13]

In 2017, the council proposed a partnership with Lendlease Group for developing council-owned land known as the Haringey Development Vehicle, which was controversial locally. The subsequent political fall-out led to the resignation of council leader, Claire Kober. [14]

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. [15] 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. [16]

Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since 1971.

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]

Party in controlYears
Labour 1965–1968
Conservative 1968–1971
Labour 1971–present

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Haringey. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1965 have been: [18] [19]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
John McIlwain Labour 19651967
Sheila Berkery-Smith Labour 19671968
Peter Rigby Conservative 19681971
Sheila Berkery-Smith Labour 19711973
Colin Ware Labour 19731980
Robin Young Labour 19801982
Angela Greatley Labour 19821983
George Meehan Labour 19831984
Bernie Grant Labour 19841987
Toby Harris Labour 19871999
George Meehan [20] Labour 19992004
Charles Adje Labour 200422 May 2006
George Meehan Labour 22 May 20062 Dec 2008
Claire Kober Labour 9 Dec 20086 May 2018
Joseph Ejiofor Labour 24 May 201827 May 2021
Peray Ahmet Labour 27 May 2021

Composition

Following the 2023 election and subsequent changes of allegiance up to April 2024, the composition of the council was as follows:

PartyCouncillors
Labour 46
Liberal Democrats 11
Independent 4
Total57

Of the four independent councillors (all of whom had been elected for Labour), three sit together as the 'Independent Socialist' group and the other does not belong to a group. [21] The next election is due in May 2026.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 57 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. [22]

Premises

The council is usually based at Haringey Civic Centre on High Road in Wood Green, which had been completed in 1958 for the old Wood Green Borough Council. [23] The building closed in 2020 after structural issues were identified. [24] Council meetings are temporarily being held at other venues, including Tottenham Town Hall and George Meehan House. [25] The council has announced plans to refurbish the Civic Centre, with a view to it re-opening as the council's main offices and meeting place in 2026. [26]

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References

  1. ↑ "Council minutes, 15 May 2023" (PDF). Haringey Council. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  2. ↑ Langlois, André (19 April 2022). "Haringey Council appoints new chief executive". Ham and High. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  3. ↑ "Your Councillors". www.haringey.gov.uk. 15 November 2021.
  4. ↑ "London Government Act 1963", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1978 c. 33, retrieved 16 May 2024
  5. ↑ Youngs, Frederic (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. Vol. I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN   0-901050-67-9.
  6. ↑ "Service Level Agreement" (PDF). Harrow Council. 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  7. ↑ "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 5 April 2024
  8. ↑ Leach, Steve (1998). Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath. Routledge. p. 107. ISBN   978-0714648590.
  9. ↑ "The rotten borough of Haringey? | News". Thisislondon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 August 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  10. ↑ "Baby P: The Untold Story - BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  11. ↑ "Borough at centre of Baby P row ranked the worst in London | News". Thisislondon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  12. ↑ London Evening Standard 9 December 2009
  13. ↑ "Facts concerning Haringey Council's Children's Services": Haringey Council. Haringey.gov.uk (3 May 2012). Retrieved on 2013-08-13.
  14. ↑ "Haringey Council boss accused of running borough like her 'personal fiefdom' as she faces leadership challenge". Evening Standard. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  15. ↑ "Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities". Council Tax Rates. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  16. ↑ "Local Plan Responses – within and outside London". Mayor of London. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  17. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  18. ↑ "Council minutes". Haringey Council. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  19. ↑ "London Boroughs Political Almanac". London Councils. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  20. ↑ "Memorial to the late Councillor George Meehan". Haringey Council. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  21. ↑ "Your Councillors by Party". Haringey Council. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  22. ↑ "The London Borough of Haringey (Electoral Changes) Order 2020", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2020/1110, retrieved 11 April 2024
  23. ↑ Historic England. "Haringey Civic Centre (Grade II) (1454719)". National Heritage List for England .
  24. ↑ "Plans for long-awaited revamp of Haringey Civic Centre revealed". Haringey Community Press. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  25. ↑ "Browse Meetings: Full Council". Haringey Council. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  26. ↑ "Project Overview". Haringey Civic Centre. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
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