Sutton London Borough Council

The London Borough of Sutton 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 area's three outgoing authorities, being the municipal borough councils of Sutton and Cheam and Beddington and Wallington, and the urban district council of Carshalton. The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the old districts and their councils were abolished.{{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 Sutton".{{cite web |title=Baseline Agreement |url=https://www.kippabidltd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/BaselineAgreementKippa.pdf |website=Kippa Bid |access-date=28 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 Sutton) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Sutton 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|publisher=Mayor of London|access-date=9 April 2020}}

The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since 1990.

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}}

The role of Mayor of Sutton 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://moderngov.sutton.gov.uk/ieDocHome.aspx?bcr=1 |website=Sutton Council |access-date=8 July 2022}}{{cite web |title=London Boroughs Political Almanac |url=https://boroughs50.londoncouncils.gov.uk/almanac/ |website=London Councils |access-date=5 July 2022}}

Following the 2022 election, the composition of the council was:{{cite news |title=Elections 2022: Sutton election result |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2022/england/councils/E09000029 |access-date=28 April 2024 |work=BBC News}}

The next election is due in 2026.

{{also|Sutton London Borough Council elections}}

Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 55 councillors representing 20 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 Sutton (Electoral Changes) Order 2020|year=2020|number=1225|access-date=28 April 2024}}

The council is based at the Civic Offices on St Nicholas Way in the centre of Sutton. The building was purpose-built for the council in phases between 1972 and 1975. In 2022 the council announced plans to develop a new headquarters on part of the site of the St Nicholas Shopping Centre on the High Street.{{cite news |last1=O'Connor |first1=Tara |title=Sutton Council plans to sell offices and move to High Street |url=https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/23124007.sutton-council-plans-sell-offices-move-high-street/ |access-date=28 April 2024 |work=Your Local Guardian |date=16 November 2022}}{{cite web |title=Sutton Civic and Town Centre Regeneration |url=https://suttontowncentre.sutton.gov.uk/projects/sutton-civic-and-town-centre-regeneration |website=Sutton Council}}

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{{Local authorities in London}}

Category:Local authorities in London

Category:London borough councils

Category:Politics of the London Borough of Sutton

Category:Leader and cabinet executives

Category:Local education authorities in England

Category:Billing authorities in England