Committee details

A Sub-Committee of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen, formally established on 9^th February 2016.

The Sub-Committee’s terms of reference are:

(a) To maintain a regular channel of communication with the magistrates operating within the City Courthouse at 1 Queen Victoria Street and make recommendations to the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen in respect of the City Corporation’s obligations with regard to the magistracy’s on-going use of the Courthouse;

(b) to liaise with the Central London Bench in relation to the Magistrates dinner at Mansion House;

(c) to maintain a regular channel of communication with the magistrates of the Central  London Bench;

(d) to make recommendations to the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen in respect of any Livery or Royal Charter applications; 

(e) to make recommendations to the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen in respect of any other such matters that relate to the judicial functions of the Court of Aldermen;  and

(f) to report annually to the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen about those matters that have been considered by the Sub-Committee over the preceding twelve months.

Composition of the Sub-Committee

(i) limited to between 6 and 8 members of the Court of Aldermen who are magistrates, serving or on the supplemental list; or where they are appointed as a Recorder or a Deputy High Court Judge.

* Those Aldermen that are serving magistrates, on the supplemental list or appointed as a Recorder or Deputy High Court Judge are eligible to serve on the Sub-Committee.

Quorum

The quorum consists of no less than three Aldermen appointed to serve on the Sub-Committee.

Frequency of meetings

The Sub-Committee shall meet on an ad hoc basis at the suggestion of the City Remembrancer, the Town Clerk or the Chamberlain, but not less than twice per year.  The scheduled meetings shall normally take place as follows: (i) the first meeting to take place once the General Purposes Committee has elected its Chairman for the ensuing year (usually in December); and (ii) the second meeting to take place in July. 

Chairmanship

At the first meeting of the Sub-Committee each year (usually in December), the Sub-Committee shall elect a Chairman for the ensuing year.  In his/her absence at meetings, a member shall be elected for the purposes of chairing the meeting in the Chairman’s absence. 

Access to Information

The Court of Aldermen is not covered by the access to information regime (Part VA of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985) as it is a separate executive body of the City Corporation and does not exercise local authority functions. The same arrangements that apply to the Nominations Committee of the Court of Aldermen apply to the Magistracy & Livery Sub-Committee.