Local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England
Westminster City Council is the local authority for the
City of Westminster in
Greater London , England. The city is divided into 20 wards, each electing three councillors. The council is currently composed of 31
Labour Party members and 23
Conservative Party members.
[2] The council was created by the
London Government Act 1963 and replaced three local authorities:
Paddington Metropolitan Borough Council ,
St Marylebone Metropolitan Borough Council and
Westminster Borough Council .
History
A map showing the wards of Westminster between 2002 and 2022
There have previously been a number of local authorities responsible for the Westminster 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
City of Westminster on 1 April 1965. Westminster City Council replaced
Paddington Metropolitan Borough Council ,
St Marylebone Metropolitan Borough Council and the
Westminster City Council which had responsibility for the earlier, smaller City of Westminster. All three had been created in 1900, with Paddington and St Marylebone replacing the
parish vestries incorporated by the
Metropolis Management Act 1855 . Westminster itself has a more convoluted history and the metropolitan borough council established in 1900 had replaced the
Vestry of the Parish of St George Hanover Square , the
Vestry of the Parish of St Martin in the Fields , the
Strand District Board of Works , the
Westminster District Board of Works and the
Vestry of the Parish of Westminster St James .
[3]
It was envisaged that through the
London Government Act 1963 Westminster 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. This arrangement lasted until 1986 when Westminster City Council gained responsibility for some services that had been provided by the Greater London Council, such as
waste disposal . Westminster became an
education authority in 1990.
[4]
In the late 1980s, the Conservative-led Council was involved in the
Homes for votes scandal . In marginal wards, this involved the Council moving the homeless elsewhere, and selling off council homes to groups who were more likely to vote Conservative. On investigation, the policy was ruled to be illegal, and it was revealed that some of the homeless had been rehoused in condemned accommodation. Former leader of the Council Dame
Shirley Porter was found guilty of wilful misconduct and ordered to repay £36.1m. In view of her personal circumstances, a payment of £12.3 million was eventually accepted.
[5]
[6]
[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]
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.
[9] 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.
[10]
Buildings
The Council is usually based at
Westminster City Hall on Victoria Street in
Victoria . The City Hall was designed by
Burnet Tait & Partners on a speculative basis, and completed in 1966.
[11] Full council meetings are held in the council chamber of
Marylebone Town Hall on Marylebone Road, built in 1920 for the former
Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone , one of the council's predecessors.
[12]
Summary results of elections
Year
Party in control
Conservative
Labour
Others
2022
Labour
23
31
-
2018
Conservative
41
19
-
2014
44
16
-
2010
48
12
-
2006
48
12
-
2002
48
12
-
1998
47
13
-
1994
45
15
-
1990
45
15
-
1986
32
27
1
1982
43
16
1
1978
39
19
2
1974
37
23
-
1971
37
23
-
1968
55
5
-
1964
41
19
-
List of leaders
Leaders of the Council
[13]
Chief Executives
[14]
Chief Executive
Years
Alan Dawtry
1964–1977
David Whitty
1977–1983
Rodney Brooke
1983–1987
Rodney Brooke and Bill Phillips
1987–1988
Bill Phillips
1988–1991
Mervyn Montacute
1991–1994
Bill Roots
1994–1999
Peter Rogers
1999–2007
Mike Moore
2007–2013
Charlie Parker
2013–2017
Stuart Love
2018–present
Notable councillors
Diane Abbott (
Labour , Harrow Road 1982–86), MP for
Hackney North and Stoke Newington since
1987
[15]
Nickie Aiken (
Conservative , Warwick 2006–22), MP for
Cities of London and Westminster since
2019
[15]
Edward Argar (
Conservative , Warwick ward 2006–15),
Member of Parliament for
Charnwood since
2015
[15]
Nicholas Boles (
Conservative ,
West End 1998–2002), MP for
Grantham and Stamford ,
2010 –
19
[15]
Muriel Bowen (
Conservative , Baker Street 1964–68), councillor for
Battersea South on
London County Council
[15]
Peter Bradley (
Labour , Millbank 1986–96), MP for
The Wrekin ,
1997 –
2005
[15]
Sir Ashley Bramall (
Labour , Alderney 1964–68), MP for
Bexley
1946 –
50 and Leader of the
Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) 1970–81; councillor for
Bethnal Green on
London County Council ,
1961 –65 and
Greater London Council 1965–86 (also Alderman of former
Westminster City Council 1959–65)
[15]
John Browne (
Conservative , Knightsbridge 1974–78), MP for
Winchester ,
1979 –
92
[15]
Karen Buck (
Labour , Queen's Park 1990–97), MP for
Regent's Park and Kensington North (
1997 –
2010 ) and
Westminster North since
2010
[15]
Melvyn Caplan (
Conservative ,
Little Venice 1990–), leader of the council 1995–2000
[15]
Greg Clark (
Conservative , Warwick 2002–05), MP for
Tunbridge Wells since
2005
[15]
Neale Coleman (
Labour ,
Maida Vale 1982–90), former senior adviser to
Jeremy Corbyn as
Leader of the Labour Party
[16]
Robert Davis (
Conservative , Bayswater 1982–86; Lancaster Gate 1986–2018), deputy leader of the council, 2008–18 and Lord Mayor (1996)
[15]
Anthony Devenish (
Conservative , Knightsbridge and Belgravia 2006–), Member of the
London Assembly for
West Central since
2016
[15]
Andrew Dismore (
Labour , Westbourne 1982–97), MP for
Hendon
1997 –
2010 ,
London Assembly Member for
Barnet and Camden
2012 –
21
[15]
Jonathan Djanogly (
Conservative , Regent's Park 1994–2001), MP for
Huntingdon since
2001
[15]
Alf Dubs, Baron Dubs (
Labour , Westbourne 1971–78), MP for
Battersea South (
1979 –
83 ) and
Battersea (
1983 –
87 )
[15]
Michael Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean (
Conservative , Churchill 1978–82; Belgrave 1982–83), MP for
Stirling
1983 –
97
[15]
Trixie Gardner, Baroness Gardner of Parkes (
Conservative , Hyde Park 1968–78), first Australian female peer. Councillor on the
Greater London Council (GLC), representing Havering 1970–73 and Enfield Southgate 1977–86
[15]
Mair Garside (
Labour , Millbank 1996–98), councillor for
Woolwich West on London County Council (1958–61); Greenwich (1970–73) and Woolwich East (1973–86) on Greater London Council
[15]
Teresa Gorman (
Conservative , Millbank 1982–86), MP for
Billericay ,
1987 –
2001
[15]
Illtyd Harrington (
Labour , Harrow Road 1964–68, 1971–78; also Harrow Road South 1959–65 on former
Paddington Borough Council ), deputy leader of the
Greater London Council (1981–84) and subsequently GLC chairman (1984–85)
[15]
Michael Latham (
Conservative , Churchill 1968–71), MP for
Melton , 1974–83;
Rutland and Melton
1983 –
92
[15]
Sir Spencer Le Marchant (
Conservative , Warwick 1964–71; Victoria 1956–59, Warwick 1959–65 on former
Westminster City Council ), MP for
High Peak
1970 –
83
[15]
Barry Legg (
Conservative , Regent's Park 1978–91), MP for
Milton Keynes South West
1992 –
97
[15]
Jonathan Lord (
Conservative ,
Little Venice 1994–2002), MP for
Woking since
2010
[15]
Serge Lourie (
Labour , Westbourne 1971–74),
Social Democratic Party –
Alliance councillor in
Richmond Upon Thames , 1982–90;
Liberal Democrat councillor in Richmond Upon Thames, 1990–2010; Leader of the Council (Richmond) 2001–02 and 2006–10
[15]
Kit Malthouse (
Conservative , St. George's 1998–2002; Warwick 2002–06), Assembly Member for
West Central on the
London Assembly ; MP for
North West Hampshire since
2015 and
Secretary of State for Education
[15]
Graham Mather (
Conservative , Churchill 1982–86),
Member of the European Parliament for
Hampshire North and Oxford (1994–99)
[15]
Francis Maude, Baron Maude of Horsham (
Conservative , Bayswater 1978–82; Hamilton Terrace 1982–84), MP for
North Warwickshire , 1983–92 and
Horsham ,
1997 –
2015
[15]
Richard May (
Labour , Millbank 1971–78), judge of the
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia 1997–2004; Leader of the Opposition on Westminster Council 1974–77.
[17]
Sir Simon Milton (
Conservative , Lancaster Gate 1988–2008; Hon. Alderman 2008–11),
Deputy Mayor of London for Policy and Planning (2008–11)
[15]
Robert Moreland (
Conservative , Knightsbridge 1990–98), MEP for
Staffordshire East 1979–84
[15]
Sir Charles Norton (
Conservative , Alderman 1964–71; Grosvenor 1948–62, Alderman 1962–65 on previous
Westminster City Council ), solicitor
[15]
David Pitt–Watson (
Labour ,
Maida Vale 1986–90), business and social entrepreneur
[15]
Olga Polizzi (
Conservative , Lancaster Gate 1989–94), hotelier and interior designer
[15]
Dame Shirley Porter (
Conservative , Hyde Park 1974–93), leader of the council 1983–91 and Lord Mayor of Westminster (1991)
[15]
Murad Qureshi (
Labour ,
Church Street 1998–2006), Member of the
London Assembly , 2004–16; former chair of
Stop the War Coalition
[15]
Glenys Roberts (
Conservative ,
West End 1999–2018), journalist
[15]
[18]
Philippa Roe, Baroness Couttie (
Conservative , Knightsbridge and Belgravia 2006–18), leader of the council 2012–17
[15]
Lee Rowley (
Conservative ,
Maida Vale 2006–2014), MP for
North East Derbyshire since
2017
[15]
Nicholas St Aubyn (
Conservative ,
Little Venice 1982–86), MP for
Guildford ,
1997 –
2001
[15]
Michael Shersby (
Conservative ,
Maida Vale 1964–71; also Maida Vale North 1959–65 on former
Paddington Borough Council ) MP for
Uxbridge ,
1972 –
97
[15]
Ben Summerskill (
Labour , Westbourne 1994–98), former chief executive of
Stonewall
[15]
Manuela Sykes (
Labour , Churchill 1971–78), lecturer, writer, and public relations adviser
[15]
David Weeks (
Conservative , Warwick 1974–78; St. George's 1978–98), leader of the council 1991–93
[15]
Anne Weyman (
Labour ,
Little Venice 1978–82), vice–chair of
Britain for Europe
[15]
Miles Young (
Conservative , Victoria 1986–98), businessman
[15]
Lord Mayors of Westminster
Year
Name
Notes
1965
Sir Charles Norton
2nd term. First Lord Mayor.
1966
Anthony L. Burton
1966
Arthur C. Barrett
1967
Christopher Anthony Prendergast
1968
Leonard Pearl
1970
Brian Fitzgerald-Moore
2nd term
1971
John Wells
1972
John E. Guest
1973
David Neville Cobbold
2nd term
1974
Group Captain Gordon Pirie
2nd term
1975
Roger M. Dawe
1976
Jack Gillett
1977
Hugh Cubitt
1978
Wing Commander William Henry Kearney
1979
Reginald Forrester
1980
Donald du Parc Braham
1981
G. I. Harley
1982
Thomas Whipham
1983
Phoebette Sitwell
First female Lord Mayor
1984
John Bull
1985
Roger Bramble
1986
Mrs Terence Mallinson
1987
Kevin Gardner
1988
Elizabeth Flach
1989
Simon Mabey
1990
Dr David Avery
1991
Dame Shirley Porter
1992
Dr Cyril Nemeth
1993
Jenny Bianco
1994
Angela Hooper
1995
Alan Bradley
1996
Robert Davis
1997
Ronald Raymond-Cox
1998
David Harvey
1999
Alex Segal
2000
Michael Brahams
2001
Harvey Marshall
2002
Frances Blois
2003
Jan Prendergast
2004
Catherine Longworth
2005
Tim Joiner
2006
Alexander Nicoll
2007
Carolyn Keen
2008
Louise Hyams
2009
Duncan Sandys
2010
Judith Warner
2011
Susie Burbridge
2012
Angela Harvey
2013
Sarah Richardson
2014
Audrey Lewis
2015
Christabel, Lady Flight
2016
Steve Summers
2017
Ian Adams
2018
Lindsey Hall
2019
Ruth Bush
First Lord Mayor elected from the minority party
2020
Jonathan Glanz
Elected in a virtual mayor making ceremony
[19]
2022
Hamza Taouzzale
First Muslim and BAME Lord Mayor, as well as the youngest in the history of the office (at 22 years of age)
2023
Patricia McAllister
[20]
See also
References
^
"Council minutes, 18 May 2022" (PDF) . Westminster City Council . Retrieved 29 June 2022 .
^
Your Councillors at westminster.gov.uk
^ Youngs, Frederic (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England . Vol. I: Southern England. London:
Royal Historical Society .
ISBN
0-901050-67-9 .
^
"The Education (Inner London Education Authority) (Property Transfer) Order 1990" . Legislation.co.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2022 .
^ All facts below are taken from the description of facts as printed in the decision of the Judicial Appealate Committee of the House of Lords of the Westminster Parliament in Porter v Magill [2002] 2 AC 357, and are repeated here under absolute privilege
^ Rosenberg, Jonathan (1998). Against the odds . London: WECH.
ISBN
0-9533073-0-1 .
^ Magill, John (3 February 2004).
"WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL BUILDING STABLE COMMUNITIES REPORT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST" . The Guardian . London.
^ Leach, Steve (1998).
Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath . Routledge. p. 107.
ISBN
978-0714648590 .
^
"Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities" . Council Tax Rates. Retrieved 8 April 2020 .
^
"Local Plan Responses – within and outside London" . Mayor of London. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2020 .
^
"Westminster City Hall" . Open House London. Retrieved 26 April 2020 .
^ Hosken, Andrew (2007).
Nothing Like a Dame: The Scandals of Shirley Porter . Granta Books. p. 31.
ISBN
978-1862079229 .
^ Travers, Tony (2015).
London's boroughs at 50 . London: Biteback Pub.
ISBN
978-1-84954-919-6 .
OCLC
930303534 .
^ Travers, Tony (2015).
London's boroughs at 50 . London: Biteback Pub.
ISBN
978-1-84954-919-6 .
OCLC
930303534 .
^
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at Boothroyd, David.
"Members of Westminster City Council" . Westminster City Council Election Results . Archived from
the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2022 .
^
"Neale Coleman, the new member of Jeremy Corbyn's inner circle" . BBC News . 17 September 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2022 .
^
"May, His Honour Sir Richard (George), (12 Nov. 1938–1 July 2004), a Judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, 1997–2004" . WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO . 2007.
doi :
10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u27081 .
ISBN
978-0-19-954089-1 . Retrieved 11 August 2022 .
^ Colombeau, Joseph.
"London Borough Council Elections 3 May 2018" (PDF) . Elections - London Datastore . Greater London Authority. Retrieved 29 November 2018 .
^
"City of Westminster elects new Lord Mayor" . Westminster City Council . 21 May 2020. Archived from
the original on 15 August 2020.
^
"New Lord Mayor elected by Westminster City Council" . Westminster City Council . Retrieved 6 June 2023 .