Dragon Awards 2016 – 25 April Application Deadline

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 25th 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.

Keeping Our City Safe

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.City of London logo

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

Notice Of Wardmote – Wednesday 16 March 2016, 12:00 Drapers’ Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DQ

Our annual Wardmote, a great opportunity to raise any issues of general concern, is scheduled for Wednesday 16 March, 12:00
Drapers’ Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DQ.

Free to attend.

drapers

Equally, our Ward Might (futures discussion for the Ward) is scheduled for Wednesday 11 May, 17:00 at the Dutch Church,  7 Austin Friars, London EC2N 2HA.

 

On-Site Shredder Vans

Your members are working hard with the City of London Corporation, the UK Environmental Law Association, and the Legal Sustainability Alliance on removing on-site shredder vans.

Parking outside Gresham Street pub on double-yellow and running engine.
Parking outside Gresham Street pub on double-yellow and running engine.

The following exchange took place between Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli and Chris Hayward CC as the Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee at Common Council on Thursday, 3 December 2015 (from the minutes of Common Council)

Shredding Vans
Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli asked a question of the Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee concerning the impact of confidential shredding vans operating within the City. In response, the Chairman noted the concerns that had been raised and reassured Members that the issue was being looked at seriously. He advised that a report was being prepared for the Planning and Transportation Committee to enable a full and measured consideration to take place.

The text of the question was:

On-Site Shredder Vans

May I take this opportunity to ask the Chairman of Planning and Transportation about actions which our Committee might take to minimise the environmental effects of on-site shredder vans?  For members who may be unaware of the issue, these vehicles enter the City under contracts to provide on-site document shredding for businesses and professional firms.  The contracts oblige them to shred on-site, ostensibly for security and confidentiality.  These mini-shredding-factories create noise and air pollution while running their engines to power their shredding machines, and are frequently illegally parking.  By allowing this activity, the City imports particulate pollution factories each day.  How might Planning and Transportation help to reduce or remove this activity?

KBC Bank – A Great Company Says Thank You

Austin Friars – during development

The Civic Team were delighted that KBC Bank kindly held a reception  on 5 November at City Social in Tower 42 to thank everyone involved in the Austin Friars redevelopment.   It was a gesture very much appreciated by the Civic Team.  In turn the team would like to thank Theo Speelmans, Allen Dee Sarafian, Lynda Garwood, and Karyn Dalali for such kind generosity.

Princess Beatrix Visits Broad Street Ward

Princess Beatrix at the Dutch ChurchPrincess Beatrix of the Netherlands visited the Dutch Church on Friday, 24 April, at the invitation of the Trustees of the Koning Willem Fonds and the Dutch Centre. Three prominent Dutch institutions in the UK mark major milestones in 2015: the Koning Willem Fonds has its 140th anniversary, the successful Dutch Centre is officially opened, and the Dutch Church in Austin Friars will have been a symbol of the flourishing Dutch presence in the City of London for 465 years. These three very different charities together represent the many rich intellectual, cultural, spiritual and compassionate connections between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. We were honoured to have such a senior Member of the Dutch Royal Family and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, who is Honorary President of the Koning Willem Fonds.  The funds raised will go in equal measure to the Koning Willem Fonds and the Dutch Centre.

The Worshipful Company of Carpenters were kind enough to host everyone after the event at their hall.  The hall was beautifully decorated and the food and drink royally sumptuous.  The Jubilee was a social highlight for the Anglo‐Dutch community and Broad Street Ward members were delighted to be included.

Princess Beatrix Visit Collage