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Waltham Forest London Borough Council
Coat of arms
Council logo
Type
Type	London borough council
History
Founded	1 April 1965
Leadership
Mayor	Sharon Waldron, Labour since 23 May 2024
Leader	Grace Williams, Labour since 2 September 2021
Chief Executive	Linzi Roberts-Egan since 31 July 2023
Structure
Seats	60 councillors
Political groups	Administration (46)   Labour (46) Other parties (14)   Conservative (13)   Independent (1)
Elections
Voting system	First past the post
Last election	5 May 2022
Next election	7 May 2026
Motto
"Fellowship is Life"
Meeting place
Waltham Forest Town Hall, Forest Road, Walthamstow, London E17 4JF
Website
www.walthamforest.gov.uk
Constitution
Constitution

Waltham Forest London Borough Council, also known as Waltham Forest Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Waltham Forest in London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2010. The council is based at Waltham Forest Town Hall in Walthamstow.

History

The London Borough of Waltham Forest and its council were created under the London Government Act 1963, with the first election held in 1964. For its first year the council acted as a shadow authority alongside the area's three outgoing authorities, being the municipal borough councils of Chingford, Leyton and Walthamstow. The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the old districts and their councils were abolished.

The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Waltham Forest", but it styles itself Waltham Forest Council.

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 Waltham Forest) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Waltham Forest 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.

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.

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. 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.

Political control

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:

Leadership

The role of Mayor of Waltham Forest is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1965 have been:

Composition

Following the 2022 election the composition of the council was:

The next election is due in 2026.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 60 councillors representing 22 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.

Premises

The council is based at Waltham Forest Town Hall, formerly Walthamstow Town Hall, which had been completed in 1942 for the old Walthamstow Borough Council.

References

1. Mann, Sebastian (24 May 2024). "New Labour mayor promises to 'amplify' residents' voices". Waltham Forest Echo. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
2. ^ "New Chief Executive appointed". Waltham Forest Council. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
3. "Civic Heraldry Of England And Wales - Greater London Region". Civicheraldry.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
4. "London Government Act 1963", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1978 c. 33, retrieved 16 May 2024
5. Youngs, Frederic (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. Vol. I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0901050679.
6. "Inter Authority Agreement for the Local London Partnership Programme" (PDF). Havering Council. 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
7. "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 5 April 2024
8. Leach, Steve (1998). Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath. Routledge. p. 107. ISBN 978-0714648590.
9. "Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities". Council Tax Rates. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
10. "Local Plan Responses – within and outside London". Mayor of London. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
11. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
12. "Council minutes". Waltham Forest Council. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
13. "London Boroughs Political Almanac". London Councils. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
14. "Election Results 2022". Waltham Forest London Borough Council.
15. Boothroyd, David (22 April 2022). "Liverpool budget rebels depart". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
16. "The London Borough of Waltham Forest (Electoral Changes) Order 2021", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2021/615, retrieved 28 April 2024
17. "Contact Waltham Forest Council". Waltham Forest Council. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
18. Historic England. "Walthamstow Town Hall (Grade II) (1190868)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 April 2024.

External links

• Official website

• Local authorities in London
• London borough councils
• Politics of the London Borough of Waltham Forest
• Leader and cabinet executives
• Local education authorities in England
• Billing authorities in England