MINUTES OF THE WARDMOTE
FOR THE ELECTION OF COMMON COUNCILMEN
HELD AT CARPENTERS’ HALL AT NOON ON WEDNESDAY 22ND MARCH 2017
The Beadle opened the Wardmote in the usual manner and commanded silence whilst the Precept was read.
The Honorary Ward Clerk read the Precept of the Right Honourable Lord Mayor for holding the Wardmote.
The Honorary Ward Clerk read out the names of those validly nominated as standing for Common Council, namely:
Bennett, John Alfred
Hayward, Christopher Michael
Scott, John George Stewart
The Alderman therefore declared that Mr Bennett, Mr Hayward and Mr Scott had been elected as Members of Common Council for the Ward of Broad Street for the ensuing term.
Those elected then made and subscribed their Declarations of Office and Corporation of London Code of Conduct for Members.
The Alderman then announced the appointment of his Deputy as Mr John Bennett for the ensuing year.
The Alderman then appointed Mr Adrian Smallwood to be the Honorary Ward Clerk for the ensuing year.
The election of the Ward Beadle was next undertaken and as there was only one candidate the Alderman announced the election of Mr George Martin for the ensuing term of four years.
The Alderman, together with two voters as witnesses, signed the Return to Precept.
The successful candidates were then asked by the Alderman if they would like to address the meeting.
Mr Bennett declared that he was pleased to be returned as a common councilman. He has now over 20 years’ service as common councilman, but the last four years have been the best from being the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the City of London Freeman’s School, Chief Commoner, and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He also listed the other committees that he serves on: the Policy and Resources Committee, the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, the Education Board, and the Joint Grand Gresham Committee.
Mr Bennett then highlighted the biggest challenge over the next four years being that of ‘Brexit’, noting issues for the Education Board and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, namely visas for foreign students and government funding post 2020, which would be a challenge to its status of the top UK conservatoire, and its position in the top 10 conservatoires in the world.
Finally, Mr Bennett thanked the Alderman and his fellow common councilmen for their support over the past four years.
Mr Hayward declared that it was an honour to be re-elected, which meant that he no longer felt like a “new boy”. He also highlighted his roles and responsibilities on the various committees that he sits on, which comprise the Markets Committee, Finance Committee, Planning and Transportation Committee, Policy and Resources Committee, City of London Academies Trust Board of Directors, Standards Committee, and the Honourable Irish Society. Of these committees, he drew specific attention to his role as the Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee. As it meets every three weeks and has a heavy workload, he observed that his role was virtually full-time. As regards seeing the results of the Committee’s work, Mr Hayward mentioned that it had been a pleasure to be at the opening of Angel Court, a scheme he was particularly pleased about as it brought an additional 4,000 workers to the Ward. Furthermore, he was delighted that permission for what will be the City of London’s tallest building – No.1 Undershaft – has been granted, which showed that there was still strong demand for offices despite the implications of Brexit.
Mr Hayward continued the theme of Brexit by saying that he was a member of the Brexit working party for the City of London which was assembling the responses of businesses to Brexit to the government.
Finally, Mr Hayward drew attention to the congestion in the City’s streets which is a symptom of the street plan stemming from medieval times. He explained that he had steered through the Planning and Transportation Committee a scheme that would see Bank junction closed to all traffic save for buses, bicycles and pedestrians between 7.00am – 7.00pm. As taxis had been included in the ban, for which taxi drivers feel very aggrieved, he remarked that he is now unable to use black cabs as drivers refuse to take him!
Mr Hayward concluded with thanks to the Alderman and fellow common councilmen for their support over the past four years.
Mr Scott observed that he had accumulated 18 years’ service as a common councilman for Broad Street; the common councilman with the longest period serving Broad Street. He continued with noting his roles on various committees, which include the Markets Committee, which is due to publish a review of markets in the autumn, Council Member of Gresham College, City of London Archaeological Trust Management Committee, Board of Governors of the Museum of London, Board of Trustees of the Thames Festival Trust, and the Port Health & Environmental Services Committee.
Mr Scott noted that it was regrettable that the election had not been contested. Come the next election he would have shown 25 years’ service to the ward. This has included his participation in the Broad Street Ward Club, of which he encouraged membership.
Finally, Mr Scott thanked the electors, the Honorary Ward Clerk and the Beadle.
Following the addresses, the Alderman then moved on to matters of general business. He drew attention to the high points of the development of Austin Friars and the opening of Angel Court, but also noted that the outcome to the resolution from the previous Wardmote submitted to the Grand Court of Wardmote was not as satisfactory as was wanted, despite more cigarette butt bins being erected.
The Alderman asked if there were any questions from any voters present.
Mr Simon Hills (British Bankers Association) asked whether connected cars would be permitted in the City of London.
Mr Hayward volunteered to answer, where he observed that the Congestion Charge was no longer acting as a deterrent to traffic and that congestion levels were still problematic and he noted that driverless cars were on their way. In his role on the Planning and Transportation Committee, he had overseen the establishment of a ‘freight forum’ to try and consolidate deliveries, and was investigating global cities for inspiration as to other traffic reduction measures.
Col. Richard Winstanley, Clerk to the Worshipful Company of Drapers first gave his support to the closure of Bank junction to most traffic, especially as he is a cyclist. He then asked whether the Corporation was going to seek feedback from local occupiers on the closure.
Mr Hayward again volunteered to answer the question where he said that the Corporation would be consulting local occupiers and conducting its own monitoring of the impact. He continued that the Corporation is not seeking a fight with Hackney Cab drivers (as their objection to the Bank junction closure is owing to their different treatment to buses), and that if the redistribution network is not effective then the experiment will need to be reconsidered. Mr Hayward also spoke of his aspiration that Bank junction should become a big beautiful piazza.
The Alderman then drew a close to the general business by mentioning efforts being made to reduce localised paper shredding and particularly the pollution that they cause.
Next Mr Scott proposed a resolution that a public notice be posted of the Poll result on the Ward Notice Board. This was seconded by Mr Bennett and passed unanimously.
Mr Bennett then proposed a vote of thanks to the Alderman for presiding at the Wardmote. This was seconded by Mr Hayward and passed unanimously.
Mr Hayward completed the votes of thanks by proposing one to the Master and Worshipful Company of Carpenters for the use of their Hall. This was seconded by Mr Scott and passed unanimously.
Finally the Honorary Ward Clerk asked the Ward Beadle to close the Wardmote in the usual manner.