Newham London Borough Council

Newham London Borough Council Newham Council
Type
Type	London borough
Leadership
Chair	Rohima Rahman, Labour since 22 May 2023[1]
Mayor	Rokhsana Fiaz, Labour since 7 May 2018[2]
Chief Executive	Abi Gbago since 11 September 2023[3]
Structure
Seats	66 councillors plus elected mayor[4]
Political groups	Administration (60)   Labour (60) Other parties (6)   Independents (4)   Green (2)
Joint committees	East London Waste Authority
Elections
Voting system	Plurality-at-large voting
Last election	5 May 2022
Next election	7 May 2026
Meeting place
Newham Town Hall, Barking Road, London, E6 2RP
Website
www.newham.gov.uk

Newham London Borough Council /ˈnjuːəm/ ^ⓘ also known as Newham Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Newham in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 1971. It has been led by a directly elected mayor since 2002. The council meets at Newham Town Hall in East Ham and has its main offices at 1000 Dockside Road, overlooking the Royal Albert Dock.

History[edit]

The borough was created in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963, covering the combined area of the former County Borough of East Ham and County Borough of West Ham, plus smaller areas at North Woolwich, being the part of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich north of the River Thames, and Gallions Reach, being the part of the Municipal Borough of Barking west of Barking Creek. East Ham, West Ham and Barking had been in Essex prior to the reforms, although as county boroughs East Ham and West Ham were both independent from Essex County Council.^[5] Woolwich had been part of the County of London. The area was transferred to Greater London to become one of the 32 London Boroughs.^[6]

The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Newham", but it styles itself Newham Council.^[7]

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 Newham) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Newham 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.^[8]

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.^[9]

Governance[edit]

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.^[10] 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.^[11]

Political control[edit]

The council has been under Labour majority control since 1971.

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:^{[12][13][14][15]}

Leadership[edit]

Prior to 2002, political leadership was provided by the leader of the council. The leaders from 1985 to 2002 were:^[16][17]

In 2002 the council changed to having directly elected mayors. The mayors since 2002 have been:

Composition[edit]

Following the 2022 election and by-elections and changes of allegiance up to April 2024 the composition of the council (excluding the elected mayor's seat) was:

Of the independent councillors, three sit together as the 'Newham Independents' group.^[18] The other independent councillor, Belgica Guaña, had been a Labour candidate in 2022 but was suspended from the party after the deadline for changing party descriptions on ballot papers has passed. Therefore although elected with Labour on the ballot paper she has sat since her election as an independent.^[19] The next election is due in May 2026.

Premises[edit]

The council usually meets at Newham Town Hall, formerly known as East Ham Town Hall, which had been completed in 1903 for the old East Ham Urban District Council, predecessor of East Ham Borough Council.^[20] Some council meetings are also held at Stratford Town Hall, formerly the headquarters of the old West Ham Borough Council.^[21]

In 2010 the council consolidated most of its offices into a modern building at 1000 Dockside Road, which had been built in 2004 as part of attempts to regenerate the area around the Royal Docks in the south of the borough.^[22] The council bought the building for £92 million after the original developers were unable to find tenants for it.^[23]

Elections[edit]

Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 66 councillors representing 24 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.^[24]

References[edit]