The Council of the City of Gibraltar (or City Council of Gibraltar) was the administrative and governing body of the City of Gibraltar from 1921 until 1969. The Council sat in the City Hall in John Mackintosh Square and was abolished in 1969.
In 1921, the City Council of Gibraltar was established. The Council met for the first time on 24 September 1924 in the City Hall.
The Council had a wide range of functions including, fire prevention, enforcing public health measures, maintaining highways, providing water, electricity, gas and a telephone service, and issuing vehicle licences, driving licences and dog licences. The Governor also had certain controlling powers in relation to the finances of the Council.
The Council was presided over by a Chairman appointed by the Council which was later renamed in late 1955 to that of 'Mayor'. Joshua Hassan, the Chairman of the Council at the time, became the first Mayor of Gibraltar.
In 1955, the Council consisted of:
Elected Councillors could not be servants of the City Council or Civil Servants.
The Director of Education was an ex-officio Member of the City Council until 1949, when the Director of Labour and Welfare became an ex-officio Member. The Director of Labour and Welfare cease to be an ex-officio Councillor in 1950.
In 1956, the number of Councillors appointed by the Governor reduced to four.
At the 1953 Election to the City Council, 6530 persons voted. This placed the turnout for the election at roughly 50 percent. Five of the elected members belonged to the Association for the Advancement of Civil Rights and the other two were independents.
At the 1956 Election to the Council, 5300 persons voted which was a drop of nearly 1200 from the last election. This put the turn for the election at roughly 40 percent. Five of the elected members belonged to the Association for the Advancement of Civil Rights, one to the Gibraltar Commonwealth Party, and the other was an independent.
At the 1959 Election, seven candidates were nominated for the seven elected seats on the Council and as such were declared elected without a poll being held. Five of the elected members belonged to the Association for the Advancement of Civil Rights and two were independents.
Nearly a third of the City Council's revenue came from Rates, with the remainder coming from Council services such as water, gas, electricity and telephones.
The Council tended to maintain a fiscal surplus but in 1957 it ran a ã31,265 deficit which continued into the following year, although at a reduced level.
The City Council was abolished in 1969 when the Gibraltar Constitution Order 1969 came into force. The position of Mayor continued although in a ceremonial capacity, not a political capacity. Joshua Hassan was the only political Mayor of Gibraltar and left office when the Council was abolished.