The City of London Corporation has granted approval for an experimental safety scheme for Bank junction called Bank on Safety. The scheme is aimed at improving the safety of pedestrians and road users at one of the worst collision hotspots in the City of London.

It is planned that only pedal cyclists and buses will be permitted to cross Bank Junction, Monday to Friday, between the hours of 7am to 7pm. The experiment will last up to 18 months and will not begin until work on Cannon Street is completed, which is expected to finish at the end of April.

The primary objective is to achieve a 50-60% reduction in casualties in the Bank area, 75% which occur Monday – Friday from 7am to 7pm. We are also expecting to see improvements in air quality at the junction and reduced journey times for bus passengers on a number of routes. Pedestrians dominate this area during the working day and yet are given the least priority in time and space. The second most dominant mode is pedal cyclists, who in the peak periods account for around 50% of the vehicles crossing the junction.

The City has worked closely with Transport for London to ensure that the surrounding streets are not adversely impacted by the experiment. Traffic signals will be modified to regulate the overall network when the scheme goes live. Our expectation is that average vehicle journey times in the vicinity will be maintained, possibly improved. During restricted times, vehicles will still be able to pick up and drop off passengers near the junction, just as they do at the moment with the existing barriers, such as the guard railing. To mitigate the impact on taxis, new taxi ranks and an extension of existing taxi ranks will be provided.

As this is an experimental scheme, we will monitor and review the impact. Modifications can be made if necessary. The first review will take place four weeks after the scheme’s launch followed by a report presented to City of London Committees. We will also begin a comprehensive public consultation after the Bank on Safety scheme is in place. This will give the opportunity to experience the changes and make comment whilst the City monitors the impact of safety and traffic movements. The City Corporation will need to determine whether the safety scheme should remain in place based on the evidence and comments.

Our entire project team are committed to continue to work closely with you and are available at your convenience. We are preparing materials that will help further explain possible modifications. Additionally, next month we will be hosting project briefings at St Stephen Walbrook Church on Wednesday 5 April at 12:30pm and 5:30pm.

We welcome you to visit our website, www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/bankonsafety, which is updated regularly. You can also contact our team directly at bankarea@cityoflondon.gov.uk or 020 7606 3839.

2017 looks like being a challenging year, both internationally, nationally, and here in the City.

Your elected Members for the Ward of Broad Street are unique in the City in each chairing a major City Committee which places us at the heart of decision making in the Square Mile.  We will be doing all we can to ensure that the City continues to prosper, whatever strategy the Government pursues to disengage from Europe.

We pledge to deliver more on the local issues which affect the City and Broad Street Ward.  John Bennett and John Scott had long careers in the banking industry, latterly with Deutsche Bank in the Ward, whilst Chris Hayward is a resident in the Ward.  As Chairman of the Planning & Transportation Committee, Chris’s responsibilities touch on the lives of everyone here in the City, both residents and workers.

Although less obvious, John Scott’s chairmanship of the Markets Committee also impinges upon lives as our wholesale markets at Smithfield, Billingsgate and Spitalfields supply shops, restaurants and markets stalls throughout London.  Culture has long been at the heart of what we do in the City and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, chaired by John Bennett, tops the Guardian’s league table of conservatoires in 2017.

Each one of us has many responsibilities apart from these headlines.  We would welcome the chance to tell you more and there is nothing to beat a personal contact so please either respond to this message or contact us individually if you want to arrange a meeting either here at Guildhall or at your office or home if you live in the City.  A Wardmote (Ward meeting) will be held at Carpenters’ Hall at 12 noon on Wednesday 22nd March.  This gives you the opportunity to question us and all the other candidates in the forthcoming City elections and we look forward to meeting you.

Learn more about the Ward, your Common Councilmen, and your Alderman from this short video:

John Bennett,
Chairman,
Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
john45bennett@gmail.com

Chris Hayward,
Chairman,
Planning & Transportation Committee
chris@haywardinvestments.com

John Scott,
Chairman,
Markets Committee.
john@historystore.ltd.uk

with the support of Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli, michael_mainelli@zyen.com

We are deeply concerned that City firms are being hit particularly hard in the first central Government revaluation since 2010 with average bills set to rise by 30%.  Bills will be sent out in March next year but you can check your draft 2017 valuation now and ask for it to be changed if it’s wrong by providing rental evidence.

Strong demand for commercial property has placed pressure on the supply of office space across the capital which is driving up rents.  Generally, though, City rents are still well below those in Westminster.

The City is committed to increasing the supply of accommodation for businesses and we continue to press, in particular, for smaller units to accommodate SMEs with fewer than 50 or 100 staff in space of less than 500 sq metres, which have been diminishing.

Over the years the make-up of the City has changed, with smaller, more agile and flexible businesses now the norm.  Following the Brexit vote, London needs to redouble its efforts to maintain its competitive position as a world-leading financial and business centre in attracting all types of firms.  A sudden and sharp increase in tax bills for the capital’s businesses is both unwelcome and badly timed given the uncertainties Brexit brings.

We want to see the impact eased through meaningful transitional relief.  The Government’s current proposals for transition would see bills increase by up to 42% cent next year which is a huge increase at one go and at short notice.

This is another issue which adds weight to the devolution case for London to decouple London’s business rates system from the rest of the country.  This will stop London’s high property values from distorting the national distribution of rates and ease the pressure on the City’s businesses.

You can check your 2017 draft valuation here and ask for it to be amended if it’s wrong.

PS – 2017 City Vote Registration

There are just 2 weeks left now to renew your entitlement to vote or register for the first time.  The process has been made even easier and is fully online.

This is an important way to hold the City Corporation to account and to have your say in the way the square mile is run.  It’s also a good way to be kept informed about what’s happening in the City and your Ward in which you work or live.

If you’ve not been asked if you’d like to continue on the register, and would like to, please get in touch and we can let you know who is co-ordinating the process for your business.  Residential votes are managed separately direct with individual residents.

Best wishes.

Alderman Michael Mainelli
Common Councilmen John Bennett (Deputy), John Scott and Chris Hayward

City Giving Day 2016 – Tuesday 27th September #GoRed

City Giving Day is less than a week away.  With more than 200 organisations signed up and hearing there plans it is certain to be bigger and better than ever.

As you know City Giving Day, driven by the Lord Mayor’ Appeal, is the once in a year opportunity when collectively the City can unite, celebrate and showcase the fantastic charitable work it does in communities across London and beyond.

On the day itself The Lord Mayor, Lady Mayoress, Sheriffs, and Aldermen will play their part by visiting some 42 businesses in the Square Mile, West End, and Canary Wharf.

During the day you may well see some red robes walking around the City as they tour from business to business and meet employees seeing first-hand the philanthropic activities on show which are being celebrated.

We have been inundated with stories of what will happen on the day, from Investec’s “Dragon’s Den” style event, during which they’ll give away seed funding to social impact initiatives; The Don’s fundraising Long Long Lunch; to MWR Infosecurity’s cyber security challenge.

To help make City Giving Day more visible this year, businesses’ and employees will be Going Red to show their support and help amplify the message that the City does good. We have heard this could be wearing ties, shoes and dresses, to baking cupcakes and wearing wigs

There are 6 ‘simple’ ways for you to be part of it and support the Lord Mayor and the LMA team

• #GoRed and encourage your organisation to as well
• Join the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs’ and Aldermen kick off the morning with a photo call in Guildhall Yard 8.20-9.00
• Be part of the thunderclap to help make City Giving Day go big –please encourage others to join it too
• Send us photos of any activity that you see
• Tweet about CGD and or follow @LMAppeal and retweet
• Pick up City AM on the morning and more for colleagues and contacts

You are very much part of the City and your support in helping champion the good the City does will be fantastic.  For further information – https://www.thelordmayorsappeal.org/city-giving-day/about/ 

Kindest regards

The Lord Mayor’s Appeal Team

0207 332 3177

On 26 July, the Planning & Transportation Committee approved the draft Local Plan Issues and Options for public consultation as the first stage in preparing a new Local Plan which looks forward to 2036. The Plan will set out the City Corporation’s vision, strategy and policies for planning for the next 20 years.

The Issues and Options document identifies a wide range of issues and challenges that face the City. It poses a series of open questions, seeking views from the City’s residents, businesses and other key stakeholders on how the City should develop and maintain its role as a world leading international financial and business centre through to 2036. Although a wide range of questions are posed, no decisions have been taken on future planning policies.

The consultation will begin on 19 September and run for 6 weeks until 31 October.  Two public drop in exhibitions have been arranged at the City Centre on Basinghall Street:

Monday, 3 October, between 16:00 and 20:00

Thursday, 13 October, between 08:30 and 12:00

Officers from the Department of the Built Environment will be available at these events to explain the key issues, outline the process of preparing the new plan and answer questions.

The consultation document, and other supporting information, is available on the City Corporation website at: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cityplan2036

Comments can be made by emailing: localplan@cityoflondon.gov.uk , or in writing to the Department of the Built Environment at the Guildhall, and will be used to help draft detailed policy wording for further consideration in summer 2017.

For further information please contact Peter Shadbolt on 020 7332 1038 or email peter.shadbolt@cityoflondon.gov.uk or Adrian Roche on 020 7332 1846 or email adrian.roche@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Forty members of Broad Street Ward gathered for a convivial hour sharing thoughts on the Ward future on a sunny afternoon.  The agenda for the evening, Ward-Might 11 May 2016 – Agenda, was followed almost to the letter.

We had a warm introduction from Joost Röselaers, Predikant (Minister) of the Nederlandse Kerk, supported by Rein Roos, Koster (Verger).  Joost referred to an old Dutch proverb, „Beter een goede buur dan een verre vriend“ – “Better a good neighbour than a far-off friend” – which was a lovely reminder of the cosmopolitan nature of our community.

Our President, Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli then opened the Ward-Might, noting the agenda and a few items of news, not least the new “Broad Street Ward Business Cards” avaiiable to all.

Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli at Ward-Might in the Dutch Church

Russell Taylor, co-creator of the Alex cartoon, told us all about “the most famous living resident of this ward that you’ve never seen“.  Russell kindly brought  copies of the Alex cartoon book 2015 which helped everyone visualise things.  His presentation led to a discussion between Russell & Michael and the audience about their proposal for an Alex Statue in the Ward.

There were many comments and suggestions, such as:

• Alex was the “iconic stereotype” (words of one audience member) of trading in the ward and a show of hands gave universal support to the proposal;
• how could we ensure the statue was humorous – beer in hand by pub? smoking a cigar near smokers’ corners? blocking the footpath while on a mobile telephone (sadly shot down by Christopher Hayward CC, recently elected as Chairman of Planning & Transportation)? helping people take a selfie?
• location – could we site the statue at the Dutch Church itself? could we use phoneboxes in the ward? could we use ‘CityScape’ to model it in potential locations?
• could 3D printing have a role?
• could we sell maquettes of the statue?
• could we learn from other examples of cartoon character statues such as Paddington Bear, Peter Pan, and Andy Capp statues elsewhere?

We then moved on to a round-robin of ward futures.  John Bennett, Deputy, had given his apologies due to an operation and we wished him a speedy recovery.  John Scott CC asked everyone to be missionaries for the rich cultural and historic offerings (most of them free) of the City.  Christopher Hayward CC described his new role in Planning & Transportation and affirmed his desire to continue to improve the built environment across the City, but certainly in Broad Street Ward.

Rein and Joost highlighted their forthcoming events.  Reverend Prebendary Jeremy Crossley spoke about the work ahead for the Tower at St Margaret Lothbury, and also reminded members of the wonderful and long-standing Thursday organ concerts from 13:10 to 14:00 (except August).

Jonny Westbrooke, Clerk of the Furniture makers, spoke about their newly refurbished venue hire facilities.   Rosa Morgan-Baker of the ward charity The Brokerage Citylink explained their work to members and offered to involve members in their work at no cost – facilities and staff time are the inputs needed.

As ever, the event ended promptly but even more convivially as we had an hour’s wine reception kindly sponsored by Broad Street Ward Club and the Dutch Centre.  Our Honorary Secretary of Broad Street Ward Club, Judith Rich, was, as ever, a most wonderful hostess (though she did seem to be slipping some application forms to non-members through the evening).  The Dutch Church team were particularly attentive.  As ever, the desire to continue socialising seems to have led to a hostelry (in the ward, see map!).