The Court of Common Council met on Thursday 25 June 2026, with the agenda including the introduction of a newly elected member, mayoral engagements, and a policy statement. The meeting also scheduled discussions on committee appointments, a highway maintenance contract extension, and applications for the Freedom of the City.

Introduction of Newly Elected Member

The Court was scheduled to welcome John Griffiths, who was elected to represent the Coleman Street ward.

Mayoral Engagements

The Right Honourable The Lady Mayor was due to report on her recent engagements.

Policy Statement

A statement from the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee was scheduled to be received.

Appointments

The meeting was set to consider several committee and outside body appointments. These included:

• Local Government Pensions Board: Two members were to be appointed, one for a term expiring in December 2027 and another for a four-year term. John Griffiths was nominated for these positions.
• Licensing Committee: One member was to be appointed for a one-year term. Tim McNally was nominated.
• Education Board: Two members were to be appointed for two-year terms. Tessa Marchington and John Griffiths were nominated.
• Digital Services Committee: One member was to be appointed for a four-year term. Mandeep Thandi was nominated.
• Board of Governors of the City of London Freemen's School: Three members were to be appointed for terms expiring in July 2027 and July 2028. Philip Woodhouse was nominated.
• Mitchell City of London Charity and Educational Foundation: One member was to be appointed for a term running to March 2027. Tim McNally was nominated.

Finance Committee: Highway Maintenance Contract Extension

A proposal was scheduled for consideration regarding the extension of the highway maintenance contract with FM Conway. The contract, initially awarded in June 2022 for five years, included an option to extend for a further five-year period, from June 2027 to June 2032. The report pack indicated that FM Conway had consistently achieved high performance across all contractual Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including timely delivery, adherence to specifications, and responsiveness. The report highlighted FM Conway's effective cost management and collaborative approach.

The Finance Committee and Project and Procurement Sub-Committee recommended activating the five-year extension to mitigate potential cost increases associated with a full retender. The recommendation was for the Court of Common Council to agree to the extension and instruct the Comptroller and City Solicitor to prepare the necessary documentation.

The Freedom of the City

The Court was scheduled to consider a circulated list of applications for the Freedom of the City by Redemption. The report pack listed numerous individuals applying for this honour, along with the names of those nominating them.

Motions

Several motions concerning appointments to Ward Committees were scheduled for noting or decision.

• Motions by Deputy Ceri Wilkins and Deputy Ann Corbett: These motions were to note two appointments to the Planning and Transportation Committee under urgency procedures. Jacqui Webster was to be appointed in place of Dawn Frampton for the Ward of Cripplegate, and Adam Hogg was to be appointed in place of Gaby Robertshaw for the Ward of Cripplegate.
• Motion by Deputy Peter Dunphy MBE: This motion proposed the appointment of Joanna Abeyie MBE to the Planning and Transportation Committee, in place of pairing arrangements for the Ward of Cornhill.
• Motion by Deputy Dawn Wright: This motion proposed the appointment of John Griffiths to the Community and Children's Services Committee, in place of Alderman Sushil Saluja, for the Ward of Coleman Street.

Legislation

A report was scheduled to be received outlining measures introduced into Parliament that may affect the services provided by the City Corporation. This included information on the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, the Victims and Courts Bill, and the Crime and Policing Act, as well as various Statutory Instruments.

Ballot Results

The Town Clerk was due to report the outcome of ballots taken at the previous Court meeting. These included appointments to the Civic Affairs Sub-Committee, the Policy and Resources Committee, the Investment Committee, the City of London Police Authority Board, the Corporate Services Committee, the Board of Governors of the City of London Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Barbican Centre Board, and the Freedom Applications Sub-Committee.

Non-Public Business

The meeting also included a motion to exclude the public for certain items of business, citing the likely disclosure of exempt information. These items included the non-public minutes of the previous meeting, a report from the Policy & Resources Committee concerning the Freedom of the City of London, a report from the Finance Committee relating to the London Museum, and a report from the Civic Affairs Sub-Committee concerning the provision of hospitality.