The Chamberlain of the City of London is an ancient office, dating back to at least 1237. The Chamberlain is the finance director of the City of London Corporation. He is the financial adviser, accountant, receiver and paymaster and is responsible for the City of London's local and private / trust funds. He is responsible for making arrangements for the investment of City of London and other funds and is one of the three official trustees. He is assisted in this role by the Clerk of the Chamber or Chamberlain's Court, a similarly ancient role. Through the Chamberlain's Court he administers the admission to the Freedom of the City and personally admits all honorary freemen. He is responsible to the Court of Aldermen for constituting new livery companies and for interpreting and amending their ordinances and charters. The Chamberlain's relationship with the Court of Common Council is the same that applies to other local authoritychief finance officers and therefore he has the same responsibilities placed upon him as any other CFO in the United Kingdom. The current holder of the office is Dr. Peter Kane, the 80th chamberlain in unbroken succession from 1237 to the present.
History
The civic Chamberlain of London should not be confused with the "King's Chamberlain of London". Originally responsible for collection and distribution of revenues within the City of London and nominally appointed by the Crown, the office-holder's term traditionally began on Midsummer Day and cannot be removed "unless some great cause of complaint appear against him". The Chamberlain was responsible for the Chamber of London, the place where various monies of the city were received and stored. The monies were referred to as the City's Cash although there were other funds such as the City Bridge Fund, administered by the Chief Commoner, and later the City Fund, a fund created to handle the rates. In 1590, the right of the Chamberlain to levy local taxes on goods sold within the city was upheld in The Chamberlain of London’s Case as a valid regulatory measure. Today the office still has important ceremonial responsibilities, including administering the creation of Freemen of London.
