The Court of Common Council was scheduled to meet to discuss a range of issues, including improvements to Leadenhall Street, changes to the Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting and Analysis Service Procurement Committee, and a new project management framework. They were also scheduled to consider appointments to various boards, applications for the Freedom of the City, and reports from the Audit and Risk Management Committee and the Comptroller & City Solicitor.

Leadenhall Street Improvements

The Planning & Transportation Committee was scheduled to present a proposal for improvements to Leadenhall Street. The report pack noted that before the Covid-19 pandemic, pavement crowding was an issue, and is expected to continue to be an issue because 90% of journeys in the Square Mile start or finish on foot. The Climate Action Strategy identifies pedestrian priority and improved pedestrian comfort as necessary conditions for Net Zero by 2050.

The proposals included:

• A narrowed 6.4m carriageway to allow for wider pavements
• Raised pedestrian crossings
• Inset loading bays, with the western bay proposed as a part-time taxi rank
• Revised bus stop locations
• Security measures in line with the Eastern City Cluster Security programme

Following public consultation, the scheme design was further developed, and potential tree planting locations were identified. Ground drainage tests confirmed excellent subsurface drainage, and officers are evaluating the use of 'Hydrorock' material to construct a large SuDS¹ network throughout the street. LDA landscape architects have been recommissioned to refine the planter designs and integrate historical and cultural interpretations.

The Court was asked to approve the scheme design, the progression of the required Traffic Management Orders, and the progression of the proposals, noting the total estimated cost of the project (excluding risk) projected to be £7-8.5 million.

Project, Programme, Portfolio (P3) Framework

The Finance Committee was scheduled to present a new Project, Programme, Portfolio (P3) Framework, developed to address long-standing issues in the governance and delivery of projects and programmes. The changes respond to Lord Lisvane's governance review and subsequent assessments by external consultants, which found inconsistent practices, slow decision-making, and insufficient visibility for Members.

The revised P3 Framework proposes a simplified, proportionate governance model that is aligned with a project's scale, complexity, and strategic importance. All project types, including capital, transformation, and innovation, will be brought under a single framework. A new tiering system will focus Member scrutiny on higher-value and higher-risk projects, engaging Members at strategic points of decision-making. Lower value projects and programmes will benefit from streamlined governance, albeit with continued overview of progress being made available to Members. These proposals will streamline the gateway process into five strategic stages, with a greater emphasis on early alignment with Corporate Plan outcomes, climate action, social value, and return on investment.

The Court was asked to:

• Approve the new P3 Framework, including the new project gateways
• Approve the increase of delegated authority to £5m for Chief Officers
• Approve the increase of the threshold for Court of Common Council to receive gateway submissions to £20m
• Note the increase to £250k threshold for entering the gateway process
• Approve that once a Red project approves a re-baselined plan with the Service Committee and Project and Procurement Sub-Committee, it can then proceed as a Green project
• Approve the SRO² of a project or programme to have delegated authority to draw down against the agreed costed risk profile
• Expand the use of optimism bias with the established 'optimism bias' reserve to be authorised by the relevant Service Committee and Finance Committee
• Note that the new P3 Framework will take effect at a launch event on 25 November 2025
• Approve that further updates can be made to the P3 Framework with approval from CoL Portfolio Board with Members approving changes to the delegation levels
• Authorise the Chamberlain to make the necessary amendments to other documentation i.e. the City Corporation's Financial Regulations and the Procurement Code in order to align these documents with the Framework
• Authorise the Town Clerk to make any necessary amendments to any further City Corporation governance documents to enable the implementation of the new Projects Procedure.

Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting and Analysis Service Procurement Committee

The Policy and Resources Committee was scheduled to present proposed amendments to the terms of reference of the Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting and Analysis Service Procurement Committee (FCCRASP). The FCCRASP was formed in April 2021 to oversee the procurement of the next generation Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting and Analysis Service (FCCRAS). The FCCRAS is designed to replace Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting service, a key component of the City of London Police's function as National Lead Force for Fraud.

The Court was recommended to approve the changes to the Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting and Analysis Service Procurement Committee's Terms of Reference as set out in the Appendix 1 Amended ToRs.

Freedom of the City

The Court was scheduled to consider a list of applications for the Freedom of the City. The list included:

• Edward Andrew Fletcher Addison, a Drag Performer
• Salman Shahid Ali, a Banker
• Gonzalo José Balta Sabogal, a Police Detective Sergeant
• Md Halim Bepari, a Community Lawyer
• Emmanouil Bitzaros, a Governance, Risk & Compliance Manager
• Mafalda Sofia Borea, a U.N. Organisation Head of Partnerships
• Giulia Maria Bragagni, a Student
• Alessandro Castellan, an Assistant Restaurant Manager
• Brian Edward Conroy, an Engineer
• Ekaterina Cunningham, a Strategy Director
• Jason James Dervin, an Estate Director
• Tanya Du Plessis, a Reception Manager
• Keith Peter Duffy, an Entertainer & Charity Fundraiser
• James Paul Edwards, a Local Government Official
• Dr Giulio Garaffa, a Consultant Urological Surgeon
• Caroline Islay Gregory, a Hotel Owner
• Charlotte Kate Harries, a Chartered Accountant
• Richard John Hatton, MBE, a Boxing Coach
• Raphaël Herzog, a Hotel General Manager
• James Richard Hiley-Jones, a Hotelier
• Lee Antony Hodgkinson, a Financial Services Executive
• Terence Henry Holland, an Asset Manager, retired
• David Michael Jeyes, a Building Surveyor, retired
• Thomas Patrick Lee, a Haulage & Civil Engineering Company Director
• Christopher Patrick Leonard, a Human Resources Director
• Simon Eric Lester, a Local Government Officer, retired
• Daniel Philip Levy, a Football Club Chairman
• David Charles Lowe, a Food Standards Agency Imports Strategy Director
• Philip Anthony Enright Luce, a Hospital Chief Executive
• Sidney Stanley William Machin, a Post Office Engineer, retired
• Kathryn Teresa Maile, a Reiki Master
• Gary Douglas McClarty, an Insurance and I.T. Company Director
• Andrew McStravick, a Business Management Consultant
• Callum Robert Newton, a Senior Research & Consultancy Associate
• Shaun Phillip Orton, an Insurance Broker
• Anfisa Polyushkevych, a Photographer
• Reverend James Scotson Radcliffe, a School Chaplain
• Nitin Ramtri, a Hotel General Manager
• Alessandra Romeo, a Charity Co-Founder and Trustee
• Rebecca Margaret Salter, an Artist
• Paul David Scutt, an Export Courier, retired
• Tariq Latif Sheikh, a Halal Meat Business Owner
• Paul John Sims, a Construction Company Operations Director
• Squadron Leader Douglas Gordon Smith, a Royal Air Force Officer
• Major Alexander David James Stewart, A Regular Army Officer
• Shruti Tripathi Chopra, a Journalist
• Robin Adrian Whitehouse, an Environmental Health Manager
• Andrew William Wilce, a Sacristan
• Dr Linda Yi-Chuang Yueh, an Economist

Audit and Risk Management Committee Annual Report

The Court was scheduled to receive the Audit and Risk Management Committee's Annual Report, updating on its activity from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. The report detailed the work of the Committee in relation to the key remit areas of:

• Annual Governance Framework
• Internal Audit
• Risk Management
• Counter-Fraud
• External Audit
• Financial Reporting

Report from the Monitoring Officer

The Court was scheduled to receive a report from the Comptroller & City Solicitor, in their capacity as Monitoring Officer, regarding a finding of Maladministration by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (the Ombudsman ) dated 13 March 2025. The finding related to a complaint about the Emergency Support Scheme, which is delivered by the London Borough of Lambeth on behalf of the City of London.

The Ombudsman found that there was fault in how the Council fulfilled the award it made to X under its Emergency Support Scheme in late 2023, which caused X some avoidable frustration but did not cause any further injustice. The Ombudsman recommended that the City Corporation make an apology to X for the delay and frustration and that no action should be taken to recover any amounts awarded.

Legislation

The Court was scheduled to receive a report setting out measures introduced into Parliament which may have an effect on the services provided by the City Corporation. These included:

• The Data (Use and Access) Act 2024
• The Companies Authorised to Register, Unregistered Companies and Overseas Companies (Application of Company Law) Regulations 2025
• The Marking of Retail Goods Regulations 2025
• The Licensing Act 2003 (UEFA Women's European Football Championship Licensing Hours) Order 2025
• The Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2025
• The Health and Care Act 2022 (Commencement No. 10 and Transitional and Saving Provision) Regulations 2025
• The Allocation of Housing (Qualification Criteria for Victims of Domestic Abuse and Care Leavers) (England) Regulations 2025
• The Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) (Amendment, Surrender and Compensation) (England and Wales) Order 2025

Other Matters

The agenda also included:

• Apologies for absence
• Declarations by Members under the Code of Conduct in respect of any items on the agenda
• To agree the minutes of the meeting of the Court of Common Council held on 26 June 2025
• A report from the The Rt Hon. The Lord Mayor, Alastair John Naisbitt King DL ( Alderman) on his recent engagements
• A policy statement from the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee
• To consider appointments to the Finance Committee, the Board of Governors of the City of London Freemen's School, the Board of Governors of the City of London School for Girls and the Board of Governors of the City of London School
• Motions
• Questions
• Awards and Prizes
• Docquets for the Hospital Seal
• A motion to exclude the public from the meeting for certain items of business
• To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting of the Court held on 26 June 2025
• To consider proposals relating to works at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama