Hounslow London Borough Council

The London Borough of Hounslow 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 Brentford and Chiswick and Heston and Isleworth and the urban district council of Feltham. The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the old districts and their councils were abolished.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=London Government Act 1963|chapter=33|access-date=16 May 2024}}{{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=0-901050-67-9}} The council's full legal name is the "Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Hounslow", although it styles itself Hounslow Council.{{cite news |title=Latest planning applications in the London Borough of Hounslow as of 24/03/2023 |url=https://hounslowherald.com/latest-planning-applications-in-the-london-borough-of-hounslow-as-of-p21446-336.htm |access-date=18 April 2024 |work=Hounslow Herald |date=24 March 2023}}{{cite web |title=Contacting Hounslow Council |url=https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/info/20158/customer_services/1708/contacting_hounslow_council |website=Hounslow Council |access-date=18 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 Hounslow) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Hounslow 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 Labour majority control since 2010.

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/3908.stm | title = Hounslow | access-date = 2010-05-08 | work = BBC News Online | date=19 April 2009}}

The role of Mayor of Hounslow is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1965 have been:{{cite web |title=Council minutes |url=https://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?GL=1&bcr=1 |website=Hounslow Council |access-date=3 July 2022}}{{cite web |title=London Boroughs Political Almanac |url=https://boroughs50.londoncouncils.gov.uk/almanac/ |website=London Councils |access-date=1 July 2022}}

Following the 2022 election and by-elections and changes of allegiance up to May 2024, the composition of the council was as follows: {{cite web|url=https://x.com/georgegalloway/status/1771936539406221706?s=46&t=Plop77OWWRPqprDhBsIahQ|title= Defection announcement|publisher=X|access-date=25 March 2024}}

The next election is due in May 2026.

{{also|Hounslow London Borough Council elections}}

Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 62 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 Hounslow (Electoral Changes) Order 2020|year=2020|number=1108|access-date=18 April 2024}}

The council is based at Hounslow House at 7 Bath Road in Hounslow, which was purpose-built for the council and completed in 2019.{{cite web|url=http://neighbournet.com/server/common/hounscoun549.htm|title=Mayor Of London Opens New Hounslow Council Headquarters|date=1 May 2019|publisher=Neighbour.net| access-date=2 July 2021}}

File:Hounslow Civic Centre (geograph 4547407).jpg: Council's headquarters 1975–2019]]

Prior to 2019 the council was based at Hounslow Civic Centre on Lampton Road, which had been completed in 1975.{{cite web|url=https://lccmunicipal.com/2019/03/26/full-circle-celebrating-hounslow-civic-centre/|title=Full circle: Celebrating Hounslow Civic Centre|date=26 March 2019|publisher=LCC Municipal|accessdate=5 May 2020}}

• Thamesbank Credit Union

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/ London Borough of Hounslow website]

{{Local authorities in London}}

Category:Local authorities in London

Category:London borough councils

Category:Politics of the London Borough of Hounslow

Category:Leader and cabinet executives

Category:Local education authorities in England

Category:Billing authorities in England