City of Westminster

City of Westminster
—  London borough City (1540)  —
Coat of arms Council logo
Westminster shown within Greater London
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	London
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Status	London borough City (1540)
Admin HQ	City Hall, Victoria Street
Incorporated	1 April 1965
Government
- Type	London borough council
- Body	Westminster London Borough Council
- Leadership	Leader & Cabinet (Conservative)
- Mayor	Cllr Judith Warner
- MPs	Karen Buck (Lab) Mark Field (Con)
- London Assembly	Kit Malthouse (Con) AM for West Central
- EU Parliament	London
Area
- Total	Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{" sq mi ({{{area_km2}}} km2)
Area rank	318th (of 326)
Population (2008 est.)
- Total	236,000
- Rank	55th (of 326)
- Density	Expression error: Unexpected < operator/sq mi (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "{"/km2)
- Ethnicity[1]	49.0% White British 2.8% White Irish 19.4% Other White 0.8% White & Black Caribbean 0.7% White & Black African 1.5% White & Asian 1.4% Other Mixed 4.8% Indian 1.4% Pakistani 2.3% Bangladeshi 2.1% Other Asian 2.5% Black Caribbean 3.4% Black African 0.7% Other Black 3.2% Chinese 4.1% Other
Time zone	GMT (UTC0)
- Summer (DST)	BST (UTC+1)
Postcodes	{{{postcode_areas}}}
Police force	Metropolitan Police
Website	westminster.gov.uk

The City of Westminster (pronounced /ˈwɛstmɪnstər/ ( listen)) is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, and its southern boundary is the River Thames.It is an Inner London borough and was created in 1965 when Greater London was established. At its creation Westminster was awarded city status, which had been previously held by the smaller Metropolitan Borough of Westminster. Aside from a number of large parks and open spaces, the density of the district is high. Many sites thought of as being in London are actually in Westminster, including Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, and 10 Downing Street. The city is divided into a number of localities including the ancient political district of Westminster around the Palace of Westminster; the shopping areas around Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street; and the night time entertainment district of Soho. Much of the borough is residential and in 2008 it was estimated to have a population of 236,000.

History

In 1965 the London borough was created from the former area of the metropolitan boroughs of St Marylebone, Paddington, and the smaller City of Westminster. The earlier Westminster metropolitan borough was itself the result of an amalgamation in 1900.

Demography

According to the 2001 census, the borough had a population of 181,279. Westminster City Council undertook several studies, supported by both political parties on the council, that indicated that this figure was too low. The Office for National Statistics eventually added 17,500 people to Westminster's population, increasing its grant from the United Kingdom Government. The official population is now 198,779, but some estimates put it at 220,000. 71% of the population are white, 16% any Asian ethnicity, 7% Black, 6% racially-mixed, and 4% belong to other racial groups. About 35% of households are occupied by their owners.

Politics

The city is divided into 20 wards, each electing 3 councillors. The council is composed of 48 Conservative Party members and 12 Labour Party members.^[2][3]

Summary results of elections

Districts

The City of Westminster covers all or part of the following areas of London:

Economy

The City of Westminster is home to a large number of companies. Many leading global corporations have chosen to locate their global or European headquarters in the City of Westminster. Mayfair and St. James's within the City of Westminster also have a large concentration of hedge fund and private equity funds. The West End is known as the Theatre District and is home to many of the leading performing arts businesses. Soho and its adjoining areas house a concentration of media and creative companies. Oxford Street is one of the leading shopping destinations in the world. The list of companies includes

BP head office in St. James's, City of Westminster

• BP has its global headquarters in St. James's, Westminster.^[4][5]
• Diageo has its global head office in Westminster.^[6]
• Pearson PLC and subsidiary Penguin Group: headquartered in a facility in Westminster.^[7][8]
• Rio Tinto Group, a multinational Australian-British company, has its UK head office in Westminster.^[9]
• Economist Group, publisher of The Economist and other materials, is headquartered in Westminster.^[10]
• SABMiller has its head office in Westminster.^[5][11]

British American Tobacco has its head office in the Globe House in the City of Westminster.^[12]

• Marks & Spencer has its head office in the Waterside House.^[13]
• Pret a Manger has its head office in Westminster.^[14]
• Global Infrastructure Partners has an office in Westminster.^[15]
• EasyGroup has its head office in Mayfair, City of Westminster.^[16]
• Gulf Oil International has its head office in the city.^[17]
• AstraZeneca has its head office in Westminster.^[5][18][19]

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London is located in Westminster.^[20][5]

In the 1960s British Midland had its headquarters at 78 Buckingham Gate in the City of Westminster.^[21] During the same time period British United Airways had its head office in the Portland House.^[22] At one time British Mediterranean Airways had its head office in Westminster.^[23] Cadbury formerly had its head office in Mayfair in Westminster. In 2007 Cadbury Schweppes had announced that it was moving out of Mayfair to cut costs.^[24]

Landmarks

Palace of Westminster

Westminster contains many of the most famous sites in London. Some of the popular tourist sites are Buckingham Palace, Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) and Big Ben and nearby Westminster Abbey.

Parks and open spaces

Lord's Cricket Ground

These include Green Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park and St James's Park. In addition to parks and open spaces within the borough, the City owns and maintains East Finchley Cemetery and crematorium in the London Borough of Barnet.

Transport

Bridges

These include Chelsea Bridge, Hungerford Bridge, Grosvenor Bridge, Lambeth Bridge, Vauxhall Bridge, Waterloo Bridge and Westminster Bridge.

National Rail stations

Stations include: London Charing Cross, London Marylebone, London Paddington and London Victoria these are all main London termini stations.

London Underground

The City of Westminster is served by 27 tube stations, and 10 of the 12 Underground lines (the East London line and Waterloo and City line are the exceptions).

Electric charging points

Westminster City Council now has electric vehicle charging points in 15 locations through the city (13 car parks and two on-street points). Users pay an annual fee to cover administration costs to register and use the points.^[25]

Education

LSE's Old Building entrance

Westminster Children's Services operates many community primary and secondary schools. In addition, several voluntary-aided Church of England (CE), Roman Catholic (RC), and Christian non-denominational (ND) schools are in the city.^[26]

Universities and colleges

• Strand campus of King's College London.
• University of the Arts London site the London College of Fashion on Davies Street.
• London Business School is located in Regent's Park.
• London School of Economics is located near Aldwych.
• Royal Academy of Music is located on Marylebone Road.
• University of the Arts London has constituent colleges in Holborn (CSM) and Millbank (Chelsea).
• University of Westminster is located on three campuses in the borough.
• Brigham Young University London Centre is located on Palace Court.
• The northern half of Imperial College London's main South Kensington campus lies within the borough.
• Regent's College, whose campus is within the grounds of Regent's Park, which houses: European Business School London; Regent's American College London; Regent's Business School; School of Psychotherapy and Counselling; Webster Graduate School; Internexus, a provider of English language courses.

Public libraries

Charing Cross Library (Chinese: 查寧閣圖書館 Chánínggé Túshūguǎn)

The London Library, an independent lending library, is located at 14 St. James Square in the City of Westminster.^[5][27]

The city operates one reference library, the Westminster Reference Library.^[28] City-operated public lending libraries in Westminster include the Charing Cross Library,^[29] the Church Street Library,^[30] the Maida Vale Library,^[31] the Marylbone Library,^[32] the Mayfair Library,^[33] the Paddington Library,^[34] the Pimlico Library,^[35] the Queen's Park Library,^[36] St. James's Library,^[37] St. John's Wood Library,^[38] and the Victoria Library.^[39] In addition the city has two specialist libraries, the Westminster Music Library, the largest music library in the United Kingdom,^[40] and the Westminster Chinese Library in the Charing Cross Library.^[41]

Banksy and official policy towards graffiti

One nation under CCTV.^[42]

In April 2008 the street artist Banksy created a work "One Nation Under CCTV" on the side of the Newman Street Royal Mail building in Soho, apparently accomplished by erecting scaffolding overnight under the direct observation of a CCTV camera. The work was described by the Daily Mail as "his biggest work yet in central London".^[43] Westminster City Council stated in October 2008 that the work would be painted over as it is graffiti. The council explained that it would remove any graffiti, regardless of the reputation of its creator, and specifically stated that Banksy "has no more right to paint graffiti than a child". Robert Davis, the chairman of the council planning committee told The Times newspaper: "If we condone this then we might as well say that any kid with a spray can is producing art". The work was painted over in April 2009.^[44][45]

Gallery

Statue of a Gurkha in City of Westminster, London.	Double Decker buses frame a busy Whitehall with Big Ben in the background.	Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial	Westminster Cathedral
Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square	The Shaftesbury Memorial in Piccadilly Circus	Hungerford Bridges, seen from the north	St James's Park Lake, looking east, with the London Eye in the background
St Martin-in-the-Fields	Chinatown in 2004.

See also

• London Underground
• River Thames
• River Westbourne
• West End of London

References

External links

• City of Westminster
• Westminster, by Sir Walter Besant and Geraldine Edith Mitton and A. Murray Smith, 1902, from Project Gutenberg

Video clips

• Westminster City Council YouTube channel

City of Westminster Districts Bayswater · Belgravia · Covent Garden · Fitzrovia · Holborn · Hyde Park · Knightsbridge · Lisson Grove · Maida Vale (including Little Venice) · Mayfair · Marylebone · Millbank · Paddington · Pimlico · Queen's Park · St James's · St John's Wood · Soho (including Chinatown) · Victoria · Westbourne Green · Westminster Attractions West End theatre · Westminster Abbey · Buckingham Palace · National Gallery · Tate Britain · Trafalgar Square · Horse Guards · more Parks and open spaces Green Park · Hyde Park · Kensington Gardens · Regent's Park · St James's Park Constituencies Westminster North · Cities of London and Westminster Other topics People · Public art · Schools

History of London Evolution Londinium · Lundenwic · City of London · City of Westminster · Middlesex · County of London · Greater London Government Metropolitan Board of Works · London County Council · Greater London Council · Greater London Authority · London Assembly · Mayor of London Events Peasants' Revolt · Black Death · Great Plague · Great Fire · 1854 cholera outbreak · Great Stink · Great Exhibition · 1908 Franco-British Exhibition · The Battle of Cable Street · The Blitz · Festival of Britain · Great Smog · Swinging London · London Plan · 7/7 bombings · Olympic Games (1908 · 1948 · 2012) · Paralympic Games (2012) Structures St Paul's Cathedral · Tower of London · Palace of Whitehall · Westminster Hall · London Bridge · Tower Bridge · Westminster Abbey · Big Ben · The Monument · Fortifications · 30 St Mary Axe · London City Hall · Shard London Bridge City of London City of London Corporation · Lord Mayor of the City of London · Guildhall · Livery Companies · Lord Mayor's Show · Bank of England Services Bow Street Runners · Metropolitan Police Service (history) · London Ambulance Service · London Fire Brigade · Port of London Authority · London sewerage system · London Underground History of London category