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!).

On Tuesday 5 April, John Scott CC, as Chairman of the Markets Committee, was delighted to welcome the High Commissioner of Malawi on an official visit to Billingsgate Market.  While Malawi is a land-locked country, Lake Malawi has an estimated 1,000 species of fish and the fishing industry accounts for 4% of GDP and employs 300,000 people.  In terms of exports this is a largely untapped resource and the High Commissioner is keen to explore opportunities, including the sale of tropical fish for aquariums.

High Commissioner (centre third from right) with John Scott (centre, third from left) and David Smith, the Director of Markets & Consumer Protection (second from left)

For 29 years the Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards have recognised and celebrated organisations making an exemplary impact across London’s communities. The 2016 Awards are now open for applications and the Lord Mayor, Alderman Jeffrey Mountevans, and we hope you will support us in encouraging the businesses in your ward to apply.

The Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards are an opportunity for businesses to demonstrate their significant contribution to society, through volunteering, employability initiatives and local purchasing. Applicants have the chance to join a prestigious cohort of previous winners, including Alium Partners, Freshfields, IBM and Lloyds Banking Group. Together, these organisations represent the City of London’s vision for a competitive and inclusive city.

With just under four weeks left to apply (applications close on 25^th April), your support is crucial in helping us to reach more companies, and enabling them to be recognised. Attached are two documents to aid your promotion. The first is a call to action from the Lord Mayor that can be passed on electronically. The second is a promotion pack.  Both are attached.

Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards Promotional Pack

Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards

For more information, please contact dragonawards@cityoflondon.go.uk or call 0207 332 1762.

Dealing with terrorism and properly funding the City of London Police is vital for us all in the City.

In the face of a severe threat level and more atrocities committed by terrorists in Europe it is vital that our police are properly resourced.

Over the last three months we have lobbied hard on this issue when the City Corporation was debating funding for its police force and we fully support the £1.6m additional annual police funding agreed at Court of Common Council on 3 March.  This money will be used to fund additional specialist firearms officers and continued work on counter terrorism to keep the City of London safe.  This has been afforded by increasing the Business Rates Premium from 4p to 5p in the £.  The first increase for 9 years and one also supported by many of The City’s businesses.

The City Police continually assess Counter Terrorism response and measure reassurance amongst London’s communities via a quarterly survey of residents and businesses. Please do take 5 minutes to complete the short survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/98TT77T

Did you know that you can see the work of our Police first hand?

Our Police are inviting people to be involved in an impartial scrutiny group assessing stop and search processes, and other areas of police engagement and intervention on crime as part of an Independent Advisory Group.  The scrutiny group will involve volunteers meeting once every three months, and giving impartial feedback on areas of police involvement including stop and search.

Also the Community Roadwatch initiative involves members of the community accompanying a uniform officer and using a speed gauge device, identifying speeding vehicles and will give you the opportunity to work with police on road safety.

Please contact Luke Harley directly for more information:

Luke Harley, Temporary Inspector, Uniform Policing Directorate
City of London Police
email: Luke.Harley@city-of-london.pnn.police.uk
telephone: 0207 601 2406 / 0207 601 2222
mobile: 07803 305198
address: 5 Snow Hill London EC1A 2DP