City of London residents call for election inquiry

City of London residents are calling for an inquiry into why 14 of 25 wards were not contested at the election

City of London residents have called for an independent inquiry into why 14 of the Square Mile's 25 wards were uncontested in the recent elections.

Two of the primary residential wards, Aldersgate and Cripplegate said uncontested seats would automatically result in lower voter turnouts and City of London Corporation's electoral system had "failed".

The success of the City of London Corporation's campaign to boost voter turnout and encourage more candidates to stand was also questioned but the authority said it had "resulted in the City's highest voter registration figures in a decade".

These two wards have each passed resolutions which will be considered by the authority and its committees.

'Real public concern'

The Cripplegate resolution stated that voters would not be able to take part in the elections in 14 of the 25 seats "as the number of candidates is the same as the number of seats available".

It called for an investigation "into the process which has failed to deliver a fully democratically elected group of members to Common Council".

The Aldersgate resolution, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), also called for an independent inquiry.

It stated that although its ward would democratically elect its common councillors "in 14 of the 25 City of London wards there will be no elections and by default there will be fewer voters exercising their democratic right".

It said that either the City of London's Speak for the City campaign to drive up voter turnout and encourage candidates to come forward had failed or the system of election to Common Council had failed.

In response, the authority said its electoral campaign had resulted in the "highest voter registration figures in a decade".

The work includes new resources for workplaces to share among colleagues, resident communications, multiple informational events to promote candidature, and one-on-one support to those interested in standing.

It said it would publish a report later this year, "which will include an evaluation of our engagement work."

They added there had been "no decrease in the number of candidates standing" since the last all-out elections in 2022 and that "most candidates in the City are independents and make their own decisions on where to stand as individuals".

"This can result in some wards being heavily contested and others not."

The authority is composed of 100 common councillors and 25 aldermen, the former of which were up for election to the Common Council.

Of the 25 wards, 11 had more candidates than seats come forward meaning only 55 of the 100 council seats were contested at the elections on 20 March.

All eight seats in Castle Baynard went to a group of women named the "Iceni"

The City of London covers the so-called Square Mile, is distinct from the Greater London Authority which covers the whole of the capital.

The area has a residential population of about 8,000, based on 2021 census figures, with more than 600,000 people working there - and the City Corporation enables a proportion of those workers to vote for councillors too.

It is the only local authority in the country to allow workers to vote as well as residents.

The recent election saw some significant changes to the elected membership.

All eight seats in Castle Baynard, home to St Paul's Cathedral and Blackfriars Bridge, went to a band of women named the "Iceni".

Deputy Chris Hayward, the de-facto political head of the authority retained his seat in an uncontested ward.