The Natural Environment Board is scheduled to discuss the 2026/27 budget, fees and charges for City Gardens, and responsible dog ownership. They will also receive a verbal update on the Climate Action Strategy and City Gardens.

Budget 2026/27

The Natural Environment Board is scheduled to review and approve the proposed revenue budget for 2026/27, before it is submitted to the Finance Committee for approval. The report pack states that the proposed revenue budget for the Natural Environment Board for 2026/27 totals £3.221m net expenditure. This is a £745k increase compared to the 2025/26 original budget of £2.476m net expenditure.

The proposed budget for 2026/27 includes a 3% uplift for inflation and contingency funding to cover additional costs from the July 2024 pay award and increases in employer's national insurance.

The report pack notes that the resource envelope must be adhered to, as failure to do so will impact the Finance Committee's ability to set Council Tax rates for the year ahead and the requirement in law for the City to set a balanced budget.

The report pack also includes the proposed draft 2026/27 summarised revenue budget estimates for the Natural Environment charities. Unrestricted revenue grant funding from City's Estate to the Natural Environment Charities is estimated to be £24.868m for 2026/27, a decrease of £39k (0.16%) compared with the grant from City's Estate for 2025/26. This includes core grant funding for the charities of £10.067m plus £14.801m in additional grant income.

City Gardens Fees and Charges

The Natural Environment Board is scheduled to consider a report regarding fees and charges for City Gardens for 2026/27. The report recommends that charges for corporate events held in City Gardens sites are increased by 4.3% for the start of the 2026/27 financial year, in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI) for October 2025. It is recommended that the charge for non-profit and charity events is frozen. The new fees and charges are to be implemented from 1 April 2026. The fees also cover the cost of bench sponsorship.

According to the report pack, the hire of City Gardens sites generates income that is used to contribute towards the maintenance cost of the sites and staff resources. During the 2024/25 financial year City Gardens generated £11,151 from 31 events.

The report pack notes that there will be a focus over the next year to review and improve the marketing of City Gardens sites for events. This will include a renewed Finsbury Circus Gardens, which was not completed early enough in the calendar year to allow events to be booked in it this summer.

The proposed fees for 2026/2027 are:

• Wedding/Other photography for 2 hours: £245
• Basic Hire Fee (1st hour): £445 (City Gardens), £2085 (Finsbury Circus)
• Subsequent hours (Up to 4 Hours): £215 (City Gardens), £1045 (Finsbury Circus)
• Full day: £2195 (City Gardens), £7820 (Finsbury Circus)
• Required set up / de-rig time outside of the event hire time – per hour: £215 (City Gardens), £520 (Finsbury Circus)
• Commercial/corporate events Application Fee: £245
• Basic Hire Fee per hour (Up to 4 Hours): £215 (City Gardens), £2085 (Finsbury Circus)
• Full day: £1985 (City Gardens), £7820 (Finsbury Circus)
• Additional event day: £1105 (City Gardens), £7820 (Finsbury Circus)
• Non-profit/charity events Basic Hire Fee (1st hour): £200 (City Gardens), £1000 (Finsbury Circus)
• Subsequent hours (Up to 4 hours): £135 (City Gardens), £500 (Finsbury Circus)
• Full Day: £1315 (City Gardens), £3750 (Finsbury Circus)
• Commemorative Bench & Plaque Sponsorship fee: £2065

Responsible Dog Ownership

The Natural Environment Board is scheduled to discuss a report on responsible dog ownership in City Gardens.

The report follows a previous report to the committee in February 2024 concerning dog-related issues at Bunhill Fields, after which a new City Gardens Keeper role was created to enhance byelaw enforcement and promote responsible dog ownership. The report pack states that since the appointment of the Keeper in October 2024, there has been a significant and sustained improvement in compliance and behaviour among dog owners.

Data collected over the first year demonstrates a sharp decline in issue-based interventions and aggressive incidents, with no further issues recorded after June 2025. Dog fouling incidents remain at a low level and are primarily observed during periods when the Keeper is not on site. Feedback from stakeholders, including the Friends of City Gardens, indicates that the presence of the Keeper has greatly improved the overall atmosphere and safety of Bunhill Fields.

The report pack notes that data from other City Gardens sites highlights that while most sites experience low levels of irresponsible dog ownership there are two sites (West Smithfield Rotunda and St Barts the Great) which would benefit from the same approach employed at Bunhill.

The report recommends that the introduction of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) should not be pursued at this time, but the situation should be kept under review, with a further report brought to Committee should issues re-emerge.

Climate Action Strategy Update

The Natural Environment Board is scheduled to receive a verbal update on the Climate Action Strategy. The City of London's Climate Action Strategy sets out how the City of London will achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040.

City Gardens Update

The Natural Environment Board is scheduled to receive a verbal update from Officers of the Environment Department on the City Gardens.