Redbridge London Borough Council


Redbridge London Borough Council, also known as Redbridge Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Redbridge in Greater London, England. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2014. The council meets at Redbridge Town Hall in Ilford and has its main offices nearby at Lynton House.
WWW redbridge.gov.uk𝕏 RedbridgeLive

History

The London Borough of Redbridge 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 outgoing authorities, being the municipal borough councils of Ilford, Wanstead and Woodford, and Dagenham and the urban district council of Chigwell in respect of parts of the Hainault area. The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the three boroughs and their councils were abolished and the Chigwell Urban District was reduced to remove the Hainault parts.
The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Redbridge", but it styles itself Redbridge 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 responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Redbridge 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 2014.
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 Redbridge] is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1965 have been:

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2018 the council has comprised 63 councillors representing 22 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.
Following the 2022 election and by-elections and changes of allegiance up to May 2025, the composition of the council was:
One of the independents is described as "Ilford Independents". The next election is due in May 2026.

Premises

The council meets at Redbridge Town Hall, formerly known as Ilford Town Hall, which had been completed in 1901 for the old Ilford Urban District Council, predecessor of Ilford Borough Council.
The council's main offices are at a nearby tower block called Lynton House at 255–259 High Road in Ilford, which was built in 1969.

Mayors

The Mayor of Redbridge is elected by the council annually. The mayor presides over meetings of the council and attends civic and ceremonial functions.
Municipal YearMayorDeputy
1965/66Sydney LovelessCharles Loveless, FAIA
1966/67H.R. AlySydney Loveless
1967/68Lionel GoochH.R. Aly
1968/69Sydney G. GleedL. Fallaize, OBE, JP
1969/70I.B NatzlerO.F. Walters, JP
1970/71A.J. Escott, CENG, FIEEJ.W.S. Telford, DFH, CENG, FIEE
1971/72Charles Loveless, FAIAD.A. Stephens, FCA, ATII
1972/73L.G. Bridgeman, JPBert Hamilton, FRSA
1973/74G. Chamberlin, JPAlbert Reynolds
1974/75J.W.S. Telford, DFH, CENG, FIEEF.C. Mountier, MIPR, MHCIMA
1975/76T.F. Cobb, SBStJ, FSCAE.J. Watts
1976/77F.C. Mountier, MIPR, MHCIMAR.C. Brian
1977/78A.N. BarkerH.G.A. Pearce
1978/79Bert Hamilton, FRSAL.G. Bridgeman, JP
1979/80J.W.S. Telford, DFH, CENG, FIEES.G. Curtis, OBE, FlnstB
1980/81J.M. ClarkJ.D. Banyard
1981/82R.C. BrianB.E.R. Hamilton, FRSA
1982/83N.H. ThurgoodS.G. Curtis, OBE, FlnstB
1983/84S.G. Curtis, OBE, FlnstBGraham Borrott, AIB
1984/85J.J.M. Smith, RIBA, FFAS, FRSH, FBIDR.B.R. Hill, FCA
1985/86R.E. Smith, BAR.W. Brunnen
1986/87R.W. BrunnenD.S. Candy
1987/88Graham Borrott, AIBAlan Weinberg
1988/89Keith Axon, FFA, FIAB, MBIMDennis Candy
1989/90Geoffrey Brewer, TDBert Hamilton, FRSA
1990/91W.J. RobertsGraham Borrott, AIB
1991/92R.B.R. Hill, FCAJ.J.M. Smith, RIBA, FFAS, FRSH, FBID
1992/93Dennis CandyAlan Weinberg
1993/94E.J. WattsRobert Cole, ARICS
1994/95Linda Perham, BA (Spec.Hons), ALA, JPJohn Fairley-Churchill
1995/96Ronald Barden, BSc Tom Howl
1996/97Richard HoskinsRalph Scott, OMA, MCIPS, Ml Mgt
1997/98R.E. GoldingKen Turner, BSC
1998/99John LovellAlan Weinberg
1999/00Filly MaravalaD.R. Sharma
2000/01Maureen Hoskins, BA Tony Boyland
2001/02Alan WeinbergSue Nolan
2002/03D.R. SharmaJohn Coombes
2003/04Vanessa ColeLaurence Davies
2004/05A. LeggattJoyce Ryan
2005/06Charles EllimanMorris Hickey
2006/07Ashok KumarJim O'Shea & Chris Cummins
2007/08Joyce RyanChris Cummins
2008/09L. SladdenGeoff Hinds
2009/10Tom ChanBrian Lambert
2010/11Jim O'SheaRuth Clark
2011/12Chris CumminsFelicity Banks
2012/13Mohammed JavedElaine Norman
2013/14Felicity BanksT. Solomon
2014/15Ashley KissinLinda Huggett
2015/16B. WhiteT. Jeya ranjan
2016/17G. BhamraZ. Hussain
2017/18Linda HuggettAshley Kissin
2018/19D Kaur-ThiaraTaifur Rashid MBE
2019/20Z. HussainJoyce Ryan
2020/21Z. HussainTBA
2021/22Roy EmmettJyotsna Islam
2022/23T. JeyaranjanN. Chaudhry
2023/24Jyotsna IslamS. Jamil
2024/25Sheila BainJohn Howard