There has been a Wandsworth local authority since 1856 when the Wandsworth District was created, governed by an elected board. It was one of the lower tier authorities within the area of the Metropolitan Board of Works, which was established to provide services across the metropolis of London.[3] In 1889 the Metropolitan Board of Works' area was made the County of London. In 1900 the lower tier was reorganised into metropolitan boroughs, each with a borough council, two of which were called Wandsworth (corresponding to the former Wandsworth District) and Battersea.[4]
The London Borough of Wandsworth and its council were created under the London Government Act 1963, with the first election held in 1964.[5] For its first year the council acted as a shadow authority alongside the area's outgoing authorities, being the councils of the two metropolitan boroughs of Battersea and Wandsworth.[6] The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the old boroughs and their councils were abolished.[7] The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Wandsworth", but it styles itself Wandsworth Council.[8]
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 Wandsworth) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to the London Boroughs, with some services provided through joint committees.[9] Wandsworth became a local education authority in 1990 when the Inner London Education Authority was dissolved.[10]
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.[11]
From 1992 to 2011, under the leadership of Conservative councillor Edward Lister, Wandsworth was an early adopter of Thatcherite policies of privatisation of street cleaning and refuse collection, and sale of council housing.[12][13][14][15] Between 2007 and 2010 11% of the "affordable" homes built in Wandsworth were for social rent – the lowest in the whole of London.[16] Many ex-council homes became owned by private landlords.[17][18][19]
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.[20] 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.[21]
Political control
The council has been under Labour majority control since 2022.[22]
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:[23]
The role of Mayor of Wandsworth is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1965 have been:[24][25]
Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 58 councillors representing 22 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[26]
Premises
The council is based at Wandsworth Town Hall on Wandsworth High Street.[27] The first town hall on the site was completed in 1882 for the old Wandsworth District Board of Works. A red-brick extension to the east was added in 1927, now known as the civic suite. It was followed by a much larger stone-fronted building further again to the east, on the corner with Fairfield Street, which was completed in 1937. The 1882 building was badly damaged during the Blitz and was eventually demolished to make way for a large modern office extension to the Town Hall complex, which was completed in 1975.[28]
^Youngs, Frederic (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. Vol. I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN0901050679.
^Youngs, Frederic (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. Vol. I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN0901050679.
