Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea | ||
---|---|---|
Royal borough | ||
Police Metropolitan Police | | |
Website | www.rbkc.gov.uk |
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (often shortened RBKC) is an
The borough is immediately west of the City of Westminster and east of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It contains major museums and universities in Albertopolis, department stores such as Harrods, Peter Jones and Harvey Nichols, and embassies in Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Kensington Gardens. The borough is home to the Notting Hill Carnival, Europe's largest, and contains many of the most expensive residential properties in the world, as well as Kensington Palace, a British royal residence.
The local authority is Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council. Its motto, adapted from the opening words of Psalm 133, is Quam bonum in unum habitare, which translates roughly as 'How good it is to dwell in unity'.[1]
History
The borough was formed by the merger of the
The new borough was originally intended to be called only "Kensington", but after protests from thousands of Chelsea residents, the then Minister of Housing and Local Government, Sir Keith Joseph, announced on 2 January 1964 that the name of the new borough would be the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.[2]
Of its history the council states: "Despite the boroughs being separate originally, Kensington and Chelsea still retain their unique characters. Even the amalgamation of the two boroughs, unpopular as it was at the time, has been accepted. Today conservation combined with the adoption of sympathetic new architecture is seen as a key objective. In every corner of the borough signs of its history can be seen: from Grade 1 listed buildings Kensington Palace and the Royal Hospital, Chelsea to others recalled in street names such as Pottery Lane and Hippodrome Mews."[3]
In 200 years the area has been transformed from a "rural idyll" to a thriving part of the modern metropolis. Chelsea had originally been countryside upon which Thomas More built Beaufort House. He came to Chelsea in 1520 and built the house, which in his day had two courtyards laid out between the house and the river, and in the north of the site acres of gardens and orchards were planted. It was from here in 1535 that More was taken to the Tower and beheaded later that year.[4] This area of Cheyne Walk continued its historic significance; nearby Crosby Hall sits on the river near the Church of Thomas More, and what was once Thomas Carlyle's residence remains on Cheyne Row.
Kensington's
In the 19th century the last emperor of the
During the
Districts
The borough may be split into the following districts; these differ from the council's electoral wards:[7]
- Albertopolis
- Bayswater (also partly in the City of Westminster)
- Belgravia (also partly in the City of Westminster)
- Brompton
- Chelsea
- Chelsea Harbour (also partly in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham)
- Earl's Court
- Holland Park
- Kensal Green (also partly in Brent)
- Kensington
- Knightsbridge (also partly in the City of Westminster)
- Ladbroke Grove
- North Kensington
- Notting Hill
- South Kensington
- West Brompton
- West Kensington(also partly in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham)
- World's End
Parks and open Spaces
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1801 | 22,088 | — |
1811 | 31,085 | +40.7% |
1821 | 43,296 | +39.3% |
1831 | 55,865 | +29.0% |
1841 | 46,807 | −16.2% |
1851 | 69,379 | +48.2% |
1861 | 128,828 | +85.7% |
1871 | 188,277 | +46.1% |
1881 | 247,725 | +31.6% |
1891 | 258,015 | +4.2% |
1901 | 250,267 | −3.0% |
1911 | 242,884 | −3.0% |
1921 | 243,589 | +0.3% |
1931 | 244,297 | +0.3% |
1941 | 233,377 | −4.5% |
1951 | 223,144 | −4.4% |
1961 | 205,598 | −7.9% |
1971 | 189,571 | −7.8% |
1981 | 125,892 | −33.6% |
1991 | 145,171 | +15.3% |
2001 | 158,922 | +9.5% |
2011 | 158,649 | −0.2% |
Note:[8] |
At the 2011 census, the borough had a population of 158,649 who were 71 percent White, 10 percent Asian, 5 percent of multiple ethnic groups, 4 percent Black African and 3 percent Black Caribbean. It is the least populated of the 32
In 2005, the borough had more of its land covered by domestic buildings than anywhere else in England at 19%, over half the national average.[10] It also had the fifth highest proportion of land covered by non-domestic buildings at 12 percent.[10]
As of 2010 statistics released by the Office for National Statistics showed that life expectancy at birth for females was 89.8 years in 2008–2010, the highest in the United Kingdom. Male life expectancy at birth for the same period was 85.1 years.[11] The figures in 1991–1993 were significantly lower: 73.0 years for males (ranking 301st in the nation) and 80.0 for females (ranking 129th). Further investigation indicates a 12-year gap in life expectancy between the affluent wards of Chelsea (Royal Hospital, Hans Town) and the most northerly wards of North Kensington (Golborne, Dalgarno), which have high levels of social housing and poverty.
The borough has a higher proportion (16.6 percent) of high earners (over £60,000 per year) than any other local government district in the country.[12] It has the highest proportion of workers in the financial sector and the lowest proportion working in the retail sector.
In December 2006 Sport England published a survey which showed that the borough's residents were the fourth most active in England in sports and other fitness activities. 27.9 percent of the population participate at least three times a week for 30 minutes.[13]
A 2017 study by Trust for London[14] and the New Policy Institute[15] found that Kensington & Chelsea has the greatest income inequality of any London Borough. Private rent for low earners was also found to be the least affordable in London. However, the borough's poverty rate of 28% is roughly in line with the London-wide average.[16]
Ethnicity
Ethnic Group | 1981 estimations[17] | 1991[18] | 2001[19] | 2011[20] | 2021[21] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
White: Total | 105,975 | 90.5% | 116,791 | 84.4% | 124,924 | 78.61% | 112,017 | 70.61% | 91,394 | 63.8% |
White: British | – | – | – | – | 79,594 | 50.08% | 62,271 | 39.25% | 46,883 | 32.7% |
White: Irish | – | – | – | – | 5,183 | 3.26% | 3,715 | 2.34% | 2,825 | 2.0% |
White: Gypsy or Irish Traveller
|
– | – | – | – | – | – | 119 | 0.08% | 84 | 0.1% |
White: Roma | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1,049 | 0.7% |
White: Other | – | – | – | – | 40,147 | 25.26% | 45,912 | 28.94% | 40,553 | 28.3% |
Asian or Asian British : Total
|
– | – | 8,491 | 6.1% | 10,329 | 6.50% | 15,861 | 10.00% | 17,025 | 11.8% |
Asian or Asian British: Indian | – | – | 1,658 | 3,226 | 2.03% | 2,577 | 1.62% | 3,209 | 2.2% | |
Asian or Asian British: Pakistani | – | – | 830 | 1,203 | 0.76% | 911 | 0.57% | 1,282 | 0.9% | |
Asian or Asian British: Bangladeshi | – | – | 669 | 1,148 | 0.72% | 836 | 0.53% | 1,488 | 1.0% | |
Asian or Asian British: Chinese | – | – | 1,528 | 2,592 | 1.63% | 3,968 | 2.50% | 3,839 | 2.7% | |
Asian or Asian British: Other Asian | – | – | 3,806 | 2,160 | 1.36% | 7,569 | 4.77% | 7,207 | 5.0% | |
Black or Black British: Total | – | – | 8,082 | 5.8% | 11,081 | 6.97% | 10,333 | 6.51% | 11,279 | 7.9% |
Black or Black British: African | – | – | 3,070 | 6,013 | 3.78% | 5,536 | 3.49% | 6,944 | 4.8% | |
Black or Black British: Caribbean | – | – | 3,461 | 4,101 | 2.58% | 3,257 | 2.05% | 3,237 | 2.3% | |
Black or Black British: Other Black | – | – | 1,551 | 967 | 0.61% | 1,540 | 0.97% | 1,098 | 0.8% | |
Mixed or British Mixed: Total | – | – | – | – | 6,505 | 4.09% | 8,986 | 5.66% | 9,525 | 6.6% |
Mixed: White and Black Caribbean | – | – | – | – | 1,290 | 0.81% | 1,695 | 1.07% | 1,725 | 1.2% |
Mixed: White and Black African | – | – | – | – | 1,057 | 0.67% | 1,148 | 0.72% | 1,288 | 0.9% |
Mixed: White and Asian | – | – | – | – | 1,863 | 1.17% | 3,021 | 1.90% | 3,047 | 2.1% |
Mixed: Other Mixed | – | – | – | – | 2,295 | 1.44% | 3,122 | 1.97% | 3,465 | 2.4% |
Other: Total | – | – | 5,030 | 3.6% | 6,080 | 3.83% | 11,452 | 7.22% | 14,150 | 9.9% |
Other: Arab | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6,455 | 4.07% | 6,384 | 4.5% |
Other: Any other ethnic group | – | – | 5,030 | 3.6% | 4,997 | 3.15% | 7,766 | 5.4% | ||
Ethnic minority: Total | 11,161 | 9.5% | 21,603 | 15.5% | 33,995 | 21.39% | 46,632 | 29.39% | 51,979 | 36.2% |
Total | 117,136 | 100% | 138,394 | 100% | 158,919 | 100.00% | 158,649 | 100.00% | 143,373 | 100% |
Politics
Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council
As of the 2022 elections the council has 35
The borough has combined a number of services and departments with its neighbours,
Three of the more notable council leaders were Nicholas Freeman, from 1977 until 1989, Sir Merrick Cockell who held the position from 2000 to 2013.[23], and Elizabeth Campbell (C),[24][25] from 2017 in the wake of the Grenfell Tower Tragedy to the present day.[26]
UK Parliament
The borough is divided between two
- Kensington, held by Felicity Buchan for the Conservative Party, and
- Chelsea and Fulham (partly in Hammersmith & Fulham), held by Greg Hands for the Conservative Party.
At the 2005 General Election, the borough was divided differently:
- Kensington and Chelsea, held by Sir Malcolm Rifkind for the Conservative Party, and
- Regent's Park and Kensington North (partly in City of Westminster), held by Karen Buck for the Labour Party.
Rifkind held the Kensington seat until the 2015 General Election when he stood down after becoming embroiled in a scandal, uncovered by a television investigation, over accepting money in return for access to influential British diplomats and politicians.[27]
From 1885 | From Feb 1974 | From 1997 | From 2010 |
---|---|---|---|
Kensington North | Kensington | Part of Regent's Park and Kensington North | Kensington |
Kensington South | Kensington and Chelsea | ||
Chelsea | Part of Chelsea and Fulham |
Greater London representation
For elections to the Greater London Council, the borough formed the Kensington and Chelsea electoral division, electing three members. In 1973 it was divided into the single-member Kensington and Chelsea. electoral divisions.[28] The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986.
Since 2000, for elections to the London Assembly, the borough forms part of the West Central constituency.
Transport
Underground
The borough has 12 tube stations, on five of the 11 London Underground lines:
with stations at
Crossrail
Chelsea (SW3, SW10 and partly SW1) has significantly less Underground access than Kensington, the only station within Chelsea being
A Crossrail station on the original Crossrail route, from Paddington to Reading, has been proposed and endorsed by the council.[31] This station would be located near the northern end of Ladbroke Grove, and would serve the areas of North Kensington and Kensal. The council supports this station concept as it would renew infrastructure and build regeneration benefits in the area.
National Rail and Overground
Buses
Many London bus routes pass through the borough, most of them along King's Road, Fulham Road, Kensington High Street and Ladbroke Grove.
Cycling
Kensington and Chelsea council has been criticised for its lack of support for
Travel to work
In March 2011 the main forms of transport that residents used to travel to work were: underground, metro, light rail, tram, 23.6 percent of all residents aged 16–74; driving a car or van, 8.2 percent; on foot, 8.2 percent; bus, minibus or coach, 8.0 percent; work mainly at or from home, 7.0 percent; bicycle, 3.1 percent; train, 2.1 percent.[34]
Social housing and Grenfell tower fire
The RBKC is a major provider of
The 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, in which one public-housing tower of the estate Grenfell Tower was completely destroyed and 72 lives were lost, drew international attention to the borough. After widespread criticism of the borough council's response to the fire,[36][37] responsibility for providing services to those affected by the fire was taken away from RBKC.[38] Prime Minister Theresa May previously branded the response to the tragedy "not good enough", with Whitehall civil servants drafted in as part of a beefed-up operation in the local area. Anna Stec who gave evidence as an expert witness to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry has urged the authorities to test rescue workers, nearby residents and survivors for carcinogenic chemicals following the fire.[39]
Religion
The following shows the religious identity of residents residing in Kensington and Chelsea according to the 2001, 2011 and the 2021 censuses.
Religion | 2001[41] | 2011[42] | 2021[43] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Holds religious beliefs | 120,052 | 75.5 | 110,011 | 69.3 | 93,452 | 65.2 |
Christian | 98,466 | 62.0 | 86,005 | 54.2 | 69,335 | 48.4 |
Muslim
|
13,364 | 8.4 | 15,812 | 10.0 | 16,865 | 11.8 |
Jewish | 3,550 | 2.2 | 3,320 | 2.1 | 2,681 | 1.9 |
Hindu | 1,594 | 1.0 | 1,386 | 0.9 | 1,584 | 1.1 |
Sikh | 325 | 0.2 | 263 | 0.2 | 319 | 0.2 |
Buddhist | 1,849 | 1.2 | 2,447 | 1.5 | 1,606 | 1.1 |
Other religion | 904 | 0.6 | 778 | 0.5 | 1,064 | 0.7 |
No religion | 24,240 | 15.3 | 32,669 | 20.6 | 35,610 | 24.8 |
Religion not stated | 14,627 | 9.2 | 15,969 | 10.1 | 14,311 | 10.0 |
Total population | 158,919 | 100.0 | 158,649 | 100.0 | 143,373 | 100.0 |
Places of worship
The borough has a number of notable churches, including:
- Roman Catholic
- Chelsea Old Church (All Saints) – Church of England
- Holy Trinity Brompton – Church of England
- St Columba's Church, Pont Street – Church of Scotland
- St Luke's Church, Chelsea, Sydney Street – Church of England
- St Mary Abbots – Church of England
- St Sophia's Cathedral – Greek Orthodox Church
- Kensington Temple – Elim Pentecostal Church
It is home to a small
Diplomatic missions
The borough's notable districts are home to numerous international diplomatic missions:
- Bangladesh
- Cameroon
- Cyprus (residency)
- Dominica
- Fiji
- Gambia
- Mauritius
- Pakistan
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Zambia
Embassies
Featured places
Within the borough there are several of London's tourist attractions and landmarks:
- Brompton Oratory
- Earl's Court
- Harrods
- Hill House School
- Imperial College
- Jumeirah Carlton Tower
- Kensington Arcade
- Kensington High Street
- Kensington Palace
- King's Road
- Ladbroke Grove
- Leighton House Museum
- Notting Hill Gate
- Olympia(part)
- Portobello Road
- Royal Hospital Chelsea
- Saatchi Gallery
- Sloane Street
- The Science Museum and Natural History Museum
- Victoria & Albert Museum
Education
Schools
The council's education department finances state schools.[44]
London's Poverty Profile - a 2017 study by Trust for London[14] and the New Policy Institute[15] - found that 75% of 19-year-olds in Kensington and Chelsea have at least a C in their GCSE English and Maths. This is the highest success rate in London.[16]
Independent preparatory schools
- King Charles III and actress Anya Taylor-Joy.
- Sussex House School
Further education
- Kensington and Chelsea College
- St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College
Universities
- English National Ballet School
- Royal College of Art
- Royal College of Music
- Imperial College London
- Heythrop College
- Richmond, The American International University in London
- Fordham University
Public libraries
Libraries include the Kensington Central Library, Chelsea Library, Kensal Library, Brompton Library, North Kensington Library and the Notting Hill Gate Library.[45]
International relations
Town twinning
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is formally
Freedom of the Borough
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Individuals
- Sir Winston Churchill: 1949.[47][48] (Borough of Kensington)
Military Units
- The Army Phantom Signal Regiment: 6 October 1959.[49] (Borough of Kensington)
- The Royal Hospital Chelsea: 28 June 2006.[50]
- 31 (City of London) Signal Regiment (V)
- 38 Signal Regiment
- D Company (The London Regiment
- 10 Company 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment
- 21 Special Air Services Regiment (Artists Rifles) (V)
- 256 (City of London) Field Hospital (V)
- The Royal Yeomanry
- The University of London Air Squadron (V)
- University of London Royal Naval Unit[51]
See also
References
- ^ "How council works: our Mayor: Coat of Arms". Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
- ^ The Times, 3 January 1964:Chelsea Name Retained: New Decisions on Three Boroughs Linked 14 June 2018
- ^ "The Modern Borough". Rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- ^ "Thomas More Comes to Chelsea". Rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
- ^ "Royalty Comes to Kensington". Rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
- ^ "The Boroughs at War". Rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
- ^ "Wards Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk.
- ^ "Kensington: Total Population". A Vision of Britain Through Time Great Britain Historical GIS Project. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
- ^ Emma Rowley (12 May 2012). "High earners say au revoir to France". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
- ^ a b "Key Statistics: Dwellings; Quick Statistics: Population Density; Physical Environment: Land Use Survey 2005". Archived from the original on 11 February 2003. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
- ^ Nadine Burham-Marshalleck (31 October 2011). "Kensington & Chelsea has UK's highest life expectancy - South West Londoner". Swlondoner.co.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
- ^ "Top ten fastest growing affluent areas". Business guardian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
- ^ "Active People Survey - headline results". Archived from the original on 20 January 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
- ^ a b "London Poverty & Inequality - Trust For London". Trust for London.
- ^ a b "Home". www.npi.org.uk.
- ^ a b "London's Poverty Profile". Trust for London. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ Equality, Commission for Racial (1985). "Ethnic minorities in Britain: statistical information on the pattern of settlement". Commission for Racial Equality: Table 2.2.
- ^ "1991 census – theme tables". NOMIS. Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
- ^ "KS006 - Ethnic group". NOMIS. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- ^ "Ethnic Group by measures". NOMIS. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ "Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "Local council elections 2018 - Results". Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
- ^ "Cllr Elizabeth Campbell". Kensington, Chelsea and Fulham. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ "Cllr Elizabeth Campbell". Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ "Councillor Elizabeth Campbell". centreforlondon.org. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
Councillor Elizabeth Campbell was elected Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in July 2017, in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tragedy. She has been a Councillor since 2006 and previously served as Cabinet Member for Family & Children's Services (2012 -2017) and Education & Libraries (2010 – 2012)
- ^ "Malcolm Rifkind to stand down as an MP at the election after lobbying controversy". www.newstatesman.com. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ Boothroyd, David. "Greater London Council Election results: Kensington and Chelsea". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 25 October 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Crossrail 2 route shake-up: Transport for London's (TfL) business case proposal scraps Kings Road Chelsea station and opts for Tooting over Balham | City A.M". 26 June 2017. Archived from the original on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- ^ "Route Map". CrossRail.
- ^ "Kensal Portobello Crossrail Station | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". Rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- ^ "Kensington and Chelsea vetoes flagship road safety scheme". The Guardian. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
- ^ "Kensington and Chelsea council criticised for scrapping cycle lane". The Guardian. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
- ^ "2011 Census: QS701EW Method of travel to work, local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
- ^ a b "Business Plan 2014-17" (PDF). kctmo.org.uk/ Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ Horton, Helena (19 June 2017). "Anger as leader of Kensington Council appears to blame Grenfell residents for sprinklers not being installed". telegraph.co.uk. Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- ^ MacAskill, Ewen (19 June 2017). "Council sidelined in Grenfell Tower response as leader refuses to quit". Guardian.co.uk. The Guardian. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- ^ Flood, Rebecca (18 June 2017). "Specialist team set up after Grenfell Tower fire after response 'not good enough'". Express.co.uk. Daily Express. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ "Grenfell soil tests 'reveal huge numbers of cancer forming toxins'". Daily Telegraph. 13 October 2018. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- ^ "Population by Religion, Borough". Office for National Statistics (ONS). Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- ^ "KS007 - Religion - Nomis - 2001". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ^ "KS209EW (Religion) - Nomis - 2011". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ^ "Religion - 2021 census". Office of National Statistics. 29 November 2022. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Family and Children's Services". Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
- ^ http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/leisureandlibraries.aspx Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Retrieved 13 January 2009. [permanent dead link]
- ^ "British towns twinned with French towns [via WaybackMachine.com]". Archant Community Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ "Appointment of Honorary Persons". Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: British Pathé (13 April 2014). "Churchill Receives Freedom Of Kensington (1949)". Retrieved 12 March 2017 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Civic Honours granted by the Royal Boroughs". www.steppingforwardlondon.org.
- ^ "Royal Hospital Chelsea gains gift of a lifetime". www.rbkc.gov.uk.
- ^ "Civic Honours – 41 (Princess Louise's Kensington) Squadron 38 Signal Regiment". Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
External links
- Media related to Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea at Wikimedia Commons
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Kensington & Chelsea Council
- Kensington & Chelsea Local Involvement Network (K&C LINk)