Brent London Borough Council
Brent London Borough Council | |
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Whole council elected every four years | |
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Council logo | |
Type | |
Type | |
Structure | |
Seats | 63 councillors in 21 wards |
56 / 63 | |
6 / 63 | |
1 / 63 | |
Elections | |
First past the post | |
Last election | 22 May 2014 |
Next election | 2018 |
Meeting place | |
Brent Civic Centre, Wembley | |
Website | |
www |
Brent London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Brent in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. The borough has seen illegal dumping on the borough’s streets between 2013/14 and 2014/15 surge by 84 per cent, the most recorded by a local authority in England.[1] According to the findings of a survey by property group Rightmove, Brent is the third most unhappiest borough in London, based on a number of factors including décor, space, value, pride, costs, safety, amenities, recreation, community, contentment, neighbourliness and area contentment.[2] Brent has the highest proportion of housing benefit claims by private tenants in the country as a percentage of all households according to the Financial Times.[3]
History
It was envisaged through the London Government Act 1963 that Brent 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 Brent 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.
Powers and functions
The local authority derives its powers and functions from the London Government Act 1963 and subsequent legislation. Brent 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.
Finances
Brent 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.
Political control
Since 1964 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:[4]
Party in control | Years |
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Labour | 1964 - 1968 |
Conservative | 1968 - 1971 |
Labour | 1971 - 1982 |
No overall control | 1982 - 1986 |
Labour | 1986 - 1990 |
No overall control | 1990 - 1998 |
Labour | 1998 - 2006 |
No overall control | 2006 - 2010 |
Labour | 2010 - present |
Composition
As of the 2014 election the council is composed of the following councillors:-[5]
Party | Councillors | |
Labour Party | 56 | |
Conservative Party | 6 | |
Liberal Democrats | 1 |
References
- ↑ King, Lorraine (September 1, 2015). "Brent suffers the highest increase in fly-tipping in England". Brent and Kilburn Times. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ↑ King, Lorraine (August 6, 2015). "Brent dubbed the third ‘most unhappiest’ borough in London". Brent and Kilburn Times. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- ↑ Allen, Kate (August 6, 2015). "Benefit cuts threaten buy-to-let landlords’ income". Financial Times. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
- ↑ "Brent". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ↑ "Brent". BBC News Online. Retrieved 19 February 2015.