{{Short description|Local government body in London, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Use British English|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox legislature | name = Haringey London Borough Council | native_name = | transcription_name = | legislature = | coa_pic = Coat of arms of the London Borough of Haringey.svg | coa_res = 100px | coa_caption = Coat of arms | logo_pic = Haringey London Borough Council.svg | logo_caption = Council logo | logo_res = 200px | house_type = London borough council | body = | leader1_type = Mayor | leader1 = Dawn Barnes | party1 = <br/>Liberal Democrats | election1 = 20 May 2026 | leader2_type = Leader | leader2 = Mark Blake | party2 = <br/>Green | election2 = 20 May 2026<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://haringeycommunitypress.co.uk/2026/05/21/haringeys-first-green-council-leader-takes-power/|title=Haringey's first Green council leader takes power|access-date=21 May 2026|website=Haringey Community Press|date=21 May 2026}}</ref> | leader3_type = Chief Executive | leader3 = Andy Donald | party3 = <!-- Non-political role --> | election3 = February 2022<ref>{{cite news |last1=Langlois |first1=André |title=Haringey Council appoints new chief executive |url=https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/21324191.haringey-council-appoints-new-chief-executive/ |access-date=11 April 2024 |work=Ham and High |date=19 April 2022}}</ref> | members = 57 councillors<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.haringey.gov.uk/council-elections/councillors-wards/local-councillors|title=Local Councillors|website=www.haringey.gov.uk|access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref> | house1 = | house2 = | structure1 = UK_Haringey_Council_2026.svg | structure1_res = 250px | political_groups1 = :{{Color box|{{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}| border=darkgray}} Green (28) :{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}| border=darkgray}} Labour (21) :{{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}| border=darkgray}} Liberal Democrats (8)}} | committees1 = | joint_committees = | voting_system1 = First past the post | last_election1 = 7 May 2026 | next_election1 = | session_room = Haringey Civic Centre.JPG | session_res = 250 | meeting_place = Haringey Civic Centre<br>255 High Road, Wood Green, London | website = {{URL|www.haringey.gov.uk/}} | footnotes = }}
'''Haringey London Borough Council''', also known as '''Haringey Council''', is the local authority for the London Borough of Haringey in Greater London, England. The council is under no overall control, with the Greens being the largest party, having previously been under Labour majority control since 1971.<ref>{{cite news |title=Three North London councils left with no overall control after local elections - Harrow Online |url=https://harrowonline.org/2026/05/11/three-north-london-councils-left-with-no-overall-control-after-local-elections/ |work=Harrow Online |date=11 May 2026}}</ref> The council is usually based at Haringey Civic Centre in Wood Green, although the building has been closed since 2020 pending refurbishment.
==History== The London Borough of Haringey 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 three outgoing authorities, being the borough councils of Hornsey, Tottenham and Wood Green. The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the old boroughs and their councils were abolished.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=London Government Act 1963|chapter=33|access-date=16 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | first=Frederic |last=Youngs | title=Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England | volume=I: Southern England | year=1979 | publisher=Royal Historical Society | location=London | isbn=0-901050-67-9}}</ref> The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Haringey".<ref>{{cite web |title=Service Level Agreement |url=https://moderngov.harrow.gov.uk/documents/s168074/Appendix%203%20-%20Capital%20Letters%20Service%20Level%20Agreement.pdf |website=Harrow Council |access-date=9 April 2024 |date=2020 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
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 Haringey) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Haringey 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.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1985|year=1985|chapter=51|access-date=5 April 2024}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YX0nAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA107|title=Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath|first= Steve |last=Leach|page=107|publisher=Routledge|year=1998|isbn=978-0714648590}}</ref>
For several years, Haringey Council was the subject of criticism over its handling of the welfare of young children, notably in connection with the murder of Victoria Climbié in 2000 and the killing of Peter Connelly ("Baby P") in 2007.<ref name="thisislondon.co.uk">{{cite web |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/the-rotten-borough-of-haringey-6817689.html |title=The rotten borough of Haringey? | News |publisher=Thisislondon.co.uk |access-date=15 September 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090801124548/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23590669-details/The+rotten+borough+of+Haringey/article.do |archive-date=1 August 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> George Meehan, leader of the council at the time of both the Victoria Climbie inquiry and the death of Baby P, resigned after a "damning" examination of the council's social services functions following by the Baby P case.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04n6sm0|title=Baby P: The Untold Story|website=BBC One|access-date=11 August 2017}}</ref> In March 2009, Haringey Council's performance was placed by the Audit Commission in the bottom four of the country and the worst in London.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/borough-at-centre-of-baby-p-row-ranked-the-worst-in-london-6878223.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130114063109/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23657883-details/Borough+at+centre+of+Baby+P+row+ranked+the+worst+in+London/article.do |url-status=live |archive-date=14 January 2013 |title=Borough at centre of Baby P row ranked the worst in London | News |publisher=Thisislondon.co.uk |access-date=15 September 2010 }}</ref> In December 2009, Haringey's performance was placed by Ofsted in the bottom nine in the country for children's services.<ref>''Evening Standard'' 9 December 2009</ref> A later series of positive Ofsted inspections culminated in the service being taken out of 'special measures' by the government in February 2013.<ref>[http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/news_and_events/setting_the_record_straight/facts_childrens_services.htm "Facts concerning Haringey Council's Children's Services": Haringey Council]. Haringey.gov.uk (3 May 2012). Retrieved on 2013-08-13.</ref>
In 2017, the council proposed a partnership with Lendlease for developing council-owned land known as the Haringey Development Vehicle, which was controversial locally. The subsequent political fall-out led to the resignation of council leader, Claire Kober.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Evening Standard |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/haringey-council-boss-accused-of-running-borough-like-her-personal-fiefdom-as-she-faces-leadership-a3683856.html|title= Haringey Council boss accused of running borough like her 'personal fiefdom' as she faces leadership challenge |date=9 November 2017|access-date=26 April 2020}}</ref>
==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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://counciltaxrates.info/councils|title=Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities|publisher=Council Tax Rates|access-date=8 April 2020}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/planning/who-we-work/local-plan-responses-within-and-outside-london|title=Local Plan Responses – within and outside London|date=12 November 2015|publisher=Mayor of London|access-date=9 April 2020}}</ref>
==Political control== The council was under Labour majority control between 1971 and 2026, when the Green Party of England and Wales became the largest party.
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:<ref name=compositions>{{cite web |title=Compositions Calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/composition_calc.html |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=The Elections Centre |publisher=University of Exeter}} (Put "Haringey" in search box to see specific results.)</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="2"|Party in control!!Years |- | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || 1965–1968 |- | {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} || 1968–1971 |- | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || 1971–2026 |- | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} || 2026–present |}
===Leadership=== The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Haringey. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1965 have been:<ref>{{cite web |title=London Boroughs Political Almanac: London Borough of Haringey |url=https://boroughs50.londoncouncils.gov.uk/almanac/haringey/2018/ |website=London Councils |access-date=23 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119084500/https://boroughs50.londoncouncils.gov.uk/almanac/haringey/2018/ |archive-date=19 January 2021}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable ! Councillor !! colspan=2|Party !! From !! To |- | John McIlwain || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|1965 || align=right|1967 |- | Sheila Berkery-Smith || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|1967 || align=right|1968 |- | Peter Rigby || {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} || align=right|1968 || align=right|1971 |- | Sheila Berkery-Smith || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|1971 || align=right|1973 |- | Colin Ware || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|1973 || align=right|1980 |- | Robin Young || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|1980 || align=right|1982 |- | Angela Greatley || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|1982 || align=right|1983 |- | George Meehan || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|1983 || align=right|1984 |- | Bernie Grant || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|1984 || align=right|1987 |- | Toby Harris || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|1987 || align=right|1999 |- | George Meehan<ref>{{cite web |title=Memorial to the late Councillor George Meehan |url=https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=46431 |website=Haringey Council | date=8 October 2015 |access-date=30 June 2022}}</ref> || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|1999 || align=right|2004 |- | Charles Adje<ref>{{cite web |title=Council minutes, 24 May 2004 |url=https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/Data/Full%20Council/20040524/Agenda/$Minutes.doc.pdf |website=Haringey Council |access-date=23 May 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Marzouk |first1=Lawrence |title=Labour wins in Haringey - but only just |url=https://www.thetottenhamindependent.co.uk/news/751033.labour-wins-in-haringey-but-only-just/ |access-date=23 May 2025 |work=Tottenham and Wood Green Independent |date=5 May 2006}}</ref> || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|24 May 2004 || align=right|May 2006 |- | George Meehan<ref>{{cite news |title=Haringey: Meehan returns to the top in reshuffle |url=https://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/766522.haringey-meehan-returns-to-the-top-in-reshuffle/ |access-date=23 May 2025 |work=This is Local London |date=19 May 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Council minutes, 22 May 2006 |url=https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/documents/g886/Public%20minutes%2022nd-May-2006%2019.30%20Full%20Council.pdf?T=11 |website=Haringey Council |access-date=23 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Siddique |first1=Haroon |title=Baby P council officials resign as minister receives inquiry findings |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2008/dec/01/baby-p-childprotection |access-date=23 May 2025 |work=The Guardian |date=1 December 2008}}</ref> || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|22 May 2006 || align=right|1 Dec 2008 |- | Claire Kober<ref>{{cite web |title=Council minutes, 9 December 2008 |url=https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/documents/s10920/Minutes%20Public%20Pack%2009122008%20Full%20Council.pdf |website=Haringey Council |access-date=23 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Summers |first1=Hannah |title=Labour council leader to quit due to 'sexism and bullying' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jan/30/labour-council-leader-to-quit-due-to-sexism-and-bullying |access-date=23 May 2025 |work=The Guardian |date=30 January 2018}}</ref> || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|9 Dec 2008 || align=right|May 2018 |- | Joseph Ejiofor<ref>{{cite web |title=Council minutes, 24 May 2018 |url=https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/documents/s102445/24th%20May%20meeting%20minutes.pdf |website=Haringey Council |access-date=23 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Allin |first1=Simon |title=Joseph Ejiofor ousted as Haringey Labour leader |url=https://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/19294054.joseph-ejiofor-ousted-haringey-labour-leader/ |access-date=23 May 2025 |work=Enfield Independent |date=11 May 2021}}</ref> || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|24 May 2018 || align=right|May 2021 |- | Peray Ahmet<ref>{{cite web |title=Council minutes, 27 May 2021 |url=https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/documents/s125544/draft%20minutes%2027th%20May%202021.pdf |website=Haringey Council |access-date=23 May 2025}}</ref> || {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|27 May 2021 || align=right|20 May 2026 |- | Mark Blake | {{Party name with colour|Green Party of England and Wales}} || align=right|20 May 2026 || |- |}
===Composition=== Following the 2026 election, the composition of the council was as follows: {| class="wikitable" ! colspan=2| Party !! Councillors |- | {{Party name with colour|Green Party of England and Wales}} || align=center|28 |- | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=center|21 |- | {{Party name with colour|Liberal Democrats (UK, 2025)}} || align=center|8 |- ! colspan=2| Total !! 57 |}
The next election is due in May 2030.<ref>{{cite web |title=Haringey |url=https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/councils/?council=haringey |website=Local Councils |publisher=Thorncliffe |access-date=9 May 2026}}</ref>
== Wards == The wards of Haringey and the number of seats:<ref>{{cite web |date=12 October 2020 |title=The London Borough of Haringey (Electoral Changes) Order 2020 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1110/schedule/made |access-date=13 November 2021 |website=gov.uk}}</ref>
# Alexandra Park (2) # Bounds Green (2) # Bruce Castle (3) # Crouch End (3) # Fortis Green (3) # Harringay (3) # Hermitage & Gardens (2) # Highgate (3) # Hornsey (3) # Muswell Hill (2) # Noel Park (3) # Northumberland Park (3) # Seven Sisters (2) # South Tottenham (3) # St Ann's (2) # Stroud Green (3) # Tottenham Central (3) # Tottenham Hale (3) # West Green (3) # White Hart Lane (3) # Woodside (3)
==Elections== {{also|Haringey London Borough Council elections}} Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 57 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The London Borough of Haringey (Electoral Changes) Order 2020|year=2020|number=1110|access-date=11 April 2024}}</ref>
==Premises== The council is usually based at Haringey Civic Centre on High Road in Wood Green, which had been completed in 1958 for the old Wood Green Borough Council.<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Haringey Civic Centre||num=1454719|grade=II}}</ref> The building closed in 2020 after structural issues were identified.<ref>{{cite news |title=Plans for long-awaited revamp of Haringey Civic Centre revealed |url=https://haringeycommunitypress.co.uk/2023/05/25/plans-for-long-awaited-revamp-of-haringey-civic-centre-revealed/ |access-date=11 April 2024 |work=Haringey Community Press |date=25 May 2023}}</ref> Council meetings are temporarily being held at other venues, including Tottenham Town Hall and George Meehan House.<ref>{{cite web |title=Browse Meetings: Full Council |url=https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=143&Year=0 |website=Haringey Council |access-date=11 April 2024}}</ref> The council has announced plans to refurbish the Civic Centre, with a view to it re-opening as the council's main offices and meeting place in 2026.<ref>{{cite web |title=Project Overview |url=https://haringeyciviccentre.commonplace.is/en-GB/proposals/example-early-engagement/step1 |website=Haringey Civic Centre |access-date=11 April 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Local authorities in London}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Local authorities in London Category:London borough councils Category:Politics of the London Borough of Haringey Category:Leader and cabinet executives Category:Local education authorities in England Category:Billing authorities in England Category:1965 establishments in England