The General Purposes Committee of Aldermen met on Tuesday 15 September 2026 to discuss the Mansion House Capital Agenda and the Mayoral Priorities for 2026-27. The committee approved the minutes from the last meeting held on 14 July 2026 and noted the report on the Mansion House Capital Agenda, which aims to increase the flow of domestic and international capital into UK businesses and infrastructure.

Mansion House Capital Agenda

The committee considered a report on the Mansion House Capital Agenda, a five-year plan designed to mobilise domestic and international institutional investment, alongside private equity. The agenda aims to build on existing initiatives like the Mansion House Compact and Accord, and will involve a series of conferences to identify and resolve blockages in capital flows. Officers clarified that the agenda would encompass unlisted equities, infrastructure, and real estate, and that progress would be measured through public reporting, investment tracking, and metrics such as jobs created and foreign direct investment. The importance of climate-related investment opportunities was also highlighted, with officers agreeing to reflect these in the work. The committee noted the report, with an update on this issue to be included in future meetings.

Mayoral Priorities 2026-27

The Senior Alderman Below the Chair (SABTAC) outlined the proposed Mayoral programme for 2026-27, which will be a rolling, cross-departmental initiative focusing on talent, law, and fragmented finance. This approach aims to provide continuity across mayoral terms. Key aspects of the programme include:

• Talent: Highlighting London's ability to attract international talent, with a focus on socioeconomic diversity and career progression. Progress Together will launch its fourth socioeconomic-diversity data report.
• Law: Emphasising practical commercial law, contracts, trade corridors, and products, with engagement in markets such as India.
• Fragmented Finance: Addressing the evolving infrastructure connecting capital with opportunity, including payments, trading, and clearing systems. Interoperability and the impact of AI, decentralised finance, stablecoins, and Bitcoin were identified as key issues.

The programme will also include an expanded Defence lecture, now a formal dinner focusing on homeland security and resilience, with discussions underway to appoint a military attaché to the Lord Mayor's team. Other activities will involve the opening of the new London Museum, the Salisbury Square Courts development, and engagement with the digital gaming sector. Aldermen were invited to contribute their expertise to the programme.

There was a discussion regarding the potential to broaden the innovation and technology programme beyond fintech to include energy efficiency and resilience, linking to the City's climate strategy and district heat network plans. Battery technology and cooling technologies were identified as potential areas for investment.

The Sheriffs-Elect confirmed that their focus would be on supporting the Lady/Lord Mayor and engaging with judges at the Central Criminal Court, rather than a single dedicated theme for the Shrievalty. Officers agreed to rectify inaccuracies in the draft Shrieval calendar. The committee thanked SABTAC for the update.

Other Business

The committee approved the public minutes of the last meeting held on 14 July 2026. There were no declarations of interest. The committee also noted that there remained an Aldermanic vacancy on the Community and Children's Services Committee. The non-public minutes from the last meeting held on 14 July 2026 were also approved. A presentation was received from David Johnstone OBE, Chief Executive of the Lord Mayor's Appeal. The Mansion House - Conservation Management Plan (CMP) 2026 was withdrawn from the agenda.