Bexley London Borough Council, also known as Bexley Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Bexley in Greater London, England. The council is responsible for the provision of a range of services within the borough. The council has been under Conservative majority control since 2006. It is based at Bexley Civic Offices in the Bexleyheath area of the borough.

History There has been a Bexley local authority since 1880 when the parish of Bexley, which included both the village of Bexley and Bexley Heath, was made a local government district, governed by an elected local board. Such districts were converted into urban districts under the Local Government Act 1894, which saw the board replaced by an urban district council. Bexley Urban District was incorporated to become a municipal borough in 1935, governed by a body formally called the "Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Bexley", but generally known as the corporation, borough council or town council.

The much larger London Borough of Bexley 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 four outgoing authorities, being the borough councils of Bexley and Erith, and the urban district councils of Crayford and Chislehurst and Sidcup (the latter in respect of the Sidcup area only; the Chislehurst area went to the London Borough of Bromley). The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the old districts and their councils were abolished.

The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Bexley". Prior to 2007 the council branded itself "Bexley Council", which name is still commonly used for it.

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 Bexley) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Bexley 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 Conservative majority control since 2006.

The first election to the council was held in 1964, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1965. Political control of the council since 1965 has been as follows: (Put "Bexley" in search box to see specific results.) Party in control Years 1965–1968 1968–1971 1971–1974 1974–1994 1994–1998 1998–2002 2002–2006 2006–present

Leadership Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Bexley. The leaders since 1965 have been:

Councillor Party From To Jim Wellbeloved 1965 1966 Peter Maxwell 1966 1968 Frederick Brearley 1968 1971 Peter Maxwell 1971 1974 Julian Tremayne 1974 1977 Len Newton 1977 1994 Donna Briant 1994 1996 Kathryn Smith 1996 1998 Mike Slaughter 1998 2002 Chris Ball 27 May 2002 May 2006 Ian Clement 24 May 2006 5 May 2008 Teresa O'Neill 14 May 2008 5 Nov 2025David Leaf 5 Nov 2025

Mayoralty The Mayor of Bexley is a ceremonial position representing Bexley at various events and chairing council meetings and the Civic Recognition Panel. Councillor Party From To Marjorie Barron 1965 1966 Ken J Smith 1966 1967 John W Schuch May 1967 November 1967 Frieda K Schuch November 1967 May 1968 Jamieson-Harvey 1968 1969 Norman Antenbring 1969 1970 Raymond Pope 1970 1971 Ken J Smith 1971 1972Beatrice Scott19721973Alf Turner19731974John D Minett19741975Fred Brearley19751976Agnes E F Orange19761977William Flint19771978Charles E Packer19781979Frank Pearson-Sellars19791980James Holden19801981Brian Sams19811982David Todd-Dunning19821983John B Raggett19831984Dennis C Bale19841985Ronald J Passey19851986Joan Stewart19861987Stan Carter19871988John N Harrington19881989Malcolm Ketley19891990Graham R Holland19901991Alfred W Catterall19911992Colin L Tandy19921993Alfred Charlton19931994Raymond Allen19941995Colin Wright19951996Ron Brierly19961997Rita Sams19971998Chris Ball19981999Linda Bailey19992000John Wilkinson20002001Aileen Beckwith20012002Ann Lucas20022003Denis Daniels20032004John Eastaugh20042005John Shepheard20052006Brian Beckwith20062007Nigel Betts20072008 Nick O'Hare 2008 2009 Bernard Clewes MBE 2009 2010 Val Clark 2010 2011 Ray Sams 2011 2012Alan Downing20122013Sharon Massey20132014Howard Marriner20142015Sybil Camsey20152016Eileen Pallen20162017Peter Reader20172018Brian Bishop20182019Geraldine Lucia-Harris20192020James Hunt20202022Nick O'Hare20222023Andy Dourmoush20232024Sue Gower20242025Christine Catterall20252026Lisa-Jane Moore2026

Composition Following the 2026 election and subsequent changes up to June 2026, the composition of the council was: Party Councillors 28 9 7 1 Total 45 The next election is due in May 2030.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2018 the council has comprised 45 councillors representing 17 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.

Wards

The wards of Bexley and the number of seats:legislation.gov.uk - The London Borough of Bexley (Electoral Changes) Order 2017. Retrieved on 13 March 2019.

Barnehurst (2) Belvedere (3) Bexleyheath (3) Blackfen & Lamorbey (3) Blendon & Penhill (3) Crayford (3) Crook Log (3) East Wickham (3) Erith (2) Falconwood & Welling (3) Longlands (2) Northumberland Heath (2) Sidcup (3) Slade Green & Northend (2) St Mary's & St James (2) Thamesmead East (3) West Heath (3)

Premises The council is based at the Civic Offices on Watling Street in Bexleyheath. The building was completed in 1989 as the headquarters of Woolwich Building Society. The council moved into the building in 2014.

When the modern council was created in 1965, its functions had been divided between the buildings inherited from its predecessors at Erith Town Hall, Crayford Town Hall, Sidcup Place, and Oak House on Broadway in Bexleyheath. Oak House was subsequently demolished and a new building called Civic Offices was built on the site, opening in 1980. The Broadway building remained the council's headquarters until 2014, and has since been redeveloped.

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