The Court of Common Council of the City of London Corporation was scheduled to meet on 22 May 2025. On the agenda was the consideration of resolutions from annual wardmotes, revisions to standing orders regarding property transaction thresholds, and appointments to various committees. Members were also expected to receive reports on the City of London Policing Plan 2025-28, urgent actions taken, and recent legislation.

Wardmote Resolutions

The Court of Common Council was scheduled to consider resolutions arising from the annual Wardmotes¹ of Aldersgate, Bishopsgate, Cripplegate, and Dowgate.

• The Ward of Aldersgate requested an independent inquiry into the Speak for the City campaign, citing a failure to increase the number of contested wards, voters, and candidates in the 2025 elections.

  Either the 'Speak for the City' campaign has failed or the system of election to Common Council has failed. In either case an independent enquiry is called for”.

• The Wards of Bishopsgate and Dowgate both requested the re-introduction of ward newsletters to improve engagement with businesses, residents, livery companies², and students on local issues.

• The Ward of Cripplegate raised two issues:

  • The first was a request for the Court of Common Council to appoint a Lead Member for Urban Greening and Biodiversity, to enhance green spaces independently of planning requirements. > Resolves to request the Court of Common Council to appoint a Lead Member for Urban Greening and Biodiversity charged with ensuring City Corporation takes all necessary steps to increase urban greening and biodiversity enhancement independently of any requirements for the same in planning applications and other development proposals.
  • The second concerned the democratic process, seeking an investigation into why a fully democratically elected group of members to the Common Council had not been achieved.

Property Transaction Thresholds

The Policy and Resources Committee was scheduled to present a report recommending revisions to the standing orders regarding property transaction thresholds. The existing thresholds require approval from the Court of Common Council for all transactions valued at £5 million and above. The proposed revisions suggest increasing this threshold, so that all transactions below £20 million would be approved under delegation to officers. Transactions between £20 million and £50 million would require committee approval, while those of £50 million and over would still require approval from the Court of Common Council.

The report stated that the City Bridge Foundation Board also approved increases for the assets under its purview by the same amounts, covering both investment and non-investment property assets.

The Policy and Resources Committee believed that increasing the authorisation to officers would allow for more agile decision-making on property transactions, while still allowing Members to retain oversight of the strategic direction of the investment portfolio.

Appointments

The Court was scheduled to consider several appointments to various committees and boards. These included:

• Capital Buildings Board (one vacancy)
  • Nominations received: James Tumbridge, Philip Woodhouse
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Sub-Committee (two vacancies)
  • Nominations received: Dr Joanna Abeyie, Josephine Hayes, David Williams
• Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood & Queens Park Committee (three vacancies)
  • Nomination received: Karina Dostalova
• Natural Environment Board and West Ham Park Committee (one vacancy)
  • Nomination received: Karina Dostalova
• Digital Services Committee (three vacancies)
  • Nomination received: Philip Kelvin
• Licensing Committee (four vacancies)
  • Nominations received: Samapti Bagchi, Alderman Prem Goyal, Matthew Waters
• Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee (one vacancy)
  • Nomination received: Alderwoman Elizabeth King
• Education Board (one vacancy)
  • Nomination received: Timothy McNally
• Board of Governors of the London Museum (two vacancies)
  • Nominations received: Elizabeth Corrin, Sarah Gillinson, Gaby Robertshaw
• Trust for London (one vacancy)
  • Nominations received: Alderwoman Elizabeth King, Philip Woodhouse
• The Honourable The Irish Society (eight Common Councillors)
  • Nominations received: Matthew Bell, Deputy Keith Bottomley, Deputy Anne Corbett, Anthony Fitzpatrick, Dawn Frampton, Shravan Joshi, Fraser Peck, Gaby Robertshaw, Deputy Oliver Sells, Philip Woodhouse, Deputy Dawn Wright

City of London Policing Plan 2025-28

The Court was scheduled to receive a report on the City of London Policing Plan 2025-28. The plan outlines the City of London Police’s priorities for the next three years and how they will be achieved. It was developed jointly by the City of London Police and Corporation’s Police Authority team, incorporating comments from the City of London Police Authority Board, consultations with local residents, workers, and businesses, and with regard to relevant national strategies and statutory documents including the Strategic Policing Requirement.

The plan has three operational priorities: keeping people in the City safe and feeling safe, putting victims at the heart of all it does, and improving the national policing response to fraud, economic and cyber-crime. It also has three organisational priorities: to be one of the most inclusive and trusted police services in the country, to be an employer of choice, and to improve City Police productivity.

Other Business

• The Court was to consider a circulated list of applications for the Freedom of the City³.
• The agenda included a report on action taken under urgency procedures concerning the suspension of Standing Order 26.
• A report was to be received setting out measures introduced into Parliament which may have an effect on the services provided by the City Corporation.