Politics London County Council

1 politics

1.1 elections london county council
1.2 political control
1.3 leaders of london county council
1.4 chairmen of london county council

1.4.1 chairman , vice chairman
1.4.2 deputy chairman

politics
elections london county council

electioneering poster, 1907

the county divided electoral divisions, had same boundaries parliamentary constituencies. initially, each division returned 2 councillors, exception of city of london, returned four. under representation of people act 1948 altered, 3 councillors being returned each division. elections of councillors held every 3 years, although cancelled during first , second world wars.

in addition elected councillors council contained 1 county alderman every 6 councillors. aldermen elected halves council six-year terms @ first meeting following election.

political control

initially, had been hoped many elections lcc conducted on non-partisan basis, in council 2 political groups formed. majority group in 1889 progressives, unofficially allied liberal party in national politics. allied conservative party formed moderate group. in 1906, moderates became known municipal reform party.

king george vi & queen elizabeth commemorative ceramic mug, may 1937, j. & g. meakin london county council.

the lcc elected every 3 years. progressives in control continuously 1889 until 1907, when lost power municipal reformers. municipal reform control lasted until 1934 when labour won power, kept until lcc abolished.

the following summary of council composition following each election. figures shown number of councillors plus aldermen. instance 13 + 2 indicates 13 councillors , 2 aldermen.

leaders of london county council

the post of leader officially recognised in 1933. table gives leaders of majority parties on council before time, although in first term had little relevance in terms of leadership of council.

council chamber of lcc, majority benches



sir thomas farrer (21 march 1889 – 27 march 1890)
james stuart (27 march 1890 – 9 march 1892)
charles harrison (9 march 1892 – 10 march 1898)
thomas mckinnon wood (10 march 1898 – 8 march 1907)
richard robinson (8 march 1907 – 11 march 1908)
hon. william peel (11 march 1908 – 8 march 1910)
william hayes fisher (8 march 1910 – 19 december 1911)
cyril jackson (19 december 1911 – 16 march 1915)
ronald collet norman (16 march 1915 – 1 march 1918)
george hume (knighted 1924) (1 march 1918 – 11 march 1925)
sir william ray (11 march 1925 – 9 march 1934)
herbert morrison (9 march 1934 – 27 may 1940)
lord latham (27 may 1940 – 29 july 1947)
sir isaac hayward (29 july 1947 – 31 march 1965)

chairmen of london county council

lord rosebery, first chairman of london county council



chairman , vice chairman

the county council required statute appoint chairman , vice chairman @ annual meeting. both of these positions filled members of majority party. chairman chaired meetings of council, , county s civic leader, filling similar role mayor of borough or city. vice chairman performed these functions in absence. first chairman earl of rosebery, , last chairman arthur wicks.

the chairmanship prestigious office, second of lord lieutenant. incumbent chairmen honoured knighthoods on occasions of coronations of edward vii , elizabeth ii, , laying of foundation stone of county hall. part of celebrations of silver jubilee of george v in 1935 announced chairman in future entitled use style right honourable , honour enjoyed lord mayor of london.

deputy chairman

the council s standing orders provided post of deputy chairman. until 1895 holder of office in charge of organisation of council s activities, , paid salary. seen conflict of interest royal commission on amalgamation of city , county of london when reported in 1894, , in 1895 county clerk added council staff perform these duties. deputy chairmanship became purely ceremonial, , filled nominees of opposition party on council.