The administrative area of
Greater London contains thirty-two 'London boroughs'. Twelve of these plus the
City of London constitute
Inner London, while twenty others constitute
Outer London.
Map
Functions
The London boroughs are administered by ''London Borough Councils'' which are elected every four years. There are three councils which do not use the term "London Borough of" in their names. Westminster has
city status; its council is termed ''Westminster City Council'' and the borough is termed ''City of Westminster''. Kingston upon Thames and Kensington and Chelsea are "Royal Boroughs", and use this designation in their official names.
The London boroughs are the most important unit of
local government in London, and are responsible for running most local services in their areas, such as schools, social services, waste collection and roads. Some London-wide services are run by the
Greater London Authority, and some services and lobbying of government are pooled within the
Association of London Government, which recently changed its name to London Councils. Some London borough councils also group together for such services as waste collection and disposal, e.g. the West London Waste Authority.
The London boroughs are
local government districts and have similar functions to
metropolitan boroughs. Each London borough is a
Local Education Authority. Until 1990 the Inner London boroughs were served by a shared LEA, the
Inner London Education Authority.
History
The present London boroughs came into existence on
1 April 1965 with the creation of
Greater London. The first London Borough elections had been held in 1964 with the newly elected London Borough Councils acting as "shadow" Authorities before coming into power the following year.
They had wider authority than the inner London
metropolitan boroughs and neighbouring
urban districts and
municipal boroughs which they mostly replaced, but less power than the three
county boroughs of Croydon, West Ham and East Ham, which ceased to exist at the same time.
Between 1965 and
1986 the London boroughs were part of a two-tier system of government, and shared power with the
Greater London Council (GLC). However on 1 April 1986, the GLC was abolished, the London boroughs inherited most of its powers and became in effect
unitary authorities (combining both county and borough functions). Since the creation in
2000 of a new
Greater London Authority, covering the former GLC area but with more limited powers, the boroughs now have powers intermediate between those of English
unitary authorities and
non-metropolitan districts within
shire counties.
The
City of London is administered by its own distinct body, the
Corporation of London, which predates the London boroughs.
The word ''borough'' has cognates in virtually every
Germanic language, as well as other
Indo-European languages. For a fuller explanation, see under
borough.
==
Inner London boroughs==
| London Borough | Former metropolitan boroughs |
|---|
| Camden | Hampstead, Holborn, St Pancras |
| Greenwich | Greenwich, most of Woolwich |
| Hackney | Hackney, Shoreditch, Stoke Newington |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | Hammersmith, Fulham |
| Islington | Islington, Finsbury |
| Kensington and Chelsea | Kensington, Chelsea |
| Lambeth | Lambeth (and Streatham and Clapham from Wandsworth) |
| Lewisham | Lewisham, Deptford |
| Southwark | Bermondsey, Camberwell, Southwark |
| Tower Hamlets | Bethnal Green, Poplar, Stepney |
| Wandsworth | Battersea, Wandsworth (except Streatham and Clapham) |
| Westminster | Paddington, St Marylebone, Westminster |
==
Outer London boroughs==
| London Borough | Former boroughs and districts |
|---|
| Barking and Dagenham | Municipal Borough of Barking
and Municipal Borough of Dagenham from Essex |
| Barnet | Barnet Urban District
and East Barnet Urban District from Hertfordshire
Municipal Borough of Finchley, Municipal Borough of Hendon
and Friern Barnet Urban District from Middlesex |
| Bexley | Municipal Borough of Bexley, Municipal Borough of Erith, Crayford Urban District
and Sidcup from Chislehurst and Sidcup Urban District from Kent |
| Brent | Municipal Borough of Wembley
and Municipal Borough of Willesden from Middlesex |
| Bromley | Municipal Borough of Bromley, Municipal Borough of Beckenham,
Orpington Urban District, Penge Urban District
and Chislehurst from Chislehurst and Sidcup Urban District from Kent |
| Croydon | County Borough of Croydon
and Coulsdon and Purley Urban District from Surrey |
| Ealing | Municipal Borough of Acton, Municipal Borough of Ealing
and Municipal Borough of Southall from Middlesex |
| Enfield | Municipal Borough of Edmonton, Municipal Borough of Enfield
and Municipal Borough of Southgate from Middlesex |
| Haringey | Municipal Borough of Hornsey, Municipal Borough of Tottenham
and Municipal Borough of Wood Green from Middlesex |
| Harrow | Municipal Borough of Harrow from Middlesex |
| Havering | Municipal Borough of Romford
and Hornchurch Urban District from Essex |
| Hillingdon | Hayes and Harlington Urban District, Ruislip Northwood Urban District,
Municipal Borough of Uxbridge and Yiewsley and West Drayton Urban District from Middlesex |
| Hounslow | Municipal Borough of Brentford and Chiswick, Feltham Urban District
and Municipal Borough of Heston and Isleworth from Middlesex |
| Kingston upon Thames | Municipal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Municipal Borough of Malden and Coombe
and Municipal Borough of Surbiton from Surrey |
| Merton | Municipal Borough of Mitcham, Merton and Morden Urban District
and Municipal Borough of Wimbledon from Surrey |
| Newham | County Borough of East Ham, County Borough of West Ham
and part of Municipal Borough of Barking from Essex
North Woolwich from Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich in County of London |
| Redbridge | Municipal Borough of Ilford, Municipal Borough of Wanstead and Woodford
and part of Municipal Borough of Dagenham
and part of Chigwell Urban District from Essex |
| Richmond upon Thames | Municipal Borough of Barnes
and Municipal Borough of Richmond upon Thames from Surrey
Municipal Borough of Twickenham from Middlesex |
| Sutton | Municipal Borough of Beddington, Carshalton Urban District
and Municipal Borough of Sutton and Cheam from Surrey |
| Waltham Forest | Municipal Borough of Chingford, Municipal Borough of Leyton
and Municipal Borough of Walthamstow from Essex |
''See also:
List of places in London''
See also
★
The Five Boroughs (New York City)
External links
★
London Borough of Hackney Council's map page
★
London Borough of Islington council map page with clickable map linking to each borough's web site.
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