Croydon Council is the local authority covering the London Borough of Croydon.

Description

The Council consists of seventy elected councillors across 24 wards. Since the 2002 local elections, the Labour Party has controlled the Council with 37 councillors. The Conservative Party has 31 councillors with one Liberal Democrat and one independent. The next elections are to be held in May 2006.

From February 2005, the Leader of Croydon Council will be Labour Councillor Tony Newman , replacing Hugh Malyan . As a Cabinet-style council, the Leader heads a ten person cabinet, responsible for areas such as education or planning. There is a Shadow Cabinet drawn from the Conservative Party, whose leader is Councillor Andrew Pelling. A backbench, cross-party Scrutiny and Overview Committee is in place to hold the executive Cabinet to account.

Some 10,000 people work directly or indirectly for the Council, in its main offices in Taberner House or in its schools, care homes, housing offices or work depots. The largest London Borough, the Council is generally well-regarded, having made important improvements in education and social services. However, there have been concerns over benefits, leisure services and waste collection.

Croydon is twinned with Arnhem in the Netherlands. There is a also the Guyana Link supported by the Council.

The Mayor of Croydon for 2004 to 2005 is Councillor Brenda Kirby . Her Deputy and expected successor is Councillor Maggie Mansell .

History

Croydon was once a Surrey Urban District Council, incorporated as a Borough and in 1889, through its growing economic importance, made into a County Borough exempt from county administration. In 1965 it became the London Borough of Croydon, annexing the former Coulsdon and Purley Urban District. It is now governed by a cabinet-style council created in 2001. For much of its history, Croydon Council was controlled by the Conservative Party or conservative-leaning independents. The Labour Party became the majority party in 1994.

Former Croydon councillors include Geraint Davies MP, London Assembly member Valerie Shawcross, Lord Peter Bowness, Reg Prentice and H.T. Muggeridge, father of Malcolm Muggeridge. The first Mayor of the newly-created Borough was Jabez Balfour, later a disgraced Member of Parliament. Current Conservative Director of Operations, Gavin Barwell, has been a Croydon Councillor since 1998.

Leading councillors

• Leader - Cllr Hugh Malyan (until 14 February 2005); Cllr Tony Newman (from 14 February 2005)
• Deputy Leader - Cllr Tony Newman (until 14 February 2005); Cllr Paula Shaw (from 14 February 2005)
• Culture and Sports - Cllr Stuart Collins
• Economic Development and Corporate Services - Cllr Ian Payne
• Education, Youth and Lifelong Learning - Cllr Louisa Woodley
• Equalities and Community Partnerships - Cllr Mark Watson
• Health and Social Care - Cllr Paula Shaw
• Housing - Cllr Tony Newman (until 14 February 2005); Cllr Alison Butler (from 14 February 2005)
• Planning, Environment & Urban Development - Cllr Adrian Dennis
• Public Protection and Crime Reduction - Cllr Paul Smith
• Streets and Environmental Services - Cllr Gerry Ryan

The Chair of the Scrutiny and Overview Committee is Cllr Sean Fitzsimons.

Senior officers

• Chief Executive - David Wechsler
• Director of Corporate Services - Miles Smith
• Director of Education - Peter Wylie
• Director of Environmental, Cultural & Sports Services - Steve Halsey
• Director of Finance & IT - Nathan Elvery
• Director of Housing - Mike Davis
• Director of Planning & Transportation - Phillip Goodwin
• Head of Policy & Executive Office - Will Tuckley
• Director of Social Services - Hannah Miller

See also

• Cabinet-style council

External links

• http://www.croydon.gov.uk