City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation, officially and legally the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London, is the local authority of the City of London, the historic centre of London and the location of much of the United Kingdom's financial sector. It helps manage this important area and supports the businesses that work there.

In 2006, its name was changed from Corporation of London to make it clear that it only governs the small, historic part of London, not the whole city. This is different from the Greater London Authority, which looks after the larger area around it.

The City of London Corporation is special because both people who live there and businesses can vote in its elections. It also works to help and protect the financial services industry, which includes banks and other money-related businesses. The corporation is led by the Lord Mayor and includes groups like the Court of Aldermen, the Court of Common Council, and the Freemen and Livery of the City. Some of its special rights and traditions are protected by Magna Carta, an important old document.

History

See also: City of London § History

The City of London Corporation has a long history dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. Early meetings between rulers and citizens happened at the Folkmoot, while administration and justice took place at the Court of Husting. Over time, this evolved into the Court of Aldermen.

The City gained special privileges after the Norman Conquest, with its first royal charter around 1067 from William the Conqueror. By around 1189, it had its own mayor, later called the Lord Mayor of London. The Common Council, representing ordinary citizens, became important in the 18th century and has been the main governing body since then.

Local authority role

Local government rules treat the City of London like a London borough, allowing the Corporation to act as a local authority. However, the Corporation does not have control over the Middle Temple and the Inner Temple, which are special historic areas known as Inns of Court. Still, many of the Corporation’s duties include these areas.

The main administrator of the Corporation holds the old and important job title of Town Clerk of London.

High Officers and other officials

The City of London Corporation has several important officers who help manage its work. These include the Town Clerk, who is the chief executive, and the Chamberlain, who handles the city's money. The City Remembrancer takes care of ceremonies and legal matters, and the City Surveyor looks after property. There are also legal officers like the Comptroller and City Solicitor, the Recorder of London, and the Common Serjeant, who are judges at the Central Criminal Court. Each of these officers has their own responsibilities and budget.

Elections

See also: City of London Corporation elections and Suffrage § Business vote

The City of London Corporation has a long history of voting. The first direct elections happened in 1384. Before that, leaders were chosen by special groups called livery companies. Over time, the way people voted changed a lot.

Today, people can vote if they are at least 18 years old and live in the UK or a Commonwealth country. They can also vote if they own a business or work for a company in the City of London. Big companies can have more votes depending on how many workers they have. The City of London is split into twenty-five areas called wards, and each ward chooses leaders called aldermen and councilmen.

Court of Aldermen

Main article: Court of Aldermen

The City of London used to elect aldermen for life, but now their term is six years. Aldermen can choose to run for re-election before the six years end, but an election must happen no later than six years after the last one. To become an alderman, you must be a Freemen of the City; you don’t need to live in or own land in the area where you run.

Aldermen also serve on the Court of Common Council and help choose important judges and leaders for city institutions. They also act as justices of the peace.

Court of Common Council

Main article: Court of Common Council

The Court of Common Council is the main decision-making group for the City of London Corporation. It meets nine times each year, but most of its work happens in smaller groups called committees.

The Common Council is in charge of policing the City of London, including areas like the Inner Temple and Middle Temple. It has its own police force, the City of London Police, which is different from the Metropolitan Police that serves the rest of Greater London. People can become members of the Common Council if they are voters in the City, own land there, or live there. They must also be over 21, a Freeman of the City, and a citizen of Britain, Ireland, a Commonwealth country, or the European Union. Elections for council members happen every four years, with the most recent one in March 2022.

The Chief Commoner

Each year, the council members choose one of their own to be the Chief Commoner. This is an important role that recognizes someone who has done a lot for the City Corporation over many years. The Chief Commoner helps protect the rights of the council, gives advice, and represents the council at different meetings and special events. They are chosen in October and serve for one year starting in April.

List of Chief Commoners (since 1970)

• 1970 George Mesban Vine
• 1971 Leslie Barnett Prince, Deputy
• 1972 Charles Henry Fuller Fairweather
• 1973 Norman Lancelot Hall
• 1974 John Trevor Yates
• 1975 Wallis Glynn Gunthorpe Hunt
• 1976 James Mansfield Keith
• 1977 Frank Nathaniel Steiner
• 1978 Bernard Loweth Morgan, Deputy
• 1979 Gerald Maurice Stitcher, Deputy
• 1980 Colin Frederick Walter Dyer, Deputy
• 1981 Bernard Joseph Brown
• 1982 Norman Harry Harding
• 1983 John Steven Henderson, Deputy
• 1984 Henry Duckworth, Deputy
• 1985 Gordon Robert Alexander Wixley, Deputy
• 1986 Esmond Patrick Thomson Roney, Deputy
• 1987 Edwina Olwyn Coven, Deputy
• 1988 Arthur Brian Wilson
• 1989 Peter Anning Revell-Smith
• 1990 George Hubert Challis
• 1991 Terence Alfred Donnelly
• 1991 George Hubert Challis
• 1992 Peter Philip Rigby
• 1993 Cecil Douglas Woodward, Deputy
• 1994 John Holland, Deputy
• 1995 John Leslie Bird
• 1996 Philip John Willoughby
• 1997 Frederick Michael Bramwell
• 1998 Richard Gordon Scriven
• 1999 Barbara Patricia Newman
• 2000 Robin Anthony Eve, Deputy
• 2001 Anthony Eskenzi, Deputy
• 2002 Jonathan Philip Charkham
• 2003 Joyce Carruthers Nash, Deputy
• 2004 Laurence St John Thomas Jackson
• 2005 Christopher Robert Mitchell, Deputy
• 2006 Gerald Albert George Pulman, Deputy
• 2007 Pauline Ann Halliday, Deputy
• 2008 John Alfred Barker
• 2009 William Barrie Fraser, Deputy
• 2010 Michael Robin Castle Sherlock, Deputy
• 2011 Richard Regan, Deputy
• 2012 Kenneth Edwin Ayers, Deputy
• 2013 George Gillon
• 2014 John Alfred Bennett, Deputy
• 2015 William Harry Dove, Deputy
• 2016 Michael Welbank
• 2017 Wendy Mead
• 2018 John George Scott
• 2019 Tom Hoffman, Deputy
• 2020 Brian Desmond Francis Mooney, Deputy
• 2021 Brian Desmond Francis Mooney, Deputy
• 2022 Simon D’Olier Duckworth, Deputy
• 2023 Ann Holmes
• 2024 Peter Dunphy, Deputy
• 2025 James Henry George Pollard, Deputy

Committees of the City of London

The City of London Corporation works through many committees to manage the city’s activities. These include groups like the Barbican Centre Board, Epping Forest & Commons Committee, Finance Committee, and the Livery Committee.

Other important committees are the Community & Children's Services Committee, Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, and the Planning and Transportation Committee, among many others listed. These committees help take care of various aspects of life in the City of London.

The Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs

The Lord Mayor of London and the two Sheriffs are selected by special meetings of liverymen. Sheriffs, who help the Lord Mayor, are chosen on Midsummer Day, and the Lord Mayor is chosen later, on Michaelmas. Both serve for one year.

The Lord Mayor has many important jobs. They chair meetings, represent the City to foreign dignitaries, lead special groups, and hold several other key roles. It's important to know that the Lord Mayor of London is different from the Mayor of Greater London, who was created in 2000 and looks after the whole city.

Policy chairman

The Lord Mayor of London mainly handles ceremonies. The real political leader is the chair of the policy and resources committee, also called the policy chairman. This person speaks for the City on the leaders' committee of London Councils, working with the leaders of the 32 London Boroughs.

Since 1984, many people have served as policy chairmen.

Ceremonies and traditions

The City of London Corporation is known for its many traditions and ceremonies. One of the most famous is the yearly Lord Mayor's Show, a grand parade. There are eight main ceremonies, including the election of sheriffs and the lord mayor, ward meetings, and special services like the Spital Sermon and the United Guilds Service.

One historic ceremony is the Temple Bar Ceremony, where the monarch meets the lord mayor. This ceremony includes the presentation of the Pearl Sword and is a symbol of the relationship between the City of London and the Crown. Another important tradition is the Freedom of the City of London, awarded to people who have made big contributions to the city or public life.

Conservation areas and green spaces

Main article: List of parks and open spaces managed by the City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation takes care of about 10,000 acres of public green spaces in Greater London and nearby areas. These include famous spots like Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest, as well as other beautiful places such as Ashtead Common, Burnham Beeches, Highgate Wood, and several commons in south London.

They also look after Parliament Hill Lido, an outdoor swimming pool in Hampstead Heath, and manage two inner city parks: Queen's Park and West Ham Park. In addition, they maintain over 150 smaller green spaces, all funded mainly by the City of London.

Education

The City of London has one primary school, The Aldgate School, for children aged 4 to 11. It is supported by the Church of England and managed by the Education Service of the City of London. Children from the City of London can also attend schools in nearby areas such as Tower Hamlets, Westminster, or Southwark.

The City of London Corporation supports several schools, including three private schools: the City of London School for boys, the City of London School for Girls, and the City of London Freemen's School. It also sponsors secondary schools like the City of London Academy, Southwark in Bermondsey, City Academy, Hackney, and City of London Academy Islington. Additionally, the Corporation owns and funds the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Criticism

Some people have said that the City of London Corporation has too much power, which might make it hard to control big banks and stop them from paying very high salaries. They also think the government does not do enough about places where people hide money.

In 2012, the corporation shared information about its money. It showed that it had over £1.3 billion saved up from many years of collecting money from its buildings and investments. By March 2016, its total wealth was £2.3 billion, which it says is used to help London.