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 is responsible for providing certain services within the borough. 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.

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 (the latter in respect of the Hog Hill area only, the rest of that borough went to the London Borough of Barking) 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 (including Redbridge) 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 it 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 also the local education authority.

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: (Put "Redbridge" in search box to see specific results.) Party in control Years 1965–1994 1994–2002 2002–2009 2009–2014 2014–present

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:

Councillor Party From To Roy Dalton 1965 1972 Alexander Escott 1972 1974 John Telford 1974 1975 Keith Webb 1975 1979 Keith Salter 1979 1985 John Ramsden 1985 1988 John Lovell 1988 1991 Ronnie Barden 1991 1994 Liz Pearce 1994 1999 Keith Axon 1999 2000 Muhammed Javed 2000 May 2002 Keith Axon 23 May 2002 2 Feb 2003 Allan Burgess 20 Mar 2003 20 May 2004 Elaine Norman 25 May 2004 15 Jul 2004 Laurence Davies 15 Jul 2004 May 2006 Alan Weinberg 25 May 2006 21 May 2009 Keith Prince 28 May 2009 May 2014 Jas Athwal 12 Jun 2014 25 Jul 2024 Kam Rai 25 Jul 2024

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 2026 election, the composition of the council is:

Party Councillors 43 5 5 1 9 Total 63 One of the independents is described as "Ilford Independents". The next election is due in May 2030.

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.London Borough of Redbridge Constitution, 26 June 2017, p. 14

Municipal Year Mayor Deputy 1965/66 Sydney Loveless Charles Loveless, FAIA 1966/67 H.R. Aly Sydney Loveless 1967/68 Lionel Gooch H.R. Aly 1968/69 Sydney G. Gleed L. Fallaize, OBE, JP 1969/70 I.B Natzler O.F. Walters, JP 1970/71 A.J. Escott, CENG, FIEE J.W.S. Telford, DFH, CENG, FIEE 1971/72 Charles Loveless, FAIA D.A. Stephens, FCA, ATII 1972/73 L.G. Bridgeman, JP Bert Hamilton, FRSA 1973/74 G. Chamberlin, JP Albert Reynolds 1974/75 J.W.S. Telford, DFH, CENG, FIEE F.C. Mountier, MIPR, MHCIMA 1975/76 T.F. Cobb, SBStJ, FSCA E.J. Watts 1976/77 F.C. Mountier, MIPR, MHCIMA R.C. Brian 1977/78 A.N. Barker H.G.A. Pearce 1978/79 Bert Hamilton, FRSA L.G. Bridgeman, JP 1979/80 J.W.S. Telford, DFH, CENG, FIEE S.G. Curtis, OBE, FlnstB 1980/81 J.M. Clark J.D. Banyard 1981/82 R.C. Brian B.E.R. Hamilton, FRSA 1982/83 N.H. Thurgood S.G. Curtis, OBE, FlnstB 1983/84 S.G. Curtis, OBE, FlnstB Graham Borrott, AIB 1984/85 J.J.M. Smith, RIBA, FFAS, FRSH, FBID R.B.R. Hill, FCA 1985/86 R.E. Smith, BA R.W. Brunnen 1986/87 R.W. Brunnen D.S. Candy 1987/88 Graham Borrott, AIB Alan Weinberg 1988/89 Keith Axon, FFA, FIAB, MBIM Dennis Candy 1989/90 Geoffrey Brewer, TD Bert Hamilton, FRSA 1990/91 W.J. Roberts Graham Borrott, AIB 1991/92 R.B.R. Hill, FCA J.J.M. Smith, RIBA, FFAS, FRSH, FBID 1992/93 Dennis Candy Alan Weinberg 1993/94 E.J. Watts Robert Cole, ARICS 1994/95 Linda Perham, BA (Spec.Hons), ALA, JP John Fairley-Churchill 1995/96 Ronald Barden, BSc (Hons) Tom Howl 1996/97 Richard Hoskins Ralph Scott, OMA, MCIPS, Ml Mgt 1997/98 R.E. Golding Ken Turner, BSC (Econ) 1998/99 John Lovell Alan Weinberg 1999/00 Filly Maravala D.R. Sharma 2000/01 Maureen Hoskins, BA (Hons) Tony Boyland 2001/02 Alan Weinberg Sue Nolan 2002/03 D.R. Sharma John Coombes 2003/04 Vanessa Cole Laurence Davies 2004/05 A. Leggatt Joyce Ryan 2005/06 Charles Elliman Morris Hickey 2006/07 Ashok Kumar Jim O'Shea (18.05.06 - 20.07.06) & Chris Cummins 2007/08 Joyce Ryan Chris Cummins 2008/09 L. Sladden Geoff Hinds 2009/10 Tom Chan Brian Lambert 2010/11 Jim O'Shea Ruth Clark 2011/12 Chris Cummins Felicity Banks 2012/13 Mohammed Javed Elaine Norman 2013/14 Felicity Banks T. Solomon 2014/15 Ashley Kissin Linda Huggett 2015/16 B. White T. Jeya ranjan 2016/17 G. Bhamra Z. Hussain 2017/18 Linda Huggett Ashley Kissin 2018/19 D Kaur-Thiara Taifur Rashid MBE 2019/20 Z. Hussain Joyce Ryan 2020/21 Z. Hussain TBA 2021/22 Roy Emmett Jyotsna Islam 2022/23 T. Jeyaranjan N. Chaudhry 2023/24 Jyotsna Islam S. Jamil 2024/25 Sheila Bain John Howard

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