The first elected local authority for
Harrow was a
local board, established in 1850 covering the central part of the
ancient parish of
Harrow on the Hill. Such boards were reconstituted as
urban district councils under the
Local Government Act 1894. The urban district was significantly enlarged in 1934, at which point it was renamed from 'Harrow on the Hill' to just 'Harrow'. Harrow Urban District was incorporated as a
municipal borough in 1954, governed by a body formally called the "Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Harrow", generally known as the corporation or borough council. The London Borough of Harrow 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 outgoing Harrow Borough Council, which covered the same area. The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965. The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Harrow". 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 Harrow) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an
outer London borough council Harrow 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==