Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Mayor of Kingston Upon Thames | Cllr Diane White since May 2023 |
Leader of the Council | Andreas Kirsch, Liberal Democrat since November 2021 |
Chief executive | Sarah Ireland[1] since 16 May 2023 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 48 councillors |
 | |
Political groups | Administration (43)
Opposition (5)
|
| Elections | |
| First past the post | |
Last election | 5 May 2022 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Kingston upon Thames Guildhall | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council is the local authority for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London.
History
There have previously been a number of local authorities responsible for the Kingston upon Thames 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 London Borough of Kingston upon Thames on 1 April 1965. Kingston upon Thames replaced the Municipal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames (which itself was a Royal Borough), the Municipal Borough of Malden and Coombe and the Municipal Borough of Surbiton.[2]
It was envisaged that through the London Government Act 1963 Kingston upon Thames 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. As an outer London borough council it has been an education authority since 1965. This arrangement lasted until 1986 when Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council gained responsibility for some services that had been provided by the Greater London Council, such as waste disposal. 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.[3]
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.[4] 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.[5]
Criticism
Size of staff departure payments
In the financial years 2015–19, under a Conservative and then Liberal Democrat administration the council spent £2.4 million of public money on so-called ‘golden goodbyes’ to departing senior staff, including:
- Over £250,000 for Bruce McDonald, the former CEO of the council.[6][7]
- £316,000 to Charlie Adan, former council chief executive, who left her role two months after the May 2018 local elections, reportedly because she clashed with new council leader, Liz Green.[8]
- £160,000 to Roy Thompson, who served as temporary Chief Executive for less than six months, while Adan's successor was found, with his post as deputy being axed as a cost saving.[9][8]
- £442,000 split between five ‘senior officers’.[8]
See also
References
- ↑ Griffiths, Elliot (18 May 2023). "Sarah Ireland appointed as new Kingston Chief Executive". Public Sector Executive. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ Youngs, Frederic (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. Vol. I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0-901050-67-9.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "Former Kingston Council chief executive to get more than £250,000 payout for "resigning"". Surrey Comet. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ↑ "MyLondon News". 9 July 2018.
- 1 2 3 Private Eye, Issue 1502, p.18
- ↑ "Campaigners raise concerns after Kingston Council deputy chief executive axed". Surrey Comet. Retrieved 14 August 2021.