Islington London Borough Council

There has been an elected Islington local authority since 1856 when the vestry of the ancient parish of Islington was incorporated under the Metropolis Management Act 1855. The vestry served as one of the lower tier authorities within the area of the Metropolitan Board of Works, which was established to provide services across the metropolis of London.^[3] In 1889 the Metropolitan Board of Works' area was made the County of London. In 1900 the lower tier was reorganised into metropolitan boroughs, each with a borough council, two of which were called Islington (covering the parish of Islington) and Finsbury (covering a group of smaller parishes and territories south of Islington).^[4]

The London Borough of Islington and its council were created under the London Government Act 1963, with the first election held in 1964.^[5] For its first year the council acted as a shadow authority alongside the area's outgoing authorities, being the councils of the two metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury.^[6] The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the old boroughs and their councils were abolished.^[7]

The council's full legal name is the "Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Islington".^[8]

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 Islington) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to the London Boroughs, with some services provided through joint committees.^[9] Islington became a local education authority in 1990 when the Inner London Education Authority was dissolved.^[10]

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.^[11]

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.^[12] 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.^[13]

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:^[14][15][16]

The wards of Islington and the number of seats:^[34]

1. Arsenal (3)
2. Barnsbury (3)
3. Bunhill (3)
4. Caledonian (3)
5. Canonbury (3)
6. Clerkenwell (3)
7. Finsbury Park (3)
8. Highbury (3)
9. Hillrise (3)
10. Holloway (3)
11. Junction (3)
12. Laycock (3)
13. Mildmay (3)
14. St Mary's & St James' (3)
15. St Peter's & Canalside (3)
16. Tollington (3)
17. Tufnell Park (3)

Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 51 councillors representing 17 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held every four years.^[35]

The council meets and has some of its offices at Islington Town Hall on Upper Street, which was built in phases between 1922 and 1925 for the old Islington Borough Council.^[36] The council's other main offices are in a separate building nearby at 222 Upper Street, which was purpose-built for the council in 1983.^[37][38]

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