The Planning and Transportation Committee met on Wednesday 6 May 2026. The committee elected a new Chair and Deputy Chair. The committee appointed members to the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee and the Local Plans Sub-Committee, and approved the terms of reference for both, as well as the terms of reference for the Planning Applications Sub-Committee. The committee also approved overseas travel for the Chair to attend the World Cities Summit in Singapore.

Election of Chair and Deputy Chair

The committee proceeded to elect its Chair and Deputy Chair for the ensuing year. Deputy Tom Sleigh was elected as Chair, being the only Member to express willingness to serve. Following a ballot, Deputy Madush Gupta was elected as Deputy Chair.

Appointment of Sub-Committees

The committee received a report from the Town Clerk regarding the appointment of its sub-committees. Following ballots, the following members were appointed to the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee: Deputy John Edwards, Deputy John Fletcher, Alderman Alison Gowman CBE, Shravan Joshi MBE, Deputy Deborah Oliver TD, Matthew Waters, and Jacqui Webster. The committee also approved the sub-committee's terms of reference, with a correction noted regarding ex-officio appointments.

The following members were appointed to the Local Plans Sub-Committee: Deputy Keith Bottomley, Deputy John Edwards, Shravan Joshi MBE, Charles Edward Lord OBE JP, Deputy Alastair Moss, and Deputy Henry Pollard. The committee also approved the terms of reference for this sub-committee.

The terms of reference for the Planning Applications Sub-Committee were also approved.

Overseas Travel Approval

The committee approved a report seeking approval for the Chair of the Planning and Transportation Committee's travel to Singapore. The purpose of the trip was to attend the World Cities Summit, engage with the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority, and conduct external stakeholder engagement and site visits. The cost of this travel was reported as £7,789.58, funded by the City Fund Revenue Budget. The report highlighted that the visit would showcase London's planning achievements, including its recent win of the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, and foster international collaboration.

Questions on Climate Resilience

A question was raised by a Member regarding the climate resilience of the City's infrastructure. The Senior Sustainability & Lead Environmental Resilience Officer confirmed that insights were being coordinated and that progress had been made against the Climate Resilience Review published in July 2024. The City Operations Director also noted good relationships with utility companies and requested assistance from the committee in identifying operational problems, particularly concerning power and water. A form for reporting such issues online was to be shared with committee members.

Next Meeting

The committee was informed that its next meeting was scheduled for Monday 22 June 2026 at 1.45 pm.