Education
Each London Borough acts as the Local Education Authority (LEA) for its area. Each LEA has specific legal responsibilities and functions which include the provision of suitable education for each child, the improvement of local education, special needs assessment and recruitment of school governors. They also provide services such as educational psychology, school meals, maintenance and out-of-hours facilities. Each LEA is headed by a councillor with political responsibility for education and learning and a Chief Education Officer who has legal and
Administrative responsibilities for the service. Each borough has a Scrutiny Committee which monitors the work of the LEA.
Planning
The boroughs are responsible for dealing with all non-strategic planning applications in their area and applicants have the right to appeal against refusals to the Secretary of State. However, the Mayor must be consulted on planning applications that are considered to be of potential strategic importance to London. He can comment on and support these applications or, if he considers it necessary on strategic planning grounds, he can direct the borough to refuse planning permission. The Mayor is not able to direct approval of applications. If a direction to refuse an application is issued, the Mayor must set out his reasons for the decision and the borough will inform the applicant of these reasons.
Each borough must produce a Unitary Development plan that addresses these issues as well as wider planning points.
Benefits
Although they operate within strict national guidelines from the Department for Work and Pensions, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are paid for and administered by local authorities.
Health
The councils have a range of health and social care responsibilities covering services for older people, mental health, occupational therapy, public and environmental health, often working in partnership with NHS bodies. The council has an elected councillor with executive
responsibility for health services.
Waste disposal and the environment
In collecting and disposing of waste, the Council must take into account the Mayor's municipal waste management strategy. They are also responsible for promoting and co-ordinating local environmental initiatives, in partnership with the Mayor and on their own.
The council's has two main offices, which are based at:
Civic Centre
Rainham Road North
Dagenham
RM10 7BN
Barking Town Hall
1 Town Square
Barking
IG11 7LU
Switchboard telephone: 020 8215 3000
Fax: 020 8227 5184
Textphone: 020 8227 5755
Email: 3000direct@lbbd.gov.uk
Website: http://www.barking-dagenham.gov.uk
