Agenda and minutes

Venue: Livery Hall - Guildhall. View directions

Contact: Gemma Stokley
tel. no.: 020 7332 3414  Email: gemma.stokley@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Mark Bostock, Henry Colthurst, Karina Dostalova, Peter Dunphy, Sophie Fernandes, Tracey Graham, Christopher Hill, Alderman Robert Hughes-Penney, Oliver Lodge, Natasha Lloyd-Owen, Andrew Mayer, Deputy Henry Pollard and Alderman Sir David Wootton.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

2.

Members' Declarations under the Code of Conduct in respect of items on the agenda

Minutes:

Alderman Prem Goyal declared a standing, personal interest in agenda items 6, 7 and 10 by virtue of holding a tenancy in the Ward of Farringdon Within.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 186 KB

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 30 April 2019.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 3.

Minutes:

The Committee considered and approved the public minutes of the meeting held on 30 April 2019 as a correct record.

 

MATTERS ARISING

Land Adjacent to 20 Bury Street London EC3A 5AX (page 7) – The Chief Planning Officer and Development Director reported that the Section 106 terms were still being negotiated with the applicant and that the 14 day period in which the Mayor had to respond to this was therefore still to be triggered. Notwithstanding this, an Article 31 had been placed by the Secretary of State meaning that the City Corporation could not determine the application without first advising the Secretary of State.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

MINUTES OF THE STREETS AND WALKWAYS SUB COMMITTEE pdf icon PDF 99 KB

To receive the draft minutes of the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee meeting held on 17 April 2019.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 4.

Minutes:

The Committee received the draft minutes of the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee meeting held on 17 April 2019.

 

MATTERS ARISING

All Change at Bank (page 22) – A Member requested an update on the progress of the scheme which had also been considered by the Finance Committee earlier this week. Officers reported that, at the Policy and Resources Committee meeting on 2 May 2019, Members agreed to delegate a decision regarding the continuation of, and further capital spending on, the All Change at Bank project during the period of the fundamental review to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chairman of Resource Allocation Sub Committee. Members agreed this approach subject to the reprioritisation of funding within the Department of the Built Environment and on the basis that there be no resultant increase in central budgets in the 2019/20 financial year. Officers were instructed to produce a report under urgency to the Chair & Deputy Chairman of Resource Allocation Sub-Committee setting out the detail of how this is to be achieved. The urgency requested that Section 106 funding be utilised to fund the All Change at Bank project to Gateway 4 whilst the fundamental review was underway.

 

In response to questions around the delay to works, the Director of the Built Environment expressed concern around the momentum of this and reported that the urgency had led to significant further questions about the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee’s prioritisation around this project and was still, therefore, yet to be signed off. It was estimated that approximately 1 month had been lost already in terms of progressing the works and Officers would need to give careful thought as to how this could now be made up for.

 

Members echoed the Director’s disappointment and asked that a clear message

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

APPOINTMENT OF STREETS AND WALKWAYS SUB COMMITTEE - RE-BALLOT

The Town Clerk to be heard.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 5.

Minutes:

The Chairman stated that it was disappointing to note the error that had been made in terms of the appointment of Members to the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee subsequent to the last meeting.

 

He went on to state that the total number of Members appointed to each Sub Committee was set out constitutionally for efficiency reasons. He added that his own view was that there must be an optimum size for each Sub Committee and that, whilst he had no wish to prevent Members who were not appointed to specific Sub Committee’s providing adequate notice to the Chair and Deputy Chairman that they would be attending specific meetings and wishing to make specific points, he would not encourage this to be regular practice.

 

The Deputy Chairman stated that he fully endorsed this view and wished to move that the Committee’s resolution that the membership of the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee be expanded to incorporate eight Members from the grand Committee be rescinded and the number revert to seven, with the re-ballot therefore being for one remaining place between those three Members who had tied in the original ballot. The motion was seconded and put immediately to the vote.

 

Votes on the Motion were cast as follows:    

·         In favour– 18 Members

·         Opposed – 0 Members

·         Abstentions – 1 Member

 

Members therefore proceeded to ballot for one remaining place on the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee between those three Members who had tied in the original ballot – Deputy Jamie Ingham Clark, Marianne Fredericks and William Upton QC. Members were content to allow the votes to be counted as the meeting proceeded with the Assistant Town Clerk acting as scrutineer. Members requested that the votes for each candidate be read out in full.

 

The Town Clerk delivered the result as

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

DELEGATED DECISIONS OF THE CHIEF PLANNING OFFICER AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR pdf icon PDF 118 KB

Report of the Chief Planning Officer and Development Director.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 6.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Chief Planning Officer and Development Director detailing development and advertisement applications determined by the Chief Planning Officer and Development Director or those so authorised under their delegated powers since the report to the last meeting.

 

RECEIVED.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

VALID PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT pdf icon PDF 77 KB

Report of the Chief Planning Officer and Development Director.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Chief Planning Officer and Development Director detailing development applications received by the Department of the Built Environment since the report to the last meeting.

 

A Member stated that she had been informed that the application relating to 26A Savage Gardens had not been signed by the applicant and that this matter had been raised with the Department of the Built Environment by residents. She added that she had also been informed that the description provided was inaccurate and questioned whether the application could therefore be validated. The Chief Planning Officer and Development Director stated that, as she had not received notice of these questions, she would undertake to look in to this application specifically and report back to the Member. She did, however, add that she believed that an electronic signature on an application was sufficient.

 

Another Member stated that he believed that there were also issues around the description of the application relating to 10 Bolt Court. The Chief Planning Officer and Development Director confirmed that revised details of this had not yet been received.

 

RECEIVED.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

OUTSTANDING ACTIONS pdf icon PDF 62 KB

Report of the Town Clerk.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 8.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk detailing outstanding actions from their last meeting.

 

Updates were provided as follows:

 

Ludgate Circus

It was highlighted that this was the subject of a separate agenda item.

 

Daylight/Sunlight Training

It was noted that training had been organised to take place from 10-11am on Tuesday 18 June, immediately prior to the next Planning and Transportation Committee taking place that same morning.

 

A Member commented that he hoped that the training would cover not only theory but how this impacted on planning decisions. He referred to a recent course he had attended externally which had referenced 2 recent cases that had been brought to Judicial Review. The Chief Planning Officer and Development Director assured Members that the City Corporation almost always requested an independent assessment of daylight/sunlight submissions.

 

A Member questioned whether a one hour session would be sufficient on this subject. The Chief Planning Officer and Development Director stated that the session was intended to provide Members with an overview of and a useful introduction to the matter. If it was subsequently felt that more in-depth training was required this could be arranged.

 

Daylight/Sunlight- Alternative Guidelines

The Chief Planning Officer and Development Director reported that this would now be the subject of a report to the July 2019 meeting of this Committee, given that training was now scheduled for June 2019.

 

Illegal Street Traders on the City’s Bridges

It was highlighted that this was the subject of a separate agenda item.

 

Millennium Inclinator

It was highlighted that this was the subject of a separate agenda item.

 

Air Quality

The Chairman referred to the all pervading nature of Air Quality across the City Corporation’s work. He assured Members that a formal mechanism whereby he and the Deputy Chairman would meet periodically with the

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Ludgate Circus - Presentation/Proposals from Vision Zero/TfL

Representatives from TfL to be heard.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 9.

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Stuart Reid, Interim Director of Vision Zero at Transport for London (TfL), stating that he was very grateful to have someone of this calibre present today to address the Committee. He added that he would like to thank Mr Reid for the open dialogue that he had helped to facilitate on Ludgate Circus.

 

Mr Reid began by praising the strong collaborative partnership between TfL and the City Corporation on this work and spoke of plans to introduce more significant/bold improvements to the junction going forward. Mr Reid’s presentation to the Committee covered the following points:

 

·         Vision Zero – Targets – Mr Reid spoke on short, medium and longer term targets as well as bus casualty targets;

·         Rationale for the current design at Ludgate Circus;

·         Finding the right safety solution - reducing waiting time for pedestrians as much as possible as well as changing signal timings to encourage pedestrians to cross safely;

·         Proposals to improve road safety at Ludgate Circus - restricting turning movements Southbound from Ludgate Hill and at Fleet Street which would provide an additional 30-35 seconds crossing time for some pedestrians. Mr Reid commented that a surprisingly small number of vehicles were currently making this turn, even at peak times, and that it was therefore felt that this traffic could be re-routed via

Queen Victoria Street where it was felt that the impact would be acceptable. There were also proposals around removing east-west movements turning south into New Bridge Street. It was reported that one night bus route currently took this turn and that this route would be retained. Members were informed that thought was now being given as to how these proposals might be enforced with the potential use of CCTV under consideration.;

·         Timescales for delivery of the new proposals – Mr Reid

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Millennium Inclinator Report pdf icon PDF 92 KB

Report of the City Surveyor.  

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the City Surveyor regarding the Millennium Inclinator.

 

The City Surveyor highlighted that approximately £1.3 million had been spent on maintaining the Inclinator to date which was inclusive of the sum of £752,000 spent on its replacement in 2012 in time for the London Olympic Games.

 

A Member commented that he felt that the course of action now recommended within the report was the best option at this stage. Another Member questioned why the Inclinator had been installed in the first place but conceded that the proposal to allow the City Surveyor to commence discussions with the developer of the Millennium Bridge Development to deliver a long-term option of replacing the Inclinator with a more suitable alternative.

 

Another Member agreed with the proposal that advice now be sought from Kone on the best way to maintain the Inclinator with that service regime then forming part of the new tender exercise which was to be undertaken in the near future to set a new maintenance contract in place. He also questioned whether there was evidence to suggest that the lift was still being misused and, if so, how this might be tackled.

 

A Member questioned whether alternative structures would be looked at longer term given that technology and materials had moved on since its initial instalment. She referred to the fact that, at present, it impacted negatively on views of St Paul’s.

 

The Chairman noted that discussions with the developer of Millennium Bridge House were an option at this stage but that it was important for Members of the Committee not to pre-judge anything at this stage.

 

The City Surveyor concluded by clarifying that she was currently liaising directly with Kone on this matter and that Kone currently managed all TfL lifts. Once the tender exercise

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Dark House Walk city walkway alteration pdf icon PDF 62 KB

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment regarding a City walkway alteration in relation to Dark House Walk.

 

Officers began by drawing Members’ attention to the fact that an amended resolution and an enlarged, colour version of the city walkway alteration plan at Appendix 2B had been tabled.

 

A Member questioned the effects of the proposed alteration which seemed to narrow the walkway in parts. He questioned why this was therefore recommended and highlighted that, at present, it was possible for the public to walk either side of the street furniture situated here whereas the alterations would mean that it was only possible to walk on one side.

 

Another Member stated that he felt that the riverside walkway was an important amenity and was therefore supportive of these proposals. Another Member stated that, whilst it was fair to say that the Riverside Walkway was currently under utilised, the completion of this had taken some 20 years to date.

 

A Member expressed concern that the walkway, which was public realm, would be taken away and allocated for private use under these proposals. She questioned how, with this being the case, consent had been granted without first consulting this Committee. Another Member stated that she also had some difficulty in understanding the recommendations and shared the same concerns around giving away an area of prime public realm to a private developer. She went on to question whether it was also intended to remove the benches from this area which had previously been a well used/busy space. Whilst she was happy to see further use of the walkway encouraged, she objected to this being given away. The Member went on to question whether the space was intended to house outside tables for the two storey restaurant

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

Department of the Built Environment: 'Brexit' Update pdf icon PDF 56 KB

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment updating Members on the potential implications of Brexit for the Department of the Built Environment.

 

RESOLVED – That, Members note the report and that further update reports will be made to subsequent meetings of the Committee as appropriate.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

Update on Street Trading Enforcement for the City's Bridges. pdf icon PDF 65 KB

Report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 13.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection updating Members on progress with enforcement in relation to illegal street trading on the City’s bridges.

 

Officers were pleased to report that the enforcement work had been a great success to date with the bridges remaining largely clear in terms of illegal street traders. It was highlighted that the traders tended to be very opportunistic and that enforcement would respond flexibly to this, particularly as the Summer months approached.

 

A Member praised the hard work and persistence of Officers in this area and underlined that continual enforcement would be key here. He questioned whether the Police had been forthcoming in terms of assistance and co-operation. Officers reported that the Police had been incredibly helpful to date and had recently re-prioritised this work for which they were very grateful.

 

Another Member questioned reference within the report to the 79 illegal gambling operations that had been disrupted in the past six months and praised the efforts of  Officers in relation to this. It was noted that the Police would now also be pursuing this matter.

 

A Member echoed the thanks given to Officers for their efforts in this area and also highlighted the assistance of CCTV evidence in supporting some prosecutions to date.

 

RESOLVED – That, Members note the contents of the report and that Officers will be undertaking a full review prior to the end of the two-year trial period.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

14.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the committee

Minutes:

Ocean Diva

A Member referred to the proposed operation of the Ocean Diva (a 1,500 capacity, three-deck high party boat – on the River Thames. He noted that the application for this sat with the PLA but that a future planning application at Swan Lane Pier to facilitate the mooring of the vessel at Swan Lane would be considered by this Committee in due course.

 

The Member went on to question what control, if any, this Committee might have over the size of the proposed vessel which would be 3-4 times the size of existing party vessels that utilised the river.

 

The Chief Planning Officer and Development Director confirmed that the vessel would be regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency with the application regarding Swan Lane Pier currently due to be considered by this Committee in July/September 2019. The application would facilitate the mooring of the vessel at Swan Lane if the pier were to be reconfigured as proposed. It was noted, however, that the vessel could operate on the river, subject to other consents, from other existing piers regardless of this.

 

The Chairman noted that, as the recently approved Transport Strategy included use of the river, it was right that this Committee should have an eye to this in terms of river traffic and have further details on this and any other lawful considerations within any future report accompanying the planning application.

 

The Chief Planning Officer and Development Director articulated that it was within the power of this Committee to control what happens landside in terms of the hours that it was possible for vessels to dock and be serviced and that these aspects would be reported on.

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

15.

Any other Business that the Chairman considers urgent

Minutes:

 There were no additional, urgent items of business for consideration.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

16.

Exclusion of the Public

MOTION – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 16.

Minutes:

RESOLVED - That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 

                        Item No.                                  Paragraph No(s)

                         17-18                                                   3

                          

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

17.

NON-PUBLIC MINUTES OF THE STREETS AND WALKWAYS SUB COMMITTEE

To receive the draft non-public minutes of the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee meeting held on 17 April 2019.

 

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 17.

Minutes:

The Committee received the draft minutes of the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee meeting held on 17 April 2019.  

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

18.

Last Mile Logistics Update

Joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of the Built Environment.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 18.

Minutes:

The Committee received a joint report of the Director of the Built Environment and the Chamberlain providing Members with an overview of progress towards delivering Last Mile Logistics Hubs within the Square Mile.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

19.

Non-Public questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions in the non-public session.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

20.

Any other business that the Chairman considers urgent and which the committee agrees should be considered whilst the public are excluded

Minutes:

Officers provided Members with an update on Dockless Cycle Hire in the City.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.