The General Purposes Committee of Aldermen will be meeting to discuss the 2025/26 budget, the appointment of Aldermen to various positions, and a grant for Livery Cloth. They will also discuss the potential transfer of trusteeship for the Samuel Wilson Loan Charity to the City Corporation.

Samuel Wilson Loan Charity

The committee will consider a report regarding the potential transfer of trusteeship of the Samuel Wilson Loan Charity to the City Corporation. The report, which comes from the Managing Director (Acting) of the City Bridge Foundation¹, will address the Aldermanic Charity Management & Administration.

Emanuel Hospital

The committee will discuss a finance update on the management of the Emanuel Hospital. The report will be presented by the City Bridge Foundation Finance Director. The committee will also receive the minutes of the Emanuel Hospital Management Sub-Committee meeting held on 24 October 2025.

1 Queen Victoria Street

The City Surveyor and Executive Director of Property will present a report to the committee regarding the disposal of 1 Queen Victoria Street, formerly a magistrates' court. This item is for information only.

Livery Cloth Grant

The committee will decide on awarding the annual Livery Cloth grant of £1,700. The report pack includes a thank you letter from Providence Row, a charity founded in 1860 that aims to help vulnerable and disadvantaged people get off the streets. The letter details how the City of London Court of Aldermen's partnership has enabled 1,286 people to move along on their journey to get off the streets of East London.

The letter from Providence Row states:

Thanks partly to your support, 411 people are no longer living on the streets of East London and now have a safe space to call home.

The letter also highlights the ongoing need for such services, noting that homelessness across London continues to rise.

Appointments

The committee will be asked to approve several 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.
• To recommend to the Board of Directors of the Lord Mayor's Show the appointment of Alderman & Sheriff Robert Hughes-Penney, Alderman Tim Levene and Alderman Prem Goyal as Directors.

Budget

The committee will be asked to make a decision on the final 2025/26 budget and original budget estimates for 2026/27. The report is a joint effort from the Chamberlain², the Deputy Town Clerk, and the Remembrancer³.

Other Items

The agenda also includes the following items:

• Decisions taken under delegated authority or urgency powers (report of the Town Clerk, for information).
• Strategy Group 3 Update (for information).
• Key Committee Issues (for discussion).
• Minutes of the Magistracy & Livery Sub-Committee held on 15 September 2025 (for information).
• Minutes of the Committee of Aldermen to administer the Sir William Coxen Trust Fund held on 22 October 2025 (for information).
• Alderman Gregory Jones' reflections on his shrieval year (for information).
• Reflections on the Lord Mayor's weekend (for discussion).