About Us

What does the City of London Corporation do?

The City of London Corporation provides local government services and much more for the Square Mile. It is committed to maintaining and enhancing the status of the business City as the world's leading international financial and business centre through its policies and the high standard of its services. But its responsibilities go far beyond the City boundaries with a host of additional facilities that benefit the nation - from open spaces such as Epping Forest and Hampstead Heath to the famous Barbican Centre.

The City Corporation combines its ancient traditions and ceremonial functions with the role of a modern and efficient local authority, looking after the needs of its residents, businesses and over 340,000 people who work here. Among local authorities the City Corporation is unique; not only is it the oldest in the country but it operates on a non-party political basis through its Lord Mayor, Aldermen and members of the Court of Common Council. The Lord Mayor plays an important diplomatic role with his overseas visits and functions at the historic Guildhall and Mansion House for visiting heads of State.

In addition to local government services such as housing, refuse collection, education, social services, environmental health and town planning, the City Corporation performs a number of very special functions. It runs its own police force and the nation's Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey. It provides five Thames bridges, runs the quarantine station at Heathrow Airport and is the Port Health Authority for the whole of the Thames tidal estuary. Three premier wholesale food markets (Billingsgate, Spitalfields and Smithfield) also belong to the City Corporation. Many of these services are funded from its own investments at no cost to the public.

The City Corporation is also committed to an extensive programme of activities designed to assist its neighbours to combat social deprivation and through its philosophy of sustainable development, aims to share the City’s benefits with future generations of residents, businesses and workers.

How The City Of London Works

Cycle Squad Officers The City of London Corporation’s main decision-making body is the Court of Common Council. This is made up of elected Members from the City's wards, who cover a wide range of professions and City interests, and are elected on a non-party political basis.

The City has 25 wards. Voters in those Wards elect one Alderman and a number of Members to the Common Council while Aldermen also represent their wards in the Court of Aldermen and also form part of the wider Court of Common Council.

The Common Council debates and makes decisions on the most crucial issues that have arisen from the work of the City Corporation’s many different committees. Membership of the Common Council is determined at City elections.

Committees

The City of London Corporation - like any other local government services provider - works through a committee system, covering a diverse range of activities. Committee meetings discuss the City Corporation’s day-to-day activities and projects in collaboration with officers who carry out the work and who report to the Town Clerk.

Committees work through agendas and reports, which are publicly 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. Items on the agenda will include the minutes of the previous meeting through to reports submitted by officers on behalf of their departments.

All committees have a Chairman who is annually elected by the members of the committee. In most, but not all, cases there is also a Deputy Chairman. Senior officers of the City of London's staff also attend relevant committee meetings.

A London street cleaner Members of the public wanting to follow the work that goes on at committee level at the City of London can do so in a number of ways. Firstly, they can attend committee meetings in their area of interest and observe the proceedings. Those not able to attend or wanting to know what may be covered in an upcoming meeting can gain access to committee agendas, minutes, reports and resolutions by using an online search engine on the City of London’s main website . Only public documents can be made available on legal grounds. This facility also allows members of the public to search under keywords to find exact information.

Court of Common Council

Court of Common Council The Court of the Common Council is the main decision-making body through which the City of London operates and is headed by the Lord Mayor. It is made up of Aldermen and Common Councilmen and sits every four weeks in Guildhall working through issues arising from the various committees as well as Members' questions and motions.

Elected Members

The Members that make up the Court of the Common Council are elected by the wards they represent. Although Aldermen and Common Councilmen serve their respective wards like conventional councillors, unlike other local authority councillors, party political affiliations are not represented by any members of the Common Council, with all members remaining independent.

Court of Aldermen

As well as sitting on the Court of Common Council, the 25 Aldermen sit on the Court of Aldermen. This court was originally responsible for the entire administration of the City, but was diminished with the development of the Court of Common Council in the 14th century. Meeting nine times a year in the Aldermen’s Court Room at Guildhall, the Court of Aldermen is also summoned and presided over by the Lord Mayor.

The primary function of the Court is to provide a forum that aims to support, develop and bring forward effective candidates from amongst the Aldermen to serve in the Offices of Lord Mayor and Sheriff. Other work undertaken at the meetings of the Court is varied and ranges from approving certain applications for the Freedom of the City, through to approving the formation of new livery companies. The Court also has responsibilities for overseeing the management of Mansion House and makes nominations to the Common Council for the appointment of Aldermen on committees.

For more information on the City of London Corporation please visit www.cityoflondon.gov.uk.