City’s Estate

The Financial Times Calls The City Of London Council Undemocratic: This Local Authority Will Remain That Way Until Westminster Passes Legislation To Abolish Its Business Vote

The City operates an idiosyncratic system of “corporate democracy”. At best it is flawed, at worst a recipe for abuse. A connected problem is the scant choice of candidates. For every councillor position, there are just 1.3 candidates on average, radically fewer than in London’s 32 local boroughs. The aldermanic voting system is particularly open to manipulation. An old acquaintance and former Lord Mayor once told me that one explanation for the City’s sometimes reactionary instincts is a “shadow hanging over the whole structure” of the corporation’s supposedly democratic governance, Freemasonry. Close to a third of councillors are declared masons, including the chairs of nearly all the major committees. Three-quarters of Lord Mayors over the past century have been masons.

Read more "The Financial Times Calls The City Of London Council Undemocratic: This Local Authority Will Remain That Way Until Westminster Passes Legislation To Abolish Its Business Vote"

Prem Goyal Caught Raffling Off His City Councillor Perks

We’ve had cause to mention City council members perks in various posts and it has come to our attention that Portsoken councillor Prem Goyal has been re-distributing at least some of the gratuities he can claim as an elected square mile politician to voters in his ward. Goyal is the only councillor we are aware of who raffles these perks off to his ward electorate. Instead of ingratiating himself with his constituents by offering them the chance of getting freebies at the council’s expense, Goyal should be doing his job and representing Portsoken residents in things that matter – like not having their lives blighted by inappropriate development and having their homes properly maintained. His voting record on these matters is appalling.

Read more "Prem Goyal Caught Raffling Off His City Councillor Perks"

City Of London Council Caught Using Anti-Democratic Tricks To Force The Demolition Of Bastion House & The Museum Of London Through Planning

There were points in the meeting at which Joshi seemed to know in advance what was about to happen. When Brian Mooney raised his hand on a point of order to propose, for the first time, that the committee move directly to a vote, Joshi asked him (at 3:25:56) whether he wanted to rise on a point of order. But how did Joshi know that was what Mooney wanted to do, as opposed to just asking a question? Was Mooney the fall guy selected by the establishment to do its dirty work of preventing a debate, which he initially bungled by raising a point of order before questions asked by another member could be answered? Joshi then seemed to guide Mooney on timing by suggesting that he raise the point after questions. Joshi showed no surprise at all that this anti-democratic proposal had been made, or any inclination to exercise his discretion under standing orders to disallow it.

Read more "City Of London Council Caught Using Anti-Democratic Tricks To Force The Demolition Of Bastion House & The Museum Of London Through Planning"

City of London Council Leaders Propose That They Be Paid (A Lot) More – While Their Social Housing Tenants Shiver In Poorly Insulted Homes & Face A Rent Hike

Over the last few years, the leaders of the City of London council have quietly been preparing the way for a proposal that has now emerged – that they be paid substantial “special responsibility allowances” on top of their existing substantial perks and privileges. These same leaders have refused to spend a single penny of the council’s “City’s Estate” fund (formerly called “City’s Cash”) – out of which their “special responsibility allowances” will be paid – on accelerating the renovation of the council’s relatively small housing estates, which have fallen into disrepair due to decades of neglect, which is in turn due to decades of poor leadership. So City tenants shiver in winter because window replacements that have been overdue for decades remain on the council’s “to do” list, while the payment of “special responsibility allowances” to the leaders are to be implemented “as quickly as possible” in the 2024-25 financial year.

Read more "City of London Council Leaders Propose That They Be Paid (A Lot) More – While Their Social Housing Tenants Shiver In Poorly Insulted Homes & Face A Rent Hike"

81 Newgate Street, Chris Hayward & The City Of London Council As Rogue Planning Authority

In a Financial Times feature City of London council boss Chris Hayward is effectively bragging about his power to override planning policies, using 81 Newgate Street AKA Panorama St Paul’s as an example: “the City… would be ‘flexible’ in finding ways for developers to meet planning requirements…”

Read more "81 Newgate Street, Chris Hayward & The City Of London Council As Rogue Planning Authority"