City of Westminster

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From 1899 to 1965 the City of Westminster was also known as the Metropolitan Borough of Westminster

**City of Westminster**
Geography
Shown within Greater London
Status	London borough, City
Grid reference
Area — Total	Ranked 346th 21.48 km²
ONS code	00BK
Demographics
Population: - Total (2004 est.) - Density	Ranked {{English district rank / km²
Ethnicity	73.2% White 8.9% South Asian 7.4% Afro-Caribbean 2.2% Chinese
Politics
Westminster London Borough Council http://www.westminster.gov.uk/
Leadership	Leader & Cabinet
Mayor	Tim Joiner
Executive
MPs	Karen Buck Mark Field
London Assembly — Member	West Central London Angie Bray

The City of Westminster is a London borough with city status, situated to the west of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It forms part of Inner London.

The city contains most of London's West End, as well as the permanent headquarters of the United Kingdom's government, with the Palace of Westminster, Whitehall, and the Royal Courts of Justice.

In 1965 the London borough was created from the abolished Metropolitan Borough of St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough of Paddington and smaller City of Westminster. The current London borough covers a far greater area than the original settlement of Westminster.

Contents

1 Demographics and Politics
2 Districts
3 Locations and landmarks

3.1 Sights
3.2 Parks and open spaces
3.3 Areas
3.4 Roads, streets & squares

4 Transport

4.1 Bridges
4.2 Mainline stations
4.3 Tube stations

5 Individuals
6 See also

Demographics and Politics

According to the 2001 census the borough had a population of 181,279. Westminster City Council undertook several studies which have shown higher populations as part of a campaign (supported by both political parties on the council) to have the population estimate raised, which would increase its grant from the United Kingdom Government. The Office for National Statistics eventually came to an agreement which added 17,500 people to Westminster's population. While the official population is now 198,779, more realistic estimates put it at 220,000. 73% of the population are White, 4% Black African and 3% Indian. 35% of households are owner-occupiers.

The City of Westminster is divided into 20 wards. The council is composed of 48 Conservative Party members and 12 Labour Party members.

See Shirley Porter for information on the illegal "Building stable communities" exercise of the 1980s.

Arms of Westminster City Council

Palace of Westminster

The portico of Bush House, Aldwych

One of two sphinxes at the base of Cleopatra's Needle (London). The scars that disfigure the pedestal of this sphynx were caused by fragments of a WWI bomb dropped in the roadway close to this spot, in the first air raid on London by German aeroplanes a few minutes before midnight on Tuesday 4 September 1917

Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square

St Martin-in-the-Fields

The neoclassical Ritz Hotel, on Piccadilly

St James's Park Lake, looking east, with the London Eye in the background

Oxford Circus, looking westward along Oxford Street

The Shaftesbury Memorial in Piccadilly Circus, surmounted by The Angel of Christian Charity (popularly referred to as Eros), one of the first statues to be cast in aluminium

The cosmopolitan shopping street of Westbourne Grove in Bayswater

Little Venice is centred on the Grand Union Canal

Districts

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

Locations and landmarks

Sights

Parks and open spaces

Green Park
Hyde Park
Kensington Gardens
Regent's Park
St. James's Park
* see also article Westminster parks and open spaces

Areas

Roads, streets & squares

Transport

Bridges

Mainline stations

Tube stations

Individuals

See also List of people buried at Westminster Abbey.

Sui generis: City of London

Enclaves: Inner Temple | Middle Temple

See also: Greater London Authority, London Assembly & Mayor of London

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