London Borough of Camden
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
London Borough of Camden | |
Shown within Greater London |
|
Geography | |
---|---|
Status | London borough |
Area — Total |
Ranked 345th 21.80 km² |
ONS code | 00AG |
Admin HQ | Euston Road, St Pancras |
Demographics | |
Population — Total (2005 est.) — Density |
Ranked 50th (of 354) 226,100 10,372 / km² |
Ethnicity | 73.2% White 10.4% South Asian 8.3% Afro-Caribbean 1.8% Chinese |
Politics | |
Leadership | Leader & Cabinet |
Mayor | Cllr Jill Fraser |
Executive | Liberal Democrats / Conservative |
MPs | Frank Dobson Glenda Jackson |
London Assembly — Member |
Barnet and Camden Brian Coleman |
Coat of Arms | |
Official website | http://www.camden.gov.uk/ |
The London Borough of Camden is an inner-London borough created in 1965 to replace the metropolitan boroughs of Hampstead, Holborn, and St Pancras.
Contents |
[edit] General
The area is in the north side of the city, reaching from Holborn and Bloomsbury in the south to Hampstead Heath in the north. Neighbouring areas are the City of Westminster and the City of London to the south, Brent to the west, Barnet and Haringey to the north and Islington to the east.
There are presently two parliamentary constituencies covering Camden - Hampstead & Highgate in the north, currently represented by Glenda Jackson, and Holborn & St. Pancras in the south, represented by Frank Dobson. On 20-05-1999, The Camden New Journal newspaper documented 'Two Camdens' syndrome as a high profile phenomenon differentiating the characteristics of education services in the two constituencies. In 2006, Dame Julia Neuberger's book reported similar variation as a characteristic of Camden's children's health services. Her insider's view was corroboration - in addition to the 2001 "Inequalities" report by Director of Public Health Dr. Maggie Barker, of "stark contrasts in" health and education opportunities - of earlier similar Audit Commission findings and a verification/update of the 1999 CNJ report.
Camden's town hall is located on Euston Road near Kings Cross. The Council was controlled by the Labour Party continuously from 1971 until 2006, when the Liberal Democrats became the largest party.
Since 2004, friendship links have been developing across Camden with the Palestinian town of Abu Dis[1].
All three of London's northern railway terminals (Euston, St. Pancras and Kings Cross) are located in the borough; they are the southern termini for the West Coast Main Line, Midland Main Line and East Coast Main Line, respectively. There is a service facility for homeless teenagers sited "strategically" (an officer of LB Camden quoted by the CNJ newspaper) between the three.
Areas included in the borough are:
- Bloomsbury
- Camden Town
- Dartmouth Park
- Fortune Green
- Fitzrovia
- Gospel Oak
- Hampstead including part of Hampstead Heath
- Highgate (southwestern part)
- Holborn
- Kentish Town
- Kilburn (part)
- Kings Cross and St Pancras
- Primrose Hill
- Belsize Park
- Somers Town
- South Hampstead
- Swiss Cottage
- West Hampstead
[edit] Organisation
Policy is decided by Borough Councillors who are elected every four years. It is the councillors who direct the organisation's staff to implement their policies or those of the political party they are affiliated to.
At the local elections on 4 May 2006 the Labour party lost control of Camden council for the first time since 1971. The new council is made up of 20 Lib Dems, 18 Labour, 14 Conservatives and 2 Green councillors.
Following the elections the Liberal Democrats formed a partnership with the Conservatives. Cllr Keith Moffitt (Lib Dem) was voted Leader of the Council and Cllr Andrew Marshall (Con) Deputy Leader. The new administration will include a further five Liberal Democrat and three Conservative Executive Members.
The organisation's staff are lead by the Chief Executive who is currently Moira Gibb. Beneath her the organisation is divided into five directorates:
- Housing & Adult Social Care
- Schools & Children
- Environment & Culture
- Central Services
- Chief Executives Department
The Directorates are headed by a Director who report directly to the Chief Executive. Each Directorate is divided into a number of divisions headed by an Assistant Director. They in turn are divided into groups which are themselves divided into services. This is a similar model to most local government in London.
[edit] Demographics of Camden
The 2001 census gives Camden a population of 198,000; corrected for undercount 202,600, projected forward to 2006 220,700. Camden is 73% white, 6% Bangladeshi and 6% black African. 35% of householders are owner-occupiers; 86% of households live in purpose-built or converted flats.
[edit] Major public or private bodies based in Camden
- The Architectural Association
- The British Library
- The British Museum
- Wellcome Trust
- Cancer Research UK
- Royal College of Surgeons
- Royal College of Physicians
- Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
- British Medical Association
- Great Ormond Street Hospital
- University College Hospital
- Royal Free Hospital
- King's Cross railway station, St Pancras station, Euston station
- University of London
- University College London
- Slade School of Fine Art
- School of Oriental and African Studies
- Birkbeck, University of London
- Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
[edit] Attractions of Camden
- The eastern part of Regent's Park is in the borough.
- Hampstead Heath
- Hampstead Cemetery
- Hatton Garden
- Lincoln's Inn
- Gray's Inn
- Highgate Cemetery
- Camden Market
- Parts of Covent Garden
- Russell Square
- Bloomsbury Theatre
- Shaftesbury Theatre
- Dominion Theatre
- Foundling Museum
- Dickens House
- Freud Museum
- Kenwood House
- Sir John Soane's House
- Keats' House
- Fenton House
- BT Tower
- Camden Arts Centre
- The Roundhouse
- see also Camden parks and open spaces
[edit] Secondary schools
- South Hampstead High School
- Acland Burghley School
- Camden School for Girls
- Hampstead School
- Haverstock School
- La Sainte Union Catholic Secondary School
- Maria Fidelis RC Convent School
- Parliament Hill School
- South Camden Community School (SCCS)
- William Ellis School
- Quintin Kynaston School
[edit] Housing
In May 2006, a report commissioned by British Gas showed that housing in Camden produced the lowest average carbon emissions in the country, at 3,255 kg of carbon dioxide per dwelling [2]. See also: Energy efficiency in British housing.
[edit] External links
- Camden Council
- Alternative Camden
- Guardian Politics: Holborn and St Pancras
- Guardian Politics: Hampstead and Highgate
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