Newham London Borough Council

Newham London Borough Council /ˈnjuːəm/ (listen) is the local authority for the London Borough of Newham. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. The council is unusual in that its executive function is controlled by a directly elected mayor of Newham, currently Rokhsana Fiaz.[1] Newham is divided into 20 wards, each electing three councillors. As at August 2020, 59 councillors represent the Labour Party, and one seat (in East Ham Central ward) is vacant. The council was created by the London Government Act 1963 and replaced three local authorities: East Ham Borough Council, West Ham Borough Council and Woolwich Metropolitan Borough Council.

Newham London Borough Council
Type
Type	London borough council of the London Borough of Newham
Leadership
Executive mayor	Rokhsana Fiaz, Labour since March 2018
Chief executive	Althea Loderick since August 2018
Structure
Seats	60 councillors
Political groups	Labour (59), Vacancy (1)
Joint committees	East London Waste Authority
Elections
Voting system	Block vote
Last election	3 May 2018
Next election	May 2022
Meeting place
Newham Town Hall
Website
Council Website

History

A map showing the wards of Newham since 2002

There have previously been a number of local authorities responsible for the Newham 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 Newham on 1 April 1965. Newham replaced East Ham Borough Council, West Ham Borough Council and part of Woolwich Metropolitan Borough Council (for North Woolwich). West Ham was a county borough (which meant that its council had the functions of both a county and a borough) from 1889 and East Ham gained that status in 1915. It was previously a non-county borough and between 1894 and 1904 it was governed by East Ham Urban District Council. Before 1900 North Woolwich was governed by the Vestry of the Parish of Woolwich.[2]

It was envisaged that in accordance with the London Government Act 1963 that Newham 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 Newham 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.[3]

Powers and functions

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the London Government Act 1963 and subsequent legislation. Newham has the powers and functions of a London borough council. It is a billing authority collecting Council Tax and business rates, it processes local planning applications, it is responsible for housing, waste collection and environmental health. It is a local education authority, responsible for social services, libraries and waste disposal. The council shares responsibility with the Greater London Authority for strategic policies including housing, planning and the environment.[4]

Finances

Newham London Borough Council is the billing authority for Council Tax, and collects a precepts on behalf of the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime, the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority the Greater London Authority and Transport for London.[5]

Lender option borrower option loans

Newham London Borough Council has £563 million of long term lender option borrower option loans (LOBOs), more than anywhere else in the country. It pays annual interest of up to 7.6%.[6][7]

Summary results of elections

Main article: Newham London Borough Council elections

The council has been controlled by the Labour Party since it was first elected in 1964.

References

1. Long, Rhiannon. "Local Elections: Newham elects Rokhsana Fiaz to be its mayor". Newham recorder.
2. Youngs, Frederic (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0-901050-67-9.
3. Leach, Steve (1998). Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath. Routledge. p. 107. ISBN 978-0714648590.
4. "Local Plan Responses – within and outside London". Mayor of London. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
5. "Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities". Council Tax Rates. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
6. How Councils Blow Your Millions: Channel 4 UK Dispatches transmitted 06 July 2015 - News release
7. Joel Benjamin Oct 2014 Contributoria