The General Purposes Committee of Aldermen met on 9 December 2025 to discuss the City of London Corporation's budget, the transfer of trusteeship of the Samuel Wilson Loan Charity, and the disposal of 1 Queen Victoria Street, among other items. The committee was also scheduled to consider the award of an annual grant to the Livery Companies.

Budget

The committee was scheduled to discuss the final budget for 2025/26 and the original budget estimates for 2026/27. The report pack contained a joint report of the Chamberlain, the Deputy Town Clerk and the Remembrancer on this topic.

Samuel Wilson Loan Charity

The committee was scheduled to discuss the transfer of trusteeship of the Samuel Wilson Loan Charity to the City Corporation and Aldermanic Charity Management & Administration. The report pack included a report from the Managing Director (Acting) of the City Bridge Foundation¹.

1 Queen Victoria Street

The committee was scheduled to receive a report from the City Surveyor and Executive Director of Property regarding the disposal of 1 Queen Victoria Street, formerly a magistrates' court.

Livery Cloth Grant

The committee was scheduled to decide on the award of the annual Livery Cloth grant of £1,700. The report pack included a thank you note from Providence Row, a charity that works with homeless people in East London. The note stated:

Thank you very much to the City of London Court of Aldermen for your very kind partnership through the Livery Cloth Grant in support of Providence Row's work over the last year.

The report pack stated that, partly due to the City of London Corporation's support, 411 people were no longer living on the streets of East London and now have a safe space to call home. It also stated that the grant enabled 1,286 people to move along on their journey to get off, and stay off, the streets of East London. The report pack stated that the grant enabled people to access the following programmes:

• 630 people accessed health services including dental treatment, eye tests, liver scans and GP appointments.
• 500 people accessed substance use support and treatment.
• 130 people received support from the Hospital Discharge Team so they didn't return to the streets following treatment.
• 53 people completed one or more of the charity's accredited training opportunities with 11 people securing jobs.
• 11,527 nutritious meals were served to 780 people, helping them maintain their strength and energy levels.
• 411 people entered or sustained their accommodation.
• 229 people received support from the Outreach Psychotherapy team to deal with their past, present and recurring trauma.

The report pack also outlined the ongoing need for the charity's services, noting that homelessness across London continues to rise.

Appointments

The committee was scheduled to consider the following appointments:

• An Alderman to the St Paul's Cathedral Chorister Trust for a four-year term expiring in December 2029, following the resignation of Alderman Gregory Jones KC from this position.
• Alderman Sir Nicholas Lyons as Vice President and Governor of Bridewell Royal Hospital, effective 31 December 2025.
• Alderman & Sheriff Robert Hughes-Penney, Alderman Tim Levene and Alderman Prem Goyal as Directors of the Board of Directors of the Lord Mayor's Show.

Other Matters

The committee was also scheduled to discuss the following items:

• Non-public minutes of the last meeting of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen held on 14 October 2025.
• A finance update on the management for the Emanuel Hospital.
• Decisions taken under delegated authority or urgency powers.
• Strategy Group 3 update.
• Key committee issues.
• Minutes of the Magistracy & Livery Sub-Committee held on 15 September 2025.
• Minutes of the Committee of Aldermen to administer the Sir William Coxen Trust Fund held on 22 October 2025.
• Minutes of the Emanuel Hospital Management Sub-Committee held on 24 October 2025.
• Alderman Gregory Jones' reflections on his shrieval year.
• Reflections on the Lord Mayor's weekend.