Agenda and minutes

Superintendent Lorenzo Conigliaro and Acting Sergeant Sybil Beaumont of the City of London Police.

The Chairman on behalf of the Committee congratulated the City Planning Team on their success in winning the award for Team of the Year at the New London Architecture Awards 2025.

He also congratulated the City of London’s Planning Service on the award of a Platinum rating for the pace and quality of planning decisions in the City.  The award arose from the annual ‘Best Council Decision Makers’ survey conducted by Planning Resource (the online site linked to the Planning brand), and the Service was one of only seven amongst some 300 English planning authorities to receive the Platinum rating.

Apologies for absence were received from Deputy Tom Sleigh (Chairman), Deputy Marianne Fredericks, Deputy Jaspreet Hodgson, Antony Manchester, Alderwoman Jennette Newman, Naresh Sonpar and David Williams.

Mathew Waters observed the meeting online.

There were none.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2025.

The public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 21 October 2025 were approved as an accurate record.

Report of the Executive Director, Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Environment which provided details of the review of the Carbon Options Guidance Planning Advice Note (COG PAN), adopted in March 2023.  Agreement was sought to adopt the COG PAN and the associated Carbon Options Tools spreadsheet.

The following issues arose from consideration of the report:

·         Officers undertook to add a reference to the Lighting Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) within Chapter 5 of the PAN (‘Other Policy Opportunities’).

·         In relation to a question regarding co-living schemes, Officers explained the policy approach included within the City Plan noting that there would be some instances in which, within residential areas and non-strategic sites, there may be proposals to convert offices to co-living use that met the aims of the City Plan.

With regard to the potential for application of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to co-living schemes, it was noted that the regulations governing CIL allowed only limited opportunities for flexibility.

Resolved: That Members –

Agree the adoption of the revised Carbon Options Guidance Planning Advice Note Version 02 and the Carbon Options Tool Spreadsheet Version 02 as set out at Appendices 1 and 2 of the report respectively.

Report of the Executive Director, Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Executive Director, Environment, which provided a mid-year update on the progress make towards delivering the Environment Department’s high-level Business Plan 2025-30 by the service areas of the Environment Department which fell withing the Committee’s remit.

The report summarised the progress made against the major workstreams and performance measures during the first two quarters of 2025/26.  An update from The Chamberlain on the financial position to the end of Quarter Two was also provided.

The following issues arose from consideration of the report:

·         Officers commented on the engagement sessions which had taken place with CAS ‘Square Mile’ Programme stakeholders, including the well-received Sustainable City Summit.  Although the target of 10 sessions in 2025/26 may not be achieved, much work was in progress with more activity planned for the future.

·         Officers undertook to provide a response outside the meeting clarifying the definition of terms used within the Business Plan, such as ‘health’ and ‘leisure’, which had multiple meanings.  Clarity of definition regarding their meaning in relation to workstreams was of particular importance.

Resolved: That Members –

Note the content of the report and its appendices.

Report of the Executive Director, Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Executive Director, Environment which provided assurance that risk management procedures within the Environment Department were satisfactory and met the requirements of the Corporate Risk Management Framework.  The report considered the key business risks managed by the service areas of the Environment Department which fell within the Committee’s remit.

Concerns regarding the continued high level of risk associated with road safety were addressed during consideration of the following item on the agenda (Transport Strategy: Vision Zero Action Plan Annual Report, minute 7 below refers).

Resolved: That Members –

Note the report and the actions being taken by the Environment Department to identify, mitigate and effectively manage risks arising from their operations.

Report of the Executive Director, Environment.

Representatives of the City of London Police were in attendance and contributed to the debate on this item.

The Committee received a report of the Executive Director, Environment which presented an annual statement on information and actions linked to the key strategic aims and ambitions within the City’s Transport Strategy.  It was noted that the data indicated an overall reduction in the risk of people being injured in road traffic collisions.

Arising from consideration of this report and the previous item concerning risk management (minute 6 above refers), there was a detailed discussion concerning road safety, in particular the high level of risk which it represented within the City.  Although the broad range of engineering interventions was welcome, campaigns and engagement activities were perceived as being less co-ordinated and effective, as was the approach to addressing pedestrian behaviour.

The following issues were considered:

·         The challenges of achieving a successful engagement campaign were acknowledged.  Police representatives agreed to engage with Members post-meeting to seek their views on previous engagement activities and ideas regarding effectiveness.

·         Dockless bikes, including instances of poor parking, were identified as a potential factor affecting road safety.

·         A Member commented on one potential consequence of engineering interventions, which was the mitigation of risk by moving traffic from one area to a safer one.

·         The importance of achieving a correct balance between road safety and facilitating efficiency of movement across the City was highlighted.

·         Responding to questions concerning the amount of development work taking place in certain areas of the City, Officers commented on the arrangements in place to ensure the co-ordination of projects and mitigation of the challenges and effects.  This topic would be the subject of a future all-Members training session.

A question concerning a specific aspect of road safety was considered during the non-public

Report of the City Remembrancer and the Executive Director Environment.

The Committee received a report by the City Remembrancer and the Executive Director, Environment which summarised the proposals contained within the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, highlighting the provisions of greatest interest to the City Corporation.  It was noted that the Bill had completed its Third Reading in the House of Lords and was therefore nearing the end of its Parliamentary process.

The report was noted.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee received a report by The Chamberlain setting out action taken in respect of any deficit or surplus in the City of London’s On-Street Parking Account for the financial year 2024/2025.  The information would be reported to the Mayor of London in accordance with the annual requirement to do so for all London authorities.

Resolved: That Members –

Note the contents of the report prior to submission to the Mayor of London.

Information was provided as follows in response to questions concerning the current position of the carbon offsetting funds received on implementation of planning permission and a perceived lack of transparency on this issue.

What sums are currently held and what sums are expected in the next three to five years? 

The figure in terms of what has been received to date shifts all the time but is upwards of £1.5m.

Payments for carbon offsetting are made on completion of development (unlike other planning obligations). From schemes that have been approved but not yet completed, we expect to see further income of upwards of £10m in the coming years (assuming these schemes get built out).

How have these funds been allocated over the last 3-5 years and what is the mechanism for determining where they have been or will be spent. 

The City Surveyor’s Department have responsibility for identifying energy efficiency and carbon reduction projects for allocation of funds and these are agreed by the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee and Projects and Procurement Sub-Committee.

Roughly £3m of funding has been allocated to projects, including:

• Lighting and ventilation upgrades to Tower Hill Coach & Car Park
• Site optimisation for buildings connected to Citigen
• Capital delivery at Golden Lane Leisure Centre, City of London Boy’s School and City of London Girl’s School

Is a regular report on these sums provided to this committee or elsewhere? Should the information be readily available? 

Although the Committee does not currently receive a regular report, a snapshot of the situation to date will be provided to this Committee in the New Year.  For the future, the information will be incorporated into the annual Infrastructure Funding Statement report, submitted to this committee towards the end of each calendar year.  This will include details of CIL income and how this has

To note that meetings of the Committee will be held on the following dates in 2026:

Meetings will take place in Committee Rooms 3 and 4 at The Guildhall.

It was noted that meetings of the Committee would take place on the following dates in 2026:

Meetings to take place in Committee Rooms 3 and 4 at The Guildhall.

There was no additional business.

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.

RESOLVED – that, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public e excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To approve the non-public minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 21 October 2025.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2025 were approved.

Officers responded to a Member’s question arising from consideration of the minutes.

Report of the Executive Director Environment.

The Committee received and noted a report of the Executive Director, Environment and The Chamberlain.

Report of the City Surveyor and Executive Director of Property.

The Committee received and noted a report of the City Surveyor and Executive Director of Property.

A Member asked a question on a specific aspect of road safety, arising from the report on the Transport Strategy considered during the public part of the meeting (Minute 7 above refers).

There was no additional non-public business.