London Borough of Camden

London Borough of Camden, administrative region, London, England. Camden lies in the heart of the capital, ringed by the boroughs of Westminster, Brent, Barnet, Haringey, Islington, and the City of London. This wedge-shaped cross-section of Inner London fans out from busy West End shops and offices at its southern point, to the leafy and exclusive residential districts of Hampstead and Highgate in the north.

Camden encompasses some of London's most literary and artistic quarters—such as Bloomsbury, Camden Town, and Fitzrovia—as well as two of the city's busiest main line railway stations, King's Cross and Euston. The southern half of the borough contains many notable buildings and tourist landmarks, such as the British Library, the British Museum, Telecom Tower, and the theatres of Shaftesbury Avenue, while the north is distinguished by the green spaces of Primrose Hill, Hampstead Heath, Parliament Hill, and Kenwood.

In 1965 Greater London was created under the jurisdiction of the Greater London Council. This council was abolished in 1986, and each inner and outer borough and the City of London itself had its own governing council as the sole administrative authority from then until 2000. The borough councils consist of councillors elected every four years, who in turn annually elect their presiding official. Councils are responsible for the provision of most local services including education, housing, social services, local planning, roads, refuse collection, recreation, and culture.

On May 4, 2000, the people of London voted in a new London mayor, Ken Livingstone, and a 25-strong cross-party assembly, together known as the Greater London Authority. A new mayor is elected every four years; Livingstone served two terms, but was defeated by Conservative MP Boris Johnson in the 2008 mayoral election. Although the mayor has limited budget-raising powers, the position includes responsibility for the police, fire service, health, and public transport. Population 198,027 (2001).