§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now make a further statement with regard to local government elections in Greater London.
§ Mr. John SilkinYes. The Government intend to lay before Parliament an order under Section 8(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 which will provide that(a) the normal term of office for councillors on the Greater London Council and the London borough councils will be four years instead of three; (b) the next election to the GLC will be held in May 1977 and at four-yearly intervals thereafter; (c) aldermen will cease to sit as members of the GLC after the 1977 elections; (d) the next election of London borough councillors will be in May 1978; and (e) aldermen will cease to sit as members of the London borough councils after the 1978 elections.
The Government have further decided, as this is the wish of the majority of the authorities themselves, that the present system should be retained under which all councillors on the London borough councils retire together. The Government propose to consult the various interests concerned, however, on the timetable of London borough elections after 1978, and particularly on whether it would be desirable to arrange the GLC and London borough council elections so that there is a local government election in London in every alternate year.