The Greater London Council's political leadership was in the hands of a Leader and a number of committees. Detailed policy proposals in the service areas were set by the committees, with the leadership nominating the Chairs who also had a degree of executive responsibility outside of meetings. The Chairs of the Committees also formed an unofficial Cabinet which advised the Leader on policy and through which the Leader could take political soundings.
Formally the committees were divided into Standing Committees and Special Committees. Eventually the cabinet was formed as the 'Leader's Committee' which was a Special Committee.
| Committee | Chairman | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standing Committees | ||||
| Alexandra Park and Palace | Louis Vitoria | 13 June 1966 | Set up in 1966. | |
| Ambulance | Florence Cayford | 29 May 1964 | ||
| George Palmer | 22 April 1966 | |||
| Establishment and Supplies | Norman Prichard | 28 May 1964 | Committee abolished, 6 April 1965 | |
| Establishment | Sidney Melman | 29 April 1965 | Set up in 1965. | |
| Finance | Reg Goodwin | 2 June 1964 | ||
| Fire Brigade | Ellis Garton | 29 May 1964 | ||
| General Purposes | Victor Mishcon | 8 June 1964 | ||
| Highways and Traffic | Richard Edmonds | 5 June 1964 | ||
| Jane Phillips | 9 April 1965 | |||
| Housing | Evelyn Denington | 3 June 1964 | ||
| Licensing | Alec Grant | 14 April 1965 | Set up in 1965. | |
| New and Expanding Towns | Jane Phillips | 27 May 1964 | ||
| Richard Edmonds | 7 April 1965 | |||
| Parks and Smallholdings | Sidney Melman | 29 May 1964 | ||
| Peggy Jay | 30 April 1965 | |||
| Planning and Communications | Christopher Higgins | 2 June 1964 | ||
| Public Health Services | Albert Samuels | 27 May 1964 | ||
| Staff Appeals | Harry Lamborn | 4 May 1965 | Set up in 1965. | |
| Supplies | Samuel Boyce | 4 May 1965 | Set up in 1965. | |
| Special Committees | ||||
| Selection | Bill Fiske | 27 April 1964 | Nominated members to the other committees. |
| Committee | Chairman | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standing Committees | ||||
| Alexandra Park and Palace | Reginald Marks | 2 May 1967 | Abolished, 23 July 1968. | |
| Ambulance | Robert Mitchell | 28 April 1970 | ||
| Andrew Jardine | 4 May 1971 | |||
| Arts and Recreation | Harold Sebag-Montefiore | 23 July 1968 | Set up in 1968. | |
| Covent Garden Joint Development | The Countess of Dartmouth | 4 May 1971 | Set up in 1971. | |
| Robert Mitchell | 13 September 1972 | |||
| Environmental Planning | Robert Vigars | 28 April 1970 | Set up in 1970. | |
| Richard Brew | 4 May 1971 | |||
| Establishment | Sir Graham Rowlandson | 2 May 1967 | ||
| Maurice Gaffney | 9 October 1969 | |||
| Leslie Freeman | 28 April 1970 | |||
| Finance and Scrutiny | Sir Graham Rowlandson | 28 April 1970 | Set up in 1970. | |
| Finance and Supplies | Sir Louis Gluckstein | 2 May 1967 | ||
| Roland Freeman | 14 May 1968 | |||
| Sir Graham Rowlandson | 30 September 1969 | Abolished, 28 April 1970. | ||
| Fire Brigade | Robert Mitchell | 28 April 1970 | Set up in 1970. | |
| Andrew Jardine | 4 May 1971 | |||
| Fire Brigade and Ambulance | Robert Mitchell | 2 May 1967 | Abolished, 23 July 1968. | |
| General Purposes | Leslie Freeman | 2 May 1967 | ||
| Sir Percy Rugg | 12 May 1969 | |||
| Frank Abbott | 28 April 1970 | |||
| Geoffrey Chase-Gardner | 7 February 1972 | |||
| Highways and Traffic | Robert Vigars | 2 May 1967 | Abolished, 23 July 1968. | |
| Housing | Horace Cutler | 2 May 1967 | ||
| Geoffrey Chase-Gardner | 28 April 1970 | |||
| Bernard Perkins | 3 February 1972 | |||
| Licensing | Harold Sebag-Montefiore | 2 May 1967 | Abolished, 23 July 1968 | |
| New and Expanding Towns | George Everitt | 2 May 1967 | Abolished, 28 April 1970 | |
| Parks and Smallholdings | Gordon Dixon | 2 May 1967 | Abolished, 28 April 1970 | |
| Planning and Communications | Geoffrey Aplin | 2 May 1967 | ||
| Thomas Scott | 13 May 1968 | Abolished, 23 July 1968 | ||
| Planning and Transportation | Robert Vigars | 23 July 1968 | Set up in 1968; abolished, 28 April 1970. | |
| Policy and Resources | Horace Cutler | 28 April 1970 | Set up in 1970. | |
| Policy Steering | Desmond Plummer | 23 July 1968 | Set up in 1968; abolished, 28 April 1970. | |
| Public Health Services | Peter Black | 2 May 1967 | Abolished, 23 July 1968 | |
| Public Services | Peter Black | 23 July 1968 | ||
| Maurice Gaffney | 28 April 1970 | |||
| Peter Black | 7 June 1971 | |||
| Scrutiny | Harold Mote | 23 July 1968 | Set up in 1968; abolished, 28 April 1970. | |
| Strategic Planning | Dr Gerard Vaughan | 23 July 1968 | ||
| Robert Vigars | 4 May 1971 | |||
| Thamesmead | Seton Forbes-Cockell | 2 May 1967 | Died, 19 September 1971 | |
| David Harris | 13 October 1971 | |||
| Town Development | George Everitt | 28 April 1970 | ||
| Peter Black | 4 May 1971 | |||
| Bernard Brook-Partridge | 7 June 1971 | |||
| Special Committees | ||||
| Staff Appeals | Robert Turner | 2 May 1967 | Died 27 September 1968. | |
| Sir Louis Gluckstein | 2 May 1969 | |||
| Procedure | Desmond Plummer | 5 July 1967 | Abolished, 28 April 1970. | |
| Leader's Council | Desmond Plummer | 23 July 1968 |
| Committee | Chairman | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standing Committees | ||||
| Ambulance | Tony Judge | 4 May 1973 | Abolished, 14 May 1974. | |
| Arts and Recreation | Ellis Hillman | 4 May 1973 | ||
| Covent Garden Joint Development | Tom Ponsonby | 4 May 1973 | ||
| Jean Merriton | 13 May 1975 | |||
| Fire Brigade | John Henry | 4 May 1973 | ||
| General Purposes | Dr Stephen Haseler | 4 May 1973 | ||
| Tony Banks | 13 May 1975 | |||
| Housing Administration | Marie Jenkins | 4 May 1973 | Abolished, 14 May 1974. | |
| Housing Development | Gladys Dimson | 4 May 1973 | ||
| Richard Balfe | 13 May 1975 | |||
| Housing Management | Tony Judge | 14 May 1974 | Set up in 1974. | |
| Planning | Edward Bell | 4 May 1973 | ||
| Norman Howard | 14 May 1974 | |||
| Policy and Resources | Illtyd Harrington | 4 May 1973 | ||
| Public Services | Arthur Edwards | 4 May 1973 | ||
| Thamesmead | Richard Balfe | 4 May 1973 | ||
| William Simson | 13 May 1975 | |||
| Town Development | Robert Crane | 4 May 1973 | ||
| Edward Bell | 14 May 1974 | |||
| Stephen Hatch | 13 May 1975 | |||
| Transport | Evelyn Denington | 4 May 1973 | ||
| Jim Daly | 13 May 1975 | |||
| Special Committees | ||||
| Leader's Council | Sir Reg Goodwin | 4 May 1973 | ||
| Staff Appeals | Anna Grieves | 4 May 1973 |
| Committee | Chairman | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standing Committees | ||||
| Arts | Bernard Brook-Partridge | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Fredk. Weyer | 16 May 1978 | |||
| Covent Garden | Alan Greengross | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Dr Mark Lister Patterson | 16 May 1978 | |||
| Finance and Establishment | Alan Hardy | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Fire Brigade | Tom Ham | 24 May 1977 | ||
| General Management | Geoffrey Seaton | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Historic Buildings | William Bell | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Housing Development | Geoffrey Aplin | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Lawrence Bains | 18 June 1979 | |||
| Housing Management | Jean Tatham | 24 May 1977 | ||
| David Ashby | 13 February 1979 | |||
| Housing Policy | George Tremlett | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Industry and Employment | Mervyn Scorgie | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Legal and Parliamentary | James Lemkin | 24 May 1977 | ||
| David Ashby | 16 May 1978 | |||
| John Reveley Major | 13 February 1979 | |||
| London Transport | Harold Mote | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Dr Gordon Taylor | 16 May 1978 | |||
| Harold Mote | 19 December 1979 | |||
| Open Spaces and Recreation | Sydney Ripley | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Planning, Central Area | Herbert Sandford | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Planning, North Area | William Clack | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Alan Greengross | 16 May 1978 | |||
| John Putnam | 18 June 1979 | |||
| Planning, South Area | Joan Wykes | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Planning and Communications Policy | Shelagh Roberts | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Alan Greengross | 18 June 1979 | |||
| Policy and Resources | Richard Brew | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Professional and General Services | Robert Mitchell | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Cyril Taylor | 18 June 1979 | |||
| Public Services and Safety | Dr Gordon Taylor | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Bernard Brook-Partridge | 16 May 1978 | |||
| Stanley Bolton | 7 February 1979 | |||
| Recreation and Community Services Policy | Peter Black | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Thamesmead | Victor Langton | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Town Development | Frank Smith | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Special Committees | ||||
| Leader's | Horace Cutler | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Scrutiny | Sir Malby Crofton, Bt. | 24 May 1977 | ||
| James Lemkin | 16 May 1978 | |||
| Staff Appeals | Muriel Gumbel | 24 May 1977 | ||
| Construction Branch Contracts Review | Horace Cutler | 15 May 1979 | Set up in 1979. | |
| Local Government Bill | Richard Brew | 14 January 1980 | Set up in 1980. | |
| Housing Bill | George Tremlett | 5 February 1980 | Set up in 1980. |
| Committee | Chairman | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standing Committees | ||||
| Arts and Recreation | Tony Banks | 28 May 1981 | ||
| Peter Pitt | 22 May 1984 | |||
| Ethnic Minorities | Ken Livingstone | 28 May 1981 | ||
| Finance and General Purposes | Dr Anthony Hart | 28 May 1981 | ||
| John McDonnell | 11 May 1982 | Replaced by Michael Ward as Acting Chair, March 1985. | ||
| Alex Mackay | 21 May 1985 | |||
| Greater London Manpower Board | Gareth Daniel | 11 May 1982 | Set up in 1982. Renamed Greater London Training Board, 3 May 1983. | |
| Housing | Gladys Dimson | 28 May 1981 | ||
| Anthony McBrearty | 11 May 1982 | |||
| Industry and Employment | Mike Ward | 28 May 1981 | ||
| Legal and General | Harvey Hinds | 28 May 1981 | ||
| John Wilson | 3 May 1983 | |||
| Planning | Ed Gouge | 28 May 1981 | ||
| George Nicholson | 3 May 1983 | |||
| Police | Paul Boateng | 28 May 1981 | ||
| Policy and Performance Review | Illtyd Harrington | 28 May 1981 | ||
| Harvey Hinds | 22 May 1984 | Renamed Policy and Performance, 21 May 1985. | ||
| Public Services and Fire Brigade | Simon Turney | 28 May 1981 | ||
| Staff | John Carr | 28 May 1981 | ||
| Technical Services | Alex Mackay | 3 May 1983 | Set up in 1983. | |
| Sir Ashley Bramall | 21 May 1985 | |||
| Transport | Dave Wetzel | 28 May 1981 | ||
| Women's | Valerie Wise | 11 May 1982 | Set up in 1982. | |
| Special Committees | ||||
| Policy Co-ordinating | Ken Livingstone | 28 May 1981 | ||
| Staff Appeals | Harry Kay | 28 May 1981 | ||
| John Ward | 22 May 1984 | |||
| Local Government Finance Bill | Ken Livingstone | 11 May 1982 | Set up in 1982; abolished, 3 May 1983. | |
| Matters relating to the Council's Future Existence and Functions | Ken Livingstone | 22 May 1984 | Set up in 1984. | |
| Illtyd Harrington | 21 May 1985 | |||
| Policy and Resources | Ken Livingstone | 21 May 1985 | Set up in 1985. |