Chichester - Governance

Governance

Chichester, although in terms of local government in England is a civil parish, has the status of a city, and is one of six so designated, the others being Ely, Hereford, Ripon, Truro and Wells. The City Council consists of twenty elected members serving four wards of the city - North, South, East, and West.

In addition to its own council offices, those of the Chichester District and the West Sussex County Council are also located here. The current MP for the Chichester Constituency is Andrew Tyrie.

Chichester has an unusual franchise in its history. Chichester's residents had enjoyed political enfranchisement for 300 years before the 19th century Reform Bills expanded the right to vote for members of Parliament to include most ordinary citizens. However, when the mayor restricted the vote to only Freemen in the election of 1660 for the Convention Parliament that organised the restoration of the monarchy, the House of Commons noted that "for One-and-twenty Parliaments, the Commonalty, as well as the Citizens, had had Voice in the electing of Members to serve in Parliament; and that thereupon the Committee were of Opinion, that the Commonalty of the said Borough, together with the free Citizens, have Right of Election" and overturned the election, seating instead the candidate elected by the more-inclusive Commonality of Chichester, and jailing the mayor for two weeks for contempt because of his wilful denial of the ancient rights.