# Court of Aldermen

The Court of Aldermen forms part of the senior governance of the City of London Corporation. It comprises twenty-five Aldermen of the City of London, presided over by the Lord Mayor (becoming senior Alderman during his or her year of office). The Court was originally responsible for the entire administration of the City, but most of its responsibilities were subsumed by the Court of Common Council in the fourteenth century. The Court of Aldermen meets seven times a year in the Aldermen's Court Room at Guildhall. The few remaining duties of the Court include approving people for Freedom of the City, approving the formation of new livery companies, and appointing the Recorder of London.

## History

It is probable that no definite account of the origin of the office of Alderman, or of the body known as the Court of Aldermen can ever be written for, and is likely that the office of the Aldermen of the City of London came into existence by a process of natural growth and development created by the necessities of the times. The first possible mention of the court comes from 1200, 'fiveand-twenty of the more discreet men of the City' were 'sworn to take counsel on behalf of the City together with the Mayor', although this could possibly be an early form of the London Common Council, as in 1200 there were only 24 wards.

## Term of office

Although there is no compulsion by law to do so, Aldermen usually submit themselves for re-election every six years and by custom retire at the age of 70.
In 2020, David Graves declined to stand for re-election after six years as Alderman for Cripplegate, stating "given the current CV-19 concerns and limitations, I decided that to trigger a 42 ... day electoral process now would be inappropriate and unsuitable for the good conduct of a fair election". He again deferred standing for re-election in 2021 for the same reason, triggering calls for the reform of the law relating to this election.

## List of current aldermen

| Ward | Alderman | Notes |
| Aldersgate | Christopher Makin | |
| Aldgate | Dame Susan Langley | Sheriff 2023/24; Supported by the Court of Aldermen for election to office of Lord Mayor 2025/26 |
| Bassishaw | Tim Hailes | Sheriff 2017/18; Supported by the Court of Aldermen for election to office of Lord Mayor 2026/27 |
| Billingsgate | Bronek Masojada | Sheriff 2023/24; Supported by the Court of Aldermen for election to office of Lord Mayor 2027/28 |
| Bishopsgate | Kawsar Zaman | |
| Bread Street | Sir William Russell | Sheriff 2016/17; Lord Mayor 2019/20 and 2020/21 |
| Bridge and Bridge Without | The Hon. Timothy Levene | |
| Broad Street | Michael Mainelli | Sheriff 2019/20 and 2020/21; Lord Mayor 2023/24 |
| Candlewick | Emma Edhem | |
| Castle Baynard | Martha Grekos | |
| Cheap | Robert Hughes-Penney | |
| Coleman Street | Sir Peter Estlin | Sheriff 2016/17; Lord Mayor 2018/19 |
| Cordwainer | Alexander Barr | |
| Cornhill | Robert Howard | |
| Cripplegate | Elizabeth King | |
| Dowgate | Alison Gowman | Sheriff 2021/22 |
| Farringdon Within | Vincent Keaveny | Sheriff 2018/19; Lord Mayor 2021/22 |
| Farringdon Without | Gregory Jones KC | Sheriff 2024/25 |
| Langbourn | Simon Pryke | |
| Lime Street | Sir Charles Bowman | Sheriff 2015/16; Lord Mayor 2017/18 |
| Portsoken | Prem Goyal | |
| Queenhithe | Alastair King | Sheriff 2022/23; Lord Mayor 2024/25 |
| Tower | Sir Nicholas Lyons | Sheriff 2021/22; Lord Mayor 2022/23 |
| Vintry | Sir Andrew Parmley | Sheriff 2014/15; Lord Mayor 2016/17 |
| Walbrook | Jennette Newman | |