Agenda item

Congratulatory resolutions:

Resolved unanimously - that the sincere congratulations of this Court be offered to Alderman Fiona Woolf CBE on her recent appointment by Her Majesty the Queen as Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to the legal profession, diversity and the City of London; and to His Honour Judge Brian Barker, QC, the retiring Recorder of London, on his recent appointment by Her Majesty the Queen as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to the administration of justice and to charity.

Vote of Thanks to Neil Redcliffe:

Resolved unanimously – that in taking their leave of Neil Redcliffe upon his retirement as Alderman for the Ward of Bishopsgate, this Court desires to place on record its most sincere appreciation of the service that he has given to the City Corporation and, in particular, to this Court, over the past 5 years.

Neil was elected as an Alderman for the Ward of Bishopsgate in 2009.  Having been educated at the University of London where he read Economics and trained with Price Waterhouse in London, Neil qualified as a Chartered Accountant.  During the 1980’s and early 1990’s Neil ran his own Property Development, Property Investment & Building businesses and, in 1995, he obtained an MBA from the Cranfield School of Management.

In addition to his service on a number of City of London Corporation Committees, Neil has remained closely involved in Ward activities throughout his civic career.  He has also been an active and enthusiastic member of the Livery, following in the footsteps of his Grandfather as the City Livery Club’s 100th President and having served as Past Prime Warden of the Basketmakers’ Company; a Court Assistant of the World Traders’ Company and as an Honorary Liveryman of the Paviors’ Company. 

On taking their leave, his colleagues would like to express to Neil their thanks and good wishes, together with the hope that he and Emma will long retain many happy memories of his civic life and all he has achieved for the City, the Corporation and this Court.”

Vote of Thanks to His Honour Judge Brian Barker CBE, Q.C (Recorder of London):

Resolved unanimously - that, upon the retirement of His Honour Judge Brian Barker, CBE, Q.C., the members of this Court wish to express their sincere gratitude for the service he has given to the Corporation and to this Court both before and since his appointment to the office of Recorder of London in 2013.  Today marks the end of a significant period of service to both the City and to the administration of justice, and thanks of the highest order are due. 

Having been called to the bar in 1969, Brian started practice as a barrister in London in 1970.  His practice, following his appointment as Queen’s Counsel in 1990, was fairly evenly divided between defending and prosecuting, with increasing amounts of fraud cases and he also represented the Crown Prosecution Service in the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.  His judicial abilities were realised by his appointment as a Senior Circuit Judge and permanent Judge at the Central Criminal Court in 2000; thereafter in 2004 he was appointed to sit as an additional judge in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division of the Royal Courts of Justice and in 2005 he was appointed Deputy Senior Judge at the Central Criminal Court and additionally, as the Common Serjeant of London.   Since his appointment as the Senior Judge at the Central Criminal Court and as The Recorder of London in 2013, Brian has successfully managed the varied and complex issues arising from what remains a very busy and high profile court.  Since 2011, he has also served as Deputy Chairman of the Judicial Advisory Group (I.T. usage and Development) and between 2003 and 2007 he served as Course Director for Criminal Continuation Seminars at the Judicial Studies Board for England and Wales.  Throughout his career he has also fulfilled a number of other positions including Treasurer of the Board of the Sir John Cass’s Foundation between 2005 and 2007; and Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association of England and Wales between 1998 and 2000.

Brian’s service to the City and to the Aldermanic Court is well known to us all and his help and advice on all matters Civic will be missed by honourable Members of this Court. As a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers and a past Master of the Worshipful Company of Coopers his links with the City will remain, although he should now, following his retirement be able to devote more time to running his smallholding and raising sheep.  We also acknowledge, and are grateful for, the tremendous support and contribution of The Rt Hon Lady Justice Rafferty; and we wish them both well as they embark on their next chapter.

His Honour Judge Brian Barker CBE, Q.C replied in suitable terms.