# 2017 City of London Corporation election

The 2017 City of London Corporation election took place on 23 March 2017 to elect members of the Court of Common Council in the City of London Corporation. The election was the first time apart from a 2014 by-election that partisan candidates were elected to the body. Fifteen of the hundred seats on the council were won by political parties: the newly created Temple & Farringdon Together party and the Labour Party.
The elections attracted media attention as they represented a high point in the City of London for Labour, who until the 2017 election had only ever won a single seat in a 2014 by-election for Portsoken ward.
26 councillors were elected unopposed: twenty-five independents and one Labour.

## Background

Elections to the Court of Common Council, the main decision-making body of the City of London Corporation which governs the City of London, take place every four years. In the previous election in 2013, all 100 seats were won by independent candidates.
In a 2014 by-election for the Portsoken ward, the Labour Party won its first seat on the council with the Anglican priest William Campbell-Taylor becoming the first partisan councillor to be elected to the body.

## Electoral system

Most residents of the twenty-five wards of the City of London live in the Aldersgate, Cripplegate, Portsoken and Queenhithe. Residents have one vote each, and businesses have a number of votes that scales with the number of employees. Businesses can appoint one employee as a voter for every five staff up to ten voters, with an additional voter per fifty staff beyond that.
Councillors are elected by multi-member first-past-the-post.

## Overall result

2017 City of London Corporation election :
| Party | Party | Seats | Seats | Seats | Seats | Seats | Votes | Votes | Votes |
| Party | Party | Count | Gains | Losses | Net | Of total (%) | Of total (%) | Count | Change |
| | Independent | 85 | 0 | 15 | −15 | 85.0 | 72.5 | 3,047 | −7.9 |
| | Labour | 5 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 5.0 | 17.1 | 717 | -2.5 |
| | Temple & Farringdon Together | 10 | 10 | 0 | +10 | 10.0 | 10.5 | 440 | +10.5 |
| Total | Total | 100 | | | | | | | |

## Ward results

Incumbent councillors are marked with an asterisk (*).

### Aldersgate

Aldersgate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Randall Anderson* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Adrian Bastow | – | – | – |
| | Labour | Richard Crossan | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Jeremy Mayhew* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Joyce Nash* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Barbara Newman* | – | – | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | – | – | – |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Aldgate

Aldgate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Douglas Barrow* | – | – | – |
| | No description | Andrien Meyers | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Hugh Morris* | – | – | – |
| | No description | Sylvia Moys* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Dhruv Patel* | – | – | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | – | – | – |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Bassishaw

Bassishaw :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Graeme Harrower* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Robert Merrett* | – | – | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | – | – | – |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Billingsgate

Billingsgate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | John Welbank* | 42 | 43.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Jamie Ingham Clark* | 40 | 41.2 | N/A |
| | No description | Richard Briggs | 15 | 15.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 97 | 24.1 | N/A |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Bishopsgate

Bishopsgate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Simon Duckworth* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Prem Goyal | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Wendy Hyde* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Andrew Mayer | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Tom Sleigh* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Pooja Tank | – | – | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | – | – | – |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Bread Street

Bread Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Giles Shilson* | 136 | 40.1 | 9.4 |
| | Independent | Oliver Lodge* | 126 | 37.2 | 10.7 |
| | Independent | Alison McDonald | 46 | 13.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | Neil Green | 31 | 9.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 339 | 56.1 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Bridge and Bridge Without

Bridge and Bridge Without :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Keith Bottomley* | 131 | 52.8 |
| | Independent | Timothy Levene | 96 | 38.7 |
| | Independent | Simon Maddocks | 21 | 8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 248 | 46.7 |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |

### Broad Street

Broad Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | John Bennett* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Christopher Hayward* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | John Scott* | – | – | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | – | – | – |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Candlewick

Candlewick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | James De Sausmerez* | 113 | 48.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | Kevin Everett* | 104 | 44.8 | – |
| | Independent | Jonathon Pettigrew | 15 | 6.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 232 | 56.1 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Castle Baynard

Castle Baynard :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Emma Edhem | 225 | 11.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Henrika Priest* | 225 | 11.3 | 1.7 |
| | Independent | Catherine McGuiness* | 213 | 10.7 | 1.6 |
| | Independent | Graham Packham* | 213 | 10.7 | 1.2 |
| | Independent | Jeremy Simons* | 208 | 10.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | Angus Knowles-Cutler | 200 | 10.0 | N/A |
| | Independent | Michael Hudson* | 195 | 9.8 | 1.6 |
| | Independent | Christopher Boden* | 187 | 9.4 | 2.6 |
| | Independent | Alpa Raja | 119 | 6.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,785 | 20.5 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Cheap

Cheap :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Alastair Moss* | 178 | 28.6 | 8.3 |
| | Independent | Tijs Broeke | 169 | 27.2 | N/A |
| | Independent | Nicholas Bensted-Smith* | 168 | 27.0 | N/A |
| | Independent | Ann Pembroke* | 107 | 17.2 | 4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 622 | 50.3 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Coleman Street

Coleman Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Sophie Fernandes* | 162 | 26.0 | – |
| | Independent | Stuart Fraser* | 140 | 22.4 | – |
| | No description | Andrew McMurtrie* | 137 | 22.0 | – |
| | Independent | Michael Cassidy* | 133 | 21.3 | – |
| | Labour | Paul O'Brien | 52 | 8.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 624 | 30.9 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | No description hold | No description hold | Swing | {{{swing}}} | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Cordwainer

Cordwainer :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Alex Barr | 92 | 32.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | Michael Snyder* | 79 | 27.8 | – |
| | Independent | Mark Boleat* | 77 | 27.1 | – |
| | Independent | Gillian Kaile | 21 | 7.4 | N/A |
| | No description | Timothy Becker | 15 | 5.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 284 | 58.3 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Cornhill

Cornhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Peter Dunphy* | 92 | 33.6 | 1.7 |
| | Independent | Stephen Haines* | 85 | 31.0 | 0.1 |
| | Independent | Ian Seaton* | 77 | 28.1 | 2.2 |
| | Labour | Joseph Batty | 20 | 7.3 | 0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 274 | 29.2 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Cripplegate

Cripplegate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | No description | Susan Pearson | 558 | 13.6 | N/A |
| | Independent | John Tomlinson* | 449 | 10.9 | 0.5 |
| | Labour | William Pimlott | 409 | 10.0 | 2.3 |
| | Independent | Vivienne Littlechild* | 407 | 9.9 | 0.5 |
| | Labour | Joan Durcan | 401 | 9.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | David Bradshaw* | 386 | 9.4 | 2.1 |
| | Independent | Steve Quilter* | 375 | 9.1 | 2.6 |
| | Independent | Richard Bostock | 323 | 7.9 | N/A |
| | Independent | Gareth Moore* | 311 | 7.6 | 2.0 |
| | Independent | John Barker | 307 | 7.5 | 1.7 |
| | Independent | Christopher Punter* | 181 | 4.4 | 5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,107 | 37.8 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Dowgate

Dowgate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mark Wheatley* | 123 | 40.6 | 10.7 |
| | Independent | Henry Pollard* | 112 | 37.0 | 2.0 |
| | Independent | Matthew Hampson | 68 | 22.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 303 | 30.3 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Farringdon Within

Farringdon Within :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Thomas Anderson | 247 | 10.2 | N/A |
| | Independent | Christopher Hill | 241 | 10.1 | N/A |
| | Independent | Ann Holmes* | 226 | 9.4 | 0.3 |
| | Independent | Clare James* | 213 | 8.8 | 3.1 |
| | Independent | Matthew Bell | 190 | 7.9 | N/A |
| | Independent | Karina Dostalova* | 184 | 7.6 | 2.7 |
| | Independent | Richard Regan* | 160 | 6.6 | 4.0 |
| | Independent | Graeme Smith* | 159 | 6.6 | 3.2 |
| | Independent | Virginia Rounding* | 148 | 6.1 | 6.0 |
| | Independent | John Edwards | 143 | 5.9 | N/A |
| | Independent | Colin Gregory | 131 | 5.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | Alex Bain-Stewart* | 107 | 4.4 | 6.5 |
| | Independent | Stephen Collins | 100 | 4.1 | N/A |
| | Independent | Stanley Ginsburg | 94 | 3.9 | N/A |
| | Independent | Robert McLean | 71 | 2.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,414 | 35.4 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Farringdon Without

Farringdon Without :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | T&F Together | Caroline Addy | 440 | 7.4 | N/A |
| | T&F Together | Ruby Sayed | 427 | 7.2 | N/A |
| | T&F Together | Wendy Mead* | 425 | 7.2 | 0.6 |
| | T&F Together | Oliver Sells | 424 | 7.1 | N/A |
| | T&F Together | Paul Martinelli* | 410 | 6.9 | 0.8 |
| | T&F Together | Gregory Lawrence | 408 | 6.9 | 1.2 |
| | T&F Together | Charles Lord* | 404 | 6.8 | 1.0 |
| | T&F Together | George Abrahams* | 403 | 6.8 | 0.1 |
| | T&F Together | John Absalom* | 400 | 6.7 | 0.4 |
| | T&F Together | Oliver Sells | 390 | 6.6 | N/A |
| | Independent | Julian Malins* | 209 | 3.5 | 4.9 |
| | Independent | Colin Davidson | 208 | 3.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | Sophia Morrell | 190 | 3.2 | N/A |
| | Independent | David Nicholls | 168 | 2.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | Alexander Deane* | 167 | 2.8 | 5.5 |
| | Independent | Francis Hoar | 164 | 2.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | Andrew Lomas | 163 | 2.7 | N/A |
| | No description | Nicholas Bennett | 149 | 2.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | Adam Richardson* | 147 | 2.5 | 4.1 |
| | No description | Mark Watson-Gandy | 144 | 2.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | Lewis Rodger | 50 | 0.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | Stuart Gardner | 42 | 0.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,932 | 20.9 | |
| | T&F Together gain from Independent | T&F Together gain from Independent | Swing | – | |
| | T&F Together gain from Independent | T&F Together gain from Independent | Swing | – | |
| | T&F Together gain from Independent | T&F Together gain from Independent | Swing | – | |
| | T&F Together gain from Independent | T&F Together gain from Independent | Swing | – | |
| | T&F Together gain from Independent | T&F Together gain from Independent | Swing | – | |
| | T&F Together gain from Independent | T&F Together gain from Independent | Swing | – | |
| | T&F Together gain from Independent | T&F Together gain from Independent | Swing | – | |
| | T&F Together gain from Independent | T&F Together gain from Independent | Swing | – | |
| | T&F Together gain from Independent | T&F Together gain from Independent | Swing | – | |
| | T&F Together gain from Independent | T&F Together gain from Independent | Swing | – | |

### Langbourn

Langbourn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Philip Woodhouse* | 95 | 27.0 | 5.5 |
| | Independent | Judith Pleasance* | 82 | 23.3 | 8.6 |
| | Independent | John Chapman* | 64 | 18.2 | 0.6 |
| | Independent | Timothy Butcher | 57 | 16.2 | N/A |
| | Independent | Alexander Craggs | 54 | 15.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 352 | 42.4 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Lime Street

Lime Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Dominic Christian* | 154 | 28.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Henry Colthurst* | 115 | 21.1 | 1.4 |
| | Independent | Elizabeth Rogula* | 115 | 21.1 | 2.4 |
| | Independent | Thomas Clementi | 86 | 15.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | Peter Cave | 75 | 13.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | George Johnstone | 35 | 6.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 545 | 49.0 | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |

### Portsoken

Portsoken :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jason Pritchard | 230 | 20.0 | 10.2 |
| | Labour | Munsur Ali | 210 | 18.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | John Fletcher* | 197 | 17.2 | 1.3 |
| | Independent | Henry Jones* | 187 | 16.3 | 3.6 |
| | Independent | Ayesha Azad | 153 | 13.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Asif Sadiq | 111 | 9.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | David Barker | 60 | 5.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,148 | 50.7 | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Queenhithe

Queenhithe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Brian Mooney* | 85 | 51.8 | 4.6 |
| | Independent | Caroline Haines | 73 | 44.5 | 0.3 |
| | Labour | John Courtneidge | 6 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 164 | 33.6 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |

### Tower

Tower :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Roger Chadwick* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Anne Fairweather* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | Marianne Fredericks* | – | – | – |
| | Independent | James Tumbridge* | – | – | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | – | – | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Vintry

Vintry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Thomas Hoffman* | 85 | 37.9 |
| | Independent | Rehana Ameer | 74 | 33.0 |
| | Independent | William Fraser* | 65 | 29.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 224 | 45.4 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |

### Walbrook

Walbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Peter Bennett* | 123 | 38.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | James Thomson* | 113 | 35.6 | 12.5 |
| | Independent | Xuelin Bates | 81 | 25.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 317 | 44.0 | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

## Changes since the election
### By-elections
#### March 2018

A by-election was held in Bishopsgate ward on 20 March 2018, following the election of independent Common Councilman Prem Goyal as Alderman for Portsoken ward in December 2017. The seat was won by independent Shravan Joshi.
A by-election was held in Billingsgate ward on 22 March 2018, following the resignation of independent Common Councilman Michael Welbank. The seat was won by independent John Allen-Petrie.

#### October 2018

A by-election was held in Castle Baynard ward on 9 October 2018, following the election of independent Common Councilman Emma Edham as Alderman for Candlewick ward in July 2017. The seat was won by Labour candidate Natasha Lloyd-Owen.
Castle Baynard Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Natasha Lloyd-Owen | 77 | 27.80 |
| | Independent | Julian Henry Malins | 59 | 21.30 |
| | Independent | Alpa Raja | 37 | 13.36 |
| | Independent | Merlene Soo Chin Emerson | 36 | 13.00 |
| | Independent | Virginia Rounding | 28 | 10.11 |
| | Independent | Richard William Humphreys | 23 | 8.30 |
| | Independent | Deborah Mackintosh Oliver | 12 | 4.33 |
| | Independent | Timothy George Christie Becker | 5 | 1.81 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 277 | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent |