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The lives of city employees and inhabitants are significantly improved by Common Councillors and Aldermen. Being an elected official can be a remarkably rewarding way to support the Square Mile and contribute to its continued prosperity.
How to become a Councillor in the City of London?
The City of London Corporation has two categories of elected officials: 25 Aldermen and 100 Common Councillors. They come together to create the Common Council, which serves as the primary decision-making body for the City of London Corporation.
Both can then join committees that supervise a huge variety of topics in the City and elsewhere, from finance and planning to cultural hotspots like the Barbican and Hampstead Heath.
In contrast to other places, the post of councilor in the City is entirely volunteer and unpaid, however, there is some assistance available to offset lost wages.
Eligibility
A candidate for the position of Common Councillor must meet the following requirements at the time of nomination and election:
- a Freeman of the City of London
- aged 18 years or over
- a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, another member state of the European Union, or a British subject (British or Commonwealth citizen)
and must either
- be listed on the Ward Lists for the City of London
- own property in the City, whether it be freehold or leasehold (four joint tenants are the most that may be eligible if the property is leased and held on a leasehold basis).
- having lived in the City for the 12 months before the nomination date, and intend to continue to do so until the election date.
- not be disqualified for any other reason, such as bankruptcy, a fraud conviction, or any other felony that resulted in a prison sentence
Procedure to become a councilor
If you want to become or are interested in becoming a councilor
- Register on the website.
- Fill out all the details
- Choose the option in which you are interested.
- When a vacancy occurs or an election is coming up, we’ll add your information to a list of interested parties and get in touch with you.
Documents Required
- Valid Passport
- Valid Uk Id
- Document to prove ownership of the property whether it be freehold or leasehold.
Role/work of a councilor
- To represent their constituent’s and stakeholders’ demands as a member of the Court of Common Council.
- To be conscious of the requirements and worries of the voters, companies, and people who work in the Ward, to represent their opinions before the City of London Corporation, and to take into consideration, if practical, the opinions of the City as a whole.
- Support the work of the City of London Corporation and the achievement of its goals and objectives wherever you can.
- to take part in City of London Corporation operations and those of its numerous committees.
- to serve as the City of London Corporation’s representative on external organizations when chosen.
- to take part in the activities carried out by the group of Members in his or her Ward.
- to serve the role of a “critical friend” by helping to evaluate how well the City of London Corporation executes these strategies and standards and provides services.
- to follow the Court of Common Council’s Standing Rules and the City of London Corporation’s Code of Conduct.
Is there any meeting to attend?
- Committee and Court meetings take place throughout the working day, usually in the middle of the day. Committees typically convene once every four to six weeks.
- Meetings often take between one and two hours. The number of committees a Member is a part of determines the depth of their engagement.
