Alderman /
Court of Common Counci l /
Court of Aldermen /
Committee /
Committee Agenda/Report /
Common Hall /
Freeman / Guildhall
/ Livery company /
Liveryman / Members
/ Sheriff / Square
Mile / Ward /
Wardmote / Ward
Club
Alderman
An Alderman is an elected Member of the Court of Common Council, as
well as a Member of the Court of Aldermen. On election, an Alderman
also becomes a Justice of the Peace (JP) for the City. Each City
ward elects just one Alderman.
Court of
Common Council
The Court of Common Council is the main decision-making body of the
City of London, which discusses the work of the City of London’s
various committees. It sits every four weeks and is made up of
Common Councilmen and Aldermen. Members of the Court are chosen by
the electorate of the ward in which they stand for office. It is
headed and presided by the Lord Mayor and is open to the public.
Click here for a
list of dates and times when the Court will sit
this year .
Court of
Aldermen
The Court of Aldermen administered the City prior to the evolution
of the Court of Common Council in 1384 and still sits to this day.
Presided over by the Lord Mayor, the Court is made up of the 25
Aldermen elected from each of the City’s wards and is open to the
public. Click here for a
list of dates and times when the Court will sit
this year .
Committee
The City of
London works through a
system
of committees that are broken down into specific areas of work.
These committee meetings discuss the City of London’s day-to-day
activities and projects in collaboration with City of London
officers who carry out the work and who report to the Town Clerk
and Chief Executive. The committees are where the decision-making
process evolves, with crucial issues that arise from them taken on
to be debated in the Court of Common Council.
Committee
agendas / reports
Committee meetings operate through a system of committee agendas
and reports, which are available before the meeting takes place.
The agenda serves as a guide to the Chairman as to the issues and
work that needs to be discussed at the meeting. Items on the agenda
can range from the minutes of the previous meeting through to
reports submitted by City of London officers on behalf of their
departments. Agendas and reports are also available to the public
before the meeting takes place.
Common
Hall
Common Hall is the electoral body consisting solely of
liverymen. This body is summoned by the Lord Mayor who notifies
Masters and Wardens of the livery companies that their liverymen
should attend Guildhall on a certain day. Common Hall elects both
the Sheriffs and the Lord Mayor of London.
Freeman
A
Freeman of the City is a person who has gained the Freedom of
the City. Candidates for becoming a Common Councilman and Alderman
must be Freemen to qualify and, as such, all Members of the Court
of Common Council are Freemen. The City of London can also award an
honorary Freedom and such an award is the highest the City of
London offers. Past recipients of such an award include Winston
Churchill and Nelson Mandela.
Guildhall
Guildhall is the home of the City of London. Local government
has developed since 1411 at the historic building, from the ancient
Court of Husting in Saxon London to the modern Court of Common
Council which now sits in the Great Hall. It also plays host to a
variety of formal and informal events throughout the year. Recent
events held in the Guildhall range from the Queen’s Golden Jubilee
lunch through to a tribute for comedian Spike Milligan,
highlighting the diverse range of events that take place within its
ancient walls each year.
Livery
company
Livery companies are trade and craft organisations. The 107
City livery companies – which range from gardeners to gunmakers –
are involved in ceremonial occasions held by the City of London,
although they also fulfill a
modern role . The livery forms a City of London electoral body
consisting solely of liverymen, known as Common Hall. This body is
summoned by the Lord Mayor and elects the Sheriffs of the City, as
well as the Lord Mayor. The livery also has its own City of London
committee consisting of liverymen nominated from the Court of
Aldermen, the Court of Common Council and the livery companies
themselves.
Liveryman
A liveryman is a member of one of the City’s 107 livery
companies.
Members
The term Members is
a shortened collective description often used when referring to
Members of the Court of Aldermen and the Court of Common
Council.
Sheriff
The City appoints two Sheriffs. Both are of equal standing, but one
is customarily an Alderman, known as the Aldermanic Sheriff. The
other, colloquially called the Lay Sheriff, doesn't need be either
an Aldermen or a Common Councilman. The City Sheriffs attend the
Courts of Alderman and Common Council and also occupy a central
place in the assemblies of Common Hall. In addition, they are also
responsible for the daily opening of the courts at the Central
Criminal Courts at Old Bailey.
The Sheriffs also travel with the Lord Mayor when necessary on
his many trips abroad promoting the interests of the City and, on
occasion, will stand in for him/her if needed.
Square
Mile
A term often used to describe the area for
which the City of London is responsible. It is also often referred
to as The City. A
map of the Square Mile and how it is broken into 25 separate
wards can be viewed here.
Ward
A
ward is one of the geographical areas into which the Square
Mile is divided. Each ward is represented in the Court of Common
Council by one Alderman and a number of Common Councilmen dictated
by the size of the electorate in each ward - ie the more voters,
the more Members. Elections for these Members take place in the
ward in which the Member is standing.
Wardmote
A Wardmote is a meeting held on the day before polling day in City
wards . This is a meeting which all voters are entitled to attend
to raise issues of concern in the ward they reside. Candidates
standing for election in the ward are also invited to attend.
Details of where and when the Wardmotes take place are sent to
voters prior to election.
Ward
club
All wards in the City have a
ward club
. Members of the ward clubs – which were originally formed as rate
payers associations – include Liverymen, Freemen, Common Councilmen
and City professionals who look to promote and encourage interest
in the City’s affairs and to help maintain the high traditions and
prestige of the City.
For further details please call the helpline on 0800 587 5537 or
email
electoralservices@cityoflondon.gov.uk .