Harrow London Borough Council

The first elected local authority for Harrow was a local board, established in 1850 covering the central part of the ancient parish of Harrow on the Hill.{{cite book |last1=Lawes |first1=Edward |title=The Act for promoting the Public Health, with notes |date=1851 |publisher=Shaw and Sons |location=London |pages=264–265 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MRJXAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA264 |access-date=11 April 2024}} Such boards were reconstituted as urban district councils under the Local Government Act 1894.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1894|year=1894|chapter=73|access-date=12 April 2024}}

The urban district was significantly enlarged in 1934, at which point it was renamed from 'Harrow on the Hill' to just 'Harrow'. Harrow Urban District was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1954, governed by a body formally called the "Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Harrow", generally known as the corporation or borough council.{{cite web |title=Harrow Urban District / Municipal Borough |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10001833 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=12 April 2024}}

The London Borough of Harrow and its council were created under the London Government Act 1963, with the first election held in 1964.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=London Government Act 1963|chapter=33|access-date=16 May 2024}} For its first year the council acted as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing Harrow Borough Council, which covered the same area. The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965.{{cite book | first=Frederic |last=Youngs | title=Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England | volume=I: Southern England | year=1979 | publisher=Royal Historical Society | location=London | isbn=0901050679}} The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Harrow".{{cite web |title=Insurance London Consortium Agreement |url=https://moderngov.sutton.gov.uk/documents/s19225/List-14%20Del%2081-11app.pdf |website=Sutton Council |access-date=12 April 2024}}

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 Harrow) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Harrow 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.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1985|year=1985|chapter=51|access-date=5 April 2024}}

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.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YX0nAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA107|title=Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath|first= Steve |last=Leach|page=107|publisher=Routledge|year=1998|isbn=978-0714648590}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://counciltaxrates.info/councils|title=Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities|publisher=Council Tax Rates|access-date=8 April 2020}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/planning/who-we-work/local-plan-responses-within-and-outside-london|title=Local Plan Responses – within and outside London|date=12 November 2015 |publisher=Mayor of London|access-date=9 April 2020}}

The council has been under Conservative majority control since 2022.

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:{{cite web |title=Compositions calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/?page_id=3825 |website=The Elections Centre | date=4 March 2016 |access-date=3 March 2023}}{{cite news| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/council/html/3905.stm | title = Harrow | access-date = 2010-05-08 | work = BBC News Online | date=19 April 2009}}

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Harrow. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1965 have been:{{cite web |title=Council minutes |url=https://moderngov.harrow.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx |website=Harrow Council |access-date=5 July 2022}}{{cite web |title=London Boroughs Political Almanac |url=https://boroughs50.londoncouncils.gov.uk/almanac/ |website=London Councils |access-date=5 July 2022}}

File:Council Hub, Kenmore Avenue, Harrow.jpg

The council has its main offices at the Council Hub on Kenmore Avenue in Wealdstone. The building was purpose-built for the council in 2022.{{cite web |title=Harrow's regeneration business plans approved |url=https://www.harrow.gov.uk/news/article/11284/harrow-s-regeneration-business-plans-approved |website=London Borough of Harrow |access-date=12 April 2024 |date=26 January 2024}} Full council meetings are held at the Harrow Arts Centre in Hatch End, which also houses the mayor's parlour.{{cite web |title=Browse meetings: Council |url=https://moderngov.harrow.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=288&Year=0 |website=London Borough of Harrow |access-date=12 April 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Grant |title=Harrow Council's town hall will be demolished and turned into housing |url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/north-london-news/harrow-town-hall-demolished-turned-26133849 |access-date=12 April 2024 |work=My London |date=1 February 2023}}

File:Harrow Civic Centre - geograph.org.uk - 76998.jpg: Council's former headquarters 1973–2023]]

Prior to 2022 the council was based at Harrow Civic Centre on Station Road in Harrow, which had been purpose-built for the council, being completed in 1973.{{cite book |title=London's Town Halls |date=1998 |publisher=Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England |location=London |page=109 |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/research/results/reports/7096/LONDON'STOWNHALLS |access-date=12 April 2024}}

{{also|Harrow London Borough Council elections}}

Since the last boundary changes in 2022, the council has comprised 55 councillors representing 22 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The London Borough of Harrow (Electoral Changes) Order 2020|year=2020|number=72|access-date=12 April 2024}}

As of 5 May 2022, the composition of Harrow Council is 31 Conservative councillors to 24 Labour councillors:

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.harrow.gov.uk/ London Borough of Harrow website]

{{Local authorities in London}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Local authorities in London

Category:London borough councils

Category:Politics of the London Borough of Harrow

Category:Leader and cabinet executives

Category:Local education authorities in England

Category:Billing authorities in England