About Harrow

About Harrow

Harrow is an Outer London Borough, home to 212,000 people. It is situated roughly 10 miles North West of Central London, on the Hertfordshire Border. In addition to Harrow itself, the Borough also encompasses Harrow on the Hill, South Harrow, West Harrow, North Harrow, Rayners Lane, Wealdstone, Harrow Weald, Pinner, Hatch End, Stanmore and Kenton; as well as parts of Edgware (west of the A5), and Queensbury (north of Queensbury Tube Station). It is a pleasing, residential part of London-many residents have worked and saved very hard to afford homes in our Borough.

Harrow dates back to the pre-Roman times, when it was known as Herga. It was a rural community until the arrival of the London-Birmingham railway in the 1800s, travelling through Kenton, Wealdstone, Headstone Lane and Hatch End. The arrival of the Metropolitan Line at the turn of the last century, in Harrow, North Harrow and Pinner, stimulated further growth in the area. The whole Borough was part of Middlesex until 1965, when it was incorporated into Greater London. However, despite this, nearly all our communities still recall that ancient county in their addresses, and many Harrovians remain keen to stress their Borough's distinction from London. Today's Harrow is a thriving and bustling place.

Harrow is also one of the most culturally diverse places in the country, with the fifth highest non-white minority nationally. We are one of the most successful multicultural areas of Britain, with most people in our Borough happy with (and often keen to stress) their status as British citizens and Harrovians.

The most visible landmark in the Borough is Harrow on the Hill, where the spire of St Mary's Church is situated. Next to the Church is the world-famous Harrow School where many famous people have been educated, not least the poet Lord Byron and the wartime leader, Sir Winston Churchill.

The Conservatives controlled the authority (full name: London Borough of Harrow) from 1965 until 1994 (except for a glitch in 1971-4). We lost, in 1994, to a Liberal Democrat Minority administration; and in 1998 (on the back of their gains of both Harrow East and West Parliamentary seats), Labour gained outright control for the first time ever (though we also picked up seats). In 2002, in an election overshadowed by the Liberals messing up their nominations in all but one ward (and hence, being reduced to 3 seats), we pressed Labour hard, though they emerged as the largest party (just).

The public reception to David Cameron's leadership was felt across the country as the party made significant gains. Harrow's Conservatives took overall control in 2006 with a majority of 13 seats. Sadly, one of our councillors passed away and the seat was lost, reducing our majority. One of our councillors also left the group in 2008, with another following in early 2009, and as a result we now have 35 seats and an overall majority of 8.

David Cameron paid a flying visit to Harrow Civic Centre to congratulate Conservative councillors, Friday 5th May 2006.

David Cameron hailed the result and said: "These are very strong results for the Conservative Party, which reflects the hard work councillors and candidates have done up and down the country. We have hit the all important 40 per cent share of the vote and made gains across the country.'

The Party won control of 10 councils - including Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, and Croydon in London - and captured over 230 additional council seats. Conservatives now have more council seats than at any time since 1992.