Long version:

City of London Corporation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Local authority role

Local government legislation often makes special provision for the City to be treated as a London borough and for the Common Council to act as a local authority. The Corporation does not generally exercise authority over two historic extra-parochial areas, the Middle Temple and the Inner Temple, which are adjoining enclaves for two of the Inns of Court in the west of the City. But many statutory functions of the Corporation extend into these two areas. [edit] Elections

The City of London Corporation was not reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, nor by subsequent legislation, and with time has become increasingly anomalous. In 1801 the City had a population of about 130,000, but increasing development of the City as a central business district led to this falling to below 5,000 after the Second World War.^[2] It has risen slightly to around 9,000 since, largely due to the development of the Barbican Estate.

Therefore the non-residential vote (or business vote), which had been abolished in the rest of the country in 1969, became an increasingly large part of the electorate. The non-residential vote system used disfavoured incorporated companies. The City of London (Ward Elections) Act 2002 greatly increased the business franchise, allowing many more business to be represented. In 2009 the business vote was about 24,000, greatly exceeding residential voters.^[3] [edit] Voters

Eligible voters must be at least 18 years old and a citizen of the United Kingdom, a European Union country, or a Commonwealth country, and either:

• A resident
• A sole trader or a partner in an unlimited partnership or
• An appointee of a qualifying body.

Each body or organisation, whether unincorporated or incorporated, whose premises are within the City of London may appoint a number of voters based on the number of workers it employs. Limited liability partnerships fall into this category.

Bodies employing fewer than ten workers may appoint one voter, those employing ten to fifty workers may appoint one voter for every five; those employing more than fifty workers may appoint ten voters and one additional voter for every fifty workers beyond the first fifty.

Though workers count as part of a workforce regardless of nationality, only certain individuals may be appointed as voters. Under section 5 of the City of London (Ward Elections) Act 2002, the following are eligible to be appointed as voters (the qualifying date is September 1 of the year of the election):

• Those who have worked for the body for the past year at premises in the City
• Those who have served on the body's Board of Directors for the past year at premises in the City
• Those who have worked in the City for the body for an aggregate total of five years
• Those who have worked for in the City for a total of ten years

Qualified voters can vote twice, once at local government elections in the City and once at local government elections in the district where their home address is situated. Residents of the City can only vote once.

Short version: Local authority were corporations has the vote. In fact they appear to have the majority of votes.

It is so undemocratic that it is ridiculous.

A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!