24 April 2007
New Chief Commoner elected at the City of London
Deputy Pauline Halliday has been elected Chairman of the City
Lands and Bridge House Estates Committee, and de facto, to the
historic office of Chief Commoner of the City of London. She was
elected to the one-year post on Wednesday 18 April 2007 and takes
over from Deputy Gerald Pulman. Deputy John Barker OBE was elected
Deputy Chairman.
Pauline Halliday has served on the City of London’s Court of
Common Council since 1992, becoming Deputy of the Ward of Walbrook
in 2000. With a long involvement in the City of London, Pauline
Halliday was the first female Clerk to any Livery Company in 1985,
and in 1999/2000 was Sheriff of the City of London; the first
female to hold the role of Lay Sheriff.
The City Lands Committee is responsible for the property and
land belonging to the City of London. This comprises three estates,
City's Estate, City Fund and Bridge House Estates and currently
represents £1,500,000,000 of commercial property throughout central
London.
City's Estate is the City's private estate but it funds services
of a London-wide and national importance, including the management
of 10,000 acres of open space including Hampstead Heath and Epping
Forest, the Lord Mayor's diplomatic programme, wholesale markets
including Smithfield and Billingsgate, and schools.
City Fund supports the City's activities as local authority,
police and port health authority as well as using land ownership to
address social deprivation in central London.
Bridge House Estates maintains the five City bridges at no cost
to the public. Since the establishment of the Bridge House Trust in
1995 it has given over £170 million to London-wide charitable
organisations and is London's largest independent grant making
trust.
Ends
Notes to editors:
The City of London provides local government services for the
Square Mile, the financial and commercial heart of Britain, and is
committed to maintaining and enhancing the status of the business
City as the world's leading international financial and business
centre through its policies and services. Its responsibilities also
extend far beyond the City boundaries and include management of the
Barbican Centre, Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey, Epping
Forest, Hampstead Heath, three wholesale food markets, as well as
acting as the London Port Health Authority.
Press enquires to Michelle Poole at the City of London:
0207 332 3450 or
email.