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London Borough of Camden

Coordinates: 51°32′N 0°10′W / 51.533°N 0.167°W / 51.533; -0.167
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Template:Infobox London Borough The London Borough of Camden (pronunciationⓘ) is a borough of London, England, which forms part of Inner London. The southern reaches of Camden form part of Central London. The local authority is Camden London Borough Council.[1]

History

The borough was created in 1965 from the former area of the metropolitan boroughs of Hampstead, Holborn, and St Pancras, which had formed part of the County of London.[2] The borough was named after Camden Town, which had gained its name from Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden in 1795.[3]

Districts and environs

For a full list of districts and neighbourhoods of Camden, see List of districts in Camden

The area is in the northern part 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. It covers all or part of the N1, N6, N7, N19, NW1, NW2, NW3, NW5, NW6, NW8, EC1, EC2, EC4, WC1, WC2, W1 and W9 postcode areas. It contains parts of central London.

Politics

Camden London Borough Council

Camden Town Hall is located in Judd Street near King's Cross. Camden London Borough Council was controlled by the Labour Party continuously from 1971 until 2006, when the Liberal Democrats became the largest party. In 1985 when the borough was rate-capped, the Labour leadership joined the rebellion in which it declared its inability to set a budget in an unsuccessful attempt to force the Government to allow higher spending. Camden was the fourth to last council to drop out of the campaign, doing so in the early hours of 6 June.

Borough councillors are elected every four years. The electoral wards in Camden are Belsize, Bloomsbury, Camden Town with Primrose Hill, Cantelowes, Fortune Green, Frognal and Fitzjohns, Gospel Oak, Hampstead Town, Haverstock, Highgate, Holborn and Covent Garden, Kentish Town, Kilburn, King's Cross, Regent's Park, St. Pancras and Somers Town, Swiss Cottage, and West Hampstead.

Between 2006 and 2010 Labour lost two seats to the Liberal Democrats through byelections, in Kentish Town and Haverstock wards. A Labour Councillor in Haverstock ward also defected to the Liberal Democrats in February 2009. The Conservatives also lost two seats, one to the Liberal Democrats in Hampstead, and one the Green Party in Highgate.

At the local elections on 6 May 2010 the Labour party regained full control of Camden council. The new council is made up of 30 Labour, 13 Liberal Democrats, 10 Conservatives and 1 Green councillors. At the Council's AGM, Labour's Nasim Ali took office as Camden's first leader from the Bengali community. Labour Councillor Jonathan Simpson was elected the Mayor of the Borough.

The organisation's staff are led by the Chief Executive who is currently Moira Gibb. Beneath her the organisation is divided into five directorates:

  • Housing and Adult Social Care
  • Schools and Children
  • Environment and 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.

London Assembly

Camden forms part of the Barnet and Camden London Assembly constituency.

UK Parliament

There are two parliamentary constituencies covering Camden: Hampstead and Kilburn in the north, represented by Labour's Glenda Jackson,[4] and Holborn and St. Pancras in the south, represented by Labour's Frank Dobson.[5]

Demographics

Population
YearPop.±%
1801 96,795—    
1811 124,741+28.9%
1821 158,077+26.7%
1831 192,228+21.6%
1841 228,950+19.1%
1851 270,197+18.0%
1861 301,408+11.6%
1871 332,619+10.4%
1881 363,830+9.4%
1891 376,500+3.5%
1901 362,581−3.7%
1911 349,184−3.7%
1921 335,408−3.9%
1931 322,212−3.9%
1941 286,956−10.9%
1951 255,558−10.9%
1961 231,143−9.6%
1971 209,097−9.5%
1981 161,100−23.0%
1991 181,489+12.7%
2001 198,027+9.1%
Source: A Vision of Britain through time

In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century. When the railways arrived the rate of population growth slowed; as while many were drawn in new employment – others were made homeless by the new central London termini and construction of lines through the district. The population peaked at 376,500, in the 1890s, when official efforts began to clear the overcrowded slums around St Pancras and Holborn.

After World War II, further suburban public housing projects were built to rehouse the many Londoners made homeless in the Blitz; and there was an exodus from London towards the new towns under the Abercrombie Plan for London (1944). As industry declined during from the 1970s, the population continued its decline, falling to 161,100 at the start of the 1980s. It has now begun to rise again with new housing developments on brownfield sites; and the release of railway and gas work lands around Kings Cross.

The 2001 census gave Camden a population of 198,000, an undercount that was later revised to 202,600.[6] The projected 2006 figure is 227,500.

On 20 May 1999, The Camden New Journal newspaper documented 'Two Camdens' syndrome as a high profile phenomenon differentiating the characteristics of education services in its 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.[7]

Major public or private bodies

Attractions

Education

The London Borough of Camden is the local education authority for the borough, organised through the Children, Schools and Families Directorate.

Primary schools

Source.[8] (CE indicates Church of England, RC Roman Catholic schools, (J) indicates a junior school and (H) a specialist hospital school).
  • Argyle
  • Beckford
  • Brecknock
  • Brookfield
  • Carlton
  • Christ Church (Hampstead) (CE)
  • Christ Church (Redhill St) (CE)
  • Christopher Hatton
  • Edith Neville
  • Eleanor Palmer
  • Emmanuel CE
  • Fitzjohns
  • Fleet
  • Gospel Oak
  • Great Ormond Street (H)
  • Hampstead parochial CE
  • Hawley (I)
  • Holy Trinity (Trinity Walk) CE
  • Holy Trinity and St Silas CE
  • Kentish Town CE
  • Kingsgate
  • Netley
  • New End
  • Our Lady's RC
  • Primrose Hill
  • Rhyl
  • Richard Cobden
  • Rosary RC
  • Royal Free (H)
  • St Albans CE
  • St Aloysius RC
  • St Dominic's RC
  • St Eugene de Mazenod RC
  • St George the Martyr CE
  • St Joseph's RC
  • St Mary & St Pancras CE
  • St Mary's (Kilburn) CE
  • St Michael's (Camden Town) CE
  • St Patrick's RC
  • St Paul's CE
  • Torriano

Secondary schools

Source.[9]
Both the Royal Free and Great Ormond St operate specialist secondary education in hospital units.

Independent

Transport

View of the railway bridge over Camden High St. which carries the North London Line
St Pancras International - home to Eurostar trains
King's Cross St. Pancras Underground station served by the most tube lines on the network
Buses

All bus services are operated by Transport for London. Buses serve every suburb in the borough.

National Rail

Three of the fourteen central London's railway terminals are located in the borough. Euston, St. Pancras International and Kings Cross are the London termini for the West Coast, Midland and East Coast Main Lines and also High Speed 1 respectively. This connects the borough with the East of England, East Midlands, West Midlands, North East & West England, Scotland, South East England, Northern France and Brussels.

Since 14 November 2007 St Pancras International became the new terminus of Eurostar, this has prompted a major regeneration of the area with the King's Cross Central development happening behind the station.

London Overground's North London Line services run through the borough serving Camden Road, Kentish Town West, Gospel Oak, Hampstead Heath, Finchley Road & Frognal and West Hampstead. The North London Line is currently (as of July 2010) being upgraded to be-able to have more and longer trains run on it.[10] Work is due to be complete in May 2011 in time for the London 2012 Olympics.[11] London Overground also operates the Watford DC Line services from Euston serving South Hampstead, trains continue to Watford in Hertfordshire.

First Capital Connect Thameslink route services serve St Pancras, Kentish Town and West Hampstead Thameslink stations. Currently the Thameslink network is undergoing a major expansion project called the Thameslink Programme. This will link more places in Southern England to the borough and to the East of England. While some services on the Great Northern network, which currently terminate at King's Cross will be diverted onto the Thameslink network, all work is due to be complete by 2016.[12]

Underground

London Underground services the provided by the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines, these all serve Template:LUL stations apart from the Jubilee. Other stations in the borough - Template:LUL stations, Template:LUL stations, Template:LUL stations, Template:LUL stations, Template:LUL stations, Template:LUL stations, Template:LUL stations, Template:LUL stations, Template:LUL stations, Template:LUL stations, Template:LUL stations, Template:LUL stations and Kentish Town are scattered around the borough.

Future

A proposed rail or underground line called the Chelsea-Hackney line (also known as Crossrail 2 and the Chelney line) would run through the borough serving King's Cross St. Pancras tube station. The line would run between Template:LUL stations and Wimbledon.

The formerly proposed Cross River Tram was going to start in the borough at Camden but was scrapped by the Mayor of London.

Police

Camden is policed by the Metropolitan Police. There are five police stations across the borough, situated at Holborn, Kentish Town, West Hampstead, Hampstead and Albany Street. Holborn and Kentish Town are open 24 hours to the public. Opening hours of the other stations vary. However the police are currently planning to consolidate all response (i.e. 999) policing at Kentish Town, with plainclothes and specialist units moved from Kentish town to the smaller stations from about April 2011. It is anticipated that Public consultations on ths plan will shortly commence. (Jan 2011)

The current Borough Commander for Camden is Chief Superintendent John Sutherland.

London Fire Brigade

Four fire stations (Belsize, Euston, Kentish Town, West Hampstead) are operated by London Fire Brigade in the borough of Camden. None of these fire stations are home to any specialist units; just pumping appliances and a rescue tender. In 2006/2007, the four stations attended just under eight thousand incidents.

During 2006/2007 the ward of King's Cross had the most malicious calls; with over 40 against a total for the borough of 161.

Since 2002, Camden has seen a steady decrease in the number of fires attended (2002/2003 - 768; 2006/2007 - 547: -28%). Something the LFB will put down to its commitment to its Community Fire Safety scheme.

Three of London's busiest railway stations are in the borough; with somewhere in the region of 52 million passengers using the three every year.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ "Camden Council: About the Council". www.camden.gov.uk. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
  2. ^ Vision of Britain - Camden LB
  3. ^ Mills, A., Oxford Dictionary of London Place Names, (2001)
  4. ^ Guardian Politics - Hampstead and Highgate
  5. ^ Guardian Politics - Holborn and St Pancras
  6. ^ Camden Council - Camden Key Facts 2001-2016
  7. ^ see the DFES Children Act report (2000); The Health Divide by Voluntary Action Camden; Health Inequalities in Camden Dr. Maggie Barker, a public Health Report; "Seen But Not Heard" an Audit Commission report based on research carried out mainly in Camden; and The Moral State We're In by Dame Julia Neuberger, former chair of Camden Community Health Services NHS Trust, et al.
  8. ^ List of Primary schools in LB Camden accessed 14 Jun 2007
  9. ^ List of Secondary schools in LB Camden accessed 14 Jun 2007
  10. ^ Network Rail: What's happening on the North London Line? Accessed 27 July 2010
  11. ^ Transport for London: London Overground, North London Line upgrade Accessed 27 July 2010
  12. ^ Thameslink Programme: About the prject Accessed 27 July 2010
  13. ^ http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about_us/media/Camden.pdf London Fire Brigade - Camden Profile
  14. ^ London Fire Brigade - Camden Profile
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51°32′N 0°10′W / 51.533°N 0.167°W / 51.533; -0.167

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