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Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council

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Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council, which styles itself Kingston 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 London. The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since 2018. It is based at Kingston upon Thames Guildhall.

Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council
Coat of arms or logo
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Liz Green,
Liberal Democrat
since 16 May 2024[1]
Andreas Kirsch,
Liberal Democrat
since 26 October 2021[2]
Sarah Ireland
since 16 May 2023[3]
Structure
Seats48 councillors
Political groups
Administration (42)
  Liberal Democrats (42)
Opposition (6)
  Kingston Independent Residents (2)
  Independent (2)
  Conservatives (2)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
5 May 2022
Next election
7 May 2026
Meeting place
Guildhall, High Street, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1EU
Website
www.kingston.gov.uk

History

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The town of Kingston upon Thames was an ancient borough, having been formally incorporated in 1441, with a long history prior to that as a royal manor dating back to Saxon times.[4][5] The borough was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which standardised how most boroughs operated across the country. It was thereafter run by a body formally called the "Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough (or Royal Borough) of Kingston-upon-Thames".[6] Kingston was often described as a royal borough, with its right to that title being formally confirmed in 1927.[7]

The much larger London Borough of Kingston upon Thames and its council were created in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963, with the first election held in 1964.[8] For its first year the council acted as a shadow authority alongside the area's outgoing authorities, being the councils of the three municipal boroughs of Kingston-upon-Thames, Malden and Coombe and Surbiton.[9] The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the old boroughs and their councils were abolished.[10]

Kingston's royal borough status transferred to the enlarged borough.[11] The council's full legal name is the "Mayor and Burgesses of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames", although it styles itself Kingston Council.[12][2] The council counts its mayors as forming a continuous series with the mayors of the old municipal borough of Kingston-upon-Thames as first appointed in 1836.[1]

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 Kingston upon Thames) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Kingston upon Thames 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.[13]

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.[14]

Powers and functions

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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.[15] 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.[16]

Political control

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The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since 2018.

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:[17]

Party in control Years
Conservative 1965–1986
No overall control 1986–1994
Liberal Democrats 1994–1998
No overall control 1998–2002
Liberal Democrats 2002–2014
Conservative 2014–2018
Liberal Democrats 2018–present

Leadership

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The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Kingston upon Thames. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1972 have been:[18][19]

Councillor Party From To
C. M. Cotton Conservative 1972 1974
Mike Knowles Conservative 1974 1983
David Edwards Conservative 1983 1985
Frank Hartfree Conservative 1985 1986
Chris Nicholson Alliance 1986 1987
Steve Harris Alliance 1987 1988
Frank Hartfree Conservative 1988 1990
Paul Clokie Conservative 1990 1994
John Tilley Liberal Democrats 1994 1997
Derek Osbourne Liberal Democrats 1997 1998
David Edwards Conservative 1998 2001
Kevin Davis Conservative 2001 2002
Roger Hayes Liberal Democrats 2002 2003
Derek Osbourne[20][21] Liberal Democrats 2003 Jun 2013
Liz Green Liberal Democrats 19 Jun 2013 May 2014
Kevin Davis Conservative May 2014 May 2018
Liz Green Liberal Democrats May 2018 24 Mar 2020
Caroline Kerr Liberal Democrats 24 Mar 2020 26 Oct 2021
Andreas Kirsch[2] Liberal Democrats 26 Oct 2021

Composition

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Following the 2022 election, a by-election in November 2022 and a change of allegiance in November 2023,[22] the composition of the council was as follows:

Party Councillors
Liberal Democrats 42
Kingston Independent Residents Group 2
Independent 2
Conservative 2 Total 48

The Kingston Independent Residents Group and the independent councillors sit together as 'The Opposition Group'.[23] The next election is due in May 2026.

Elections

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See also: Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 48 councillors representing 19 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[24]

Premises

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Logo of Kingston Council until 2014

The council meets at the Guildhall on the High Street in Kingston upon Thames, which had been completed in 1935 for the old borough council.[25] Most of the council's offices are into two 1970s buildings behind the Guildhall, known as Guildhall 1 and Guildhall 2.[26]

Criticism

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Size of staff departure payments

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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.[27][28]
  • £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.[29]
  • £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.[30][29]
  • £442,000 split between five ‘senior officers’.[29]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Your Mayor and Deputy Mayor". Kingston upon Thames Council. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "New Leader appointed at Kingston Council". Kingston Council. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  3. ^ Griffiths, Elliot (18 May 2023). "Sarah Ireland appointed as new Kingston Chief Executive". Public Sector Executive. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  4. ^ Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Reports from places in any district. 1834. p. 2892. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  5. ^ A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3. London: Victoria County History. 1911. pp. 487–501. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  6. ^ Municipal Corporations Act. 1835. p. 460. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames". The Times. 27 October 1927. p. 14.
  8. ^ "London Government Act 1963", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1978 c. 33, retrieved 16 May 2024
  9. ^ Youngs, Frederic (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. Vol. I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0901050679.
  10. ^ Youngs, Frederic (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. Vol. I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0901050679.
  11. ^ "Letters Patent of Incorporation under the title of the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames". Discovery Catalogue. The National Archives. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Clean air". London Gazette. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  13. ^ "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 5 April 2024
  14. ^ Leach, Steve (1998). Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath. Routledge. p. 107. ISBN 978-0714648590.
  15. ^ "Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities". Council Tax Rates. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  16. ^ "Local Plan Responses – within and outside London". Mayor of London. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  17. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  18. ^ "Council minutes". Kingston upon Thames Council. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  19. ^ "London Boroughs Political Almanac". London Councils. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Kingston council leader quits over child porn arrest". BBC News. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  21. ^ "Former Kingston Council leader jailed for child abuse images". BBC News. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  22. ^ Burford, Rachael (21 November 2023). "Senior London Tory councillor quits in fury over Gaza ceasefire stance". The Standard. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  23. ^ "Your councillors by party". Kingston Council. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  24. ^ "The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (Electoral Changes) Order 2021", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2021/417, retrieved 21 April 2024
  25. ^ Historic England. "The Guildhall (Grade II) (1080065)". National Heritage List for England.
  26. ^ "Contact us". Kingston Council. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  27. ^ "Former Kingston Council chief executive to get more than £250,000 payout for "resigning"". Surrey Comet. 10 December 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  28. ^ "MyLondon News". 9 July 2018.
  29. ^ a b c Private Eye, Issue 1502, p.18
  30. ^ "Campaigners raise concerns after Kingston Council deputy chief executive axed". Surrey Comet. 3 December 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
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