The Court of Common Council is the primary decision-making body of the City of London Corporation. It meets nine times per year. Most of its work is carried out by committees. Elections are held at least every four years. It is largely composed of independent members although the number of Labour Party Common Councilmen in 2017 grew to five out of a total of 100.[1] In October 2018, the Labour Party gained its sixth seat on the Common Council with a by-election victory in Castle Baynard ward.[2] The most recent election was in 2022.

The Common Council Chamber at the Guildhall, pictured in 1808

History

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The first common council was elected in 1273, with 40 members. In 1347 the number was increased to 133, and from later in the same century (it is stated to have been during the reign of King Edward III) it was increased to 206. The members were elected annually in December.[3]

The council now has 100 members, and is elected every fourth year. Between 2004 and 2009 elections were held on the second Friday in March. Since 2013 they have been held on either the third or fourth Wednesday in March.[4]

Court of Common Council elected in March 2022 or subsequently in by-elections

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Map of the results of the City of London Corporation election, 2022. Each ward has several circles, each representing an elected councillor. Circles are coloured by party affiliation of those elected, and the vote share which these poll-toppers received. Results of subsequent by-elections are not shown.
Ward Councillors elected Party
Aldersgate (6) Helen Fentimen OBE JP Labour
Stephen Goodman OBE Labour
Annet Rideg Ind.
Naresh Sonpar Ind.
Deborah Oliver TD Ind.
Randall Anderson Ind.
Aldgate (5) Andrien Meyers Ind.
Timothy McNally Ind.
David Sales Ind.
Mandeep Thandi Ind.
Shailendra Umradia Ind.
Bassishaw (2) Madush Gupta Ind.
Ian Bishop-Laggett Ind.
Billingsgate (2) Luis Tilleria Ind.
Nighat Qureishi Ind.
Bishopsgate (6) Simon Duckworth OBE DL Ind.
Wendy Hyde Ind.
Shravan Joshi MBE Ind.
Andrew Mayer Ind.
Benjamin Murphy Ind.
Tom Sleigh Ind.
Bread Street (2) Hon. Emily Benn Ind.
Dr Giles Shilson Ind.
Bridge (2) Keith Bottomley Ind.
Hugh Selka Ind.
Broad Street (3) Christopher Hayward Ind.
Shahnan Bakth Ind.
Antony Manchester Ind.
Candlewick (2) James St John Davis Ind.
Christopher Boden Ind.
Castle Baynard (8) Henrika Priest Ind.
Mary Durcan JP Ind.
Alpa Raja Ind.
Graham Packham Ind.
Catherine McGuinness CBE Ind.
John Griffiths Ind.
Glen Witney Ind.
Michael Hudson Ind.
Cheap (3) Tijs Broeke Ind.
Nicholas Bensted-Smith JP Ind.
Alastair Moss Ind.
Coleman Street (4) Sophie Fernandes Ind.
Dawn Wright Ind.
Andrew McMurtrie JP Ind.
Michael Cassidy CBE Ind.
Cordwainer (3) Jamel Banda Ind.
Michael Snyder Ind.
Amy Horscroft Ind.
Cornhill (3) Joanna Abeyie MBE Ind.
Peter Dunphy Ind.
Ian Seaton MBE Ind.
Cripplegate (8) Natasha Lloyd-Owen Labour
Anne Corbett Labour
Elizabeth King BEM JP Ind.
Frances Leach Labour
Paul Singh Ind.
Ceri Wilkins Ind.
Dawn Frampton Ind.
Jacqueline Webster Labour
Dowgate (2) Henry Pollard Ind.
Mark Wheatley Ind.
Farringdon Within (8) John Edwards Ind.
Ann Holmes Ind.
Brendan Barns Ind.
Matthew Bell Ind.
John Foley Ind.
Eamonn Mullally Ind.
Florence Keelson-Anfu Ind.
(vacant as of May 2024)
Farringdon Without (10) John Absalom Temple and Farringdon Together
George Abrahams Temple and Farringdon Together
Gregory Lawrence Temple and Farringdon Together
Edward Lord OBE JP Temple and Farringdon Together
Paul Martinelli Temple and Farringdon Together
Wendy Mead OBE Temple and Farringdon Together
Ruby Sayed Temple and Farringdon Together
Oliver Sells KC Temple and Farringdon Together
William Upton KC Temple and Farringdon Together
Suzanne Ornsby KC Temple and Farringdon Together
Langbourn (3) Judith Pleasance Ind.
Timothy Butcher Ind.
Philip Woodhouse Ind.
Lime Street (4) Dominic Christian Ind.
Irem Yerdelen Ind.
Henry Colthurst Ind.
Anthony Fitzpatrick Ind.
Portsoken (4) John Fletcher Ind.
Munsur Ali Ind.
Jason Pritchard Ind.
Henry Jones MBE Ind.
Queenhithe (2) Brian Mooney BEM Ind.
Caroline Haines Ind.
Tower (4) Marianne Fredericks Ind.
James Tumbridge Ind.
Aaron D'Souza Ind.
Jason Groves Ind.
Vintry (2) Rehana Ameer Ind.
Jaspreet Hodgson Ind.
Walbrook (2) James Thomson Ind.
Alethea Silk Ind.

References

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  1. ^ "Committee details - Court of Common Council". democracy.cityoflondon. City of London. 28 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  2. ^ Natasha Lloyd-Owen wins Castle Baynard by-election citymatters.london
  3. ^ "The City Wardmotes". The Times. No. 36958. London. 23 December 1902. p. 9.
  4. ^ Wardmote Book (PDF). City of London. 2022. p. 2. Retrieved 18 September 2024.