Due to covid-19 restrictions, Broad Street, and other City of London wards, had to postpone the 2020 and 2021 Ward Motes. However the members are hosting a ‘Ward Might’ for 2021 to provide an opportunity for voters and residents to convene informally. This is being done as a conclave on the web, ‘webclave’.
full details: https://fsclub.zyen.com/events/all-events/ward-might/
or
just use this link to register – https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIlf-uupjksHtfkqiadwANZaMwO7k4_Dtyy
wardmight [ˈwɔːdmt] n (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) Brit an assembly of the citizens or liverymen of a ward for the purpose of discussing possibilities.
[see ward, moot, mote]
disambiguation
Wardmights are short meetings for Broad Street electors and club members to have informal discussions about issues involving the future of the ward. Formal matters are handled either directly with elected members or at a Wardmote.
The event will be chaired by Alderman & Professor Michael Mainelli, and the agenda for the discussion is:
- Introduction & Purpose
- City of London Members’ presentations
- Deputy John Bennett
- John Scott CC
- Sheriff Christopher Hayward CC
- Alderman & Sheriff Professor Michael Mainelli
3. Ward Round-Robin (if present)
- Dutch Church, St Margaret Lothbury
- Drapers, Carpenters, Furniture Makers, International Bankers, Arts Scholars, Educators, Clockmakers, Plumbers
4. Questions to Members, and open discussion
5. Next steps, if any
In the reign of King John, there were three “Chief Folk-Moots” (meetings) a year. Today these have become ‘Common Hall’ meetings – one for election of the Lord Mayor, one for election of the sheriffs – and a Ward Mote (ward meeting). Citizens who failed to attend were subject to the fine of £2 at a time when a workmen often earned only a penny a week.
Ward Motes were originally meetings of the Freemen (now those on the Ward List) and that the democratic and electoral element of the meetings was a later development. This was because they were essentially the same as a Court Leet/Manorial Court with the Freemen making ‘presentments’ of civil issues and criminal matters with the Alderman punishing miscreants according to law and the Beadle ‘attaching’ such persons as the court’s officer. Even today, ward electors can ask general questions at the Ward Motes which the Alderman, Ward Clerk and Common Councilmen attempt to address.
Z/Yen and FS Club have kindly volunteered to ‘host’ this Ward Might online.