Agenda and minutes

Resolved: - That the minutes of the Court of Aldermen held on 12^th September 2023 were correctly recorded.

[The minutes of the Court of Common Council were on the table.]

Resolved Unanimously:- That, upon his retirement as Alderman for the Ward of Langbourn, this Court desires to place on record its most sincere appreciation of the service that Alderman Sir David Wootton has given to the City Corporation and, in particular, to this Court, over the past twenty-one years.

His service with the Corporation began when he was first elected to the Court of Common Council for the Ward of Farringdon Within in 2002. Subsequently, in 2005, he was admitted to this Court as Alderman for the Ward of Langbourn. In 2009, Sir David was elected to the Office of Sheriff of the City of London and, in 2012, he became the City’s 684th Lord Mayor. Sir David’s Mayoral year was littered with once-in-a-lifetime events such as her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the London Olympic and Paralympic games. During his Mayoralty, Sir David worked tirelessly as an ambassador and strived, both at home and abroad, to promote the City and the UK as a key business centre, ensuring it was ‘Fit for the Future – the title of his Mayoral theme. He was knighted in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to legal business, charity and the City of London.

A proud Yorkshireman, Sir David was born in Bradford and began his early education at Bradford Grammar School before attending Jesus College, Cambridge, to read Classics and then Law. A lawyer by profession, he was a partner at Allen & Overy from 1979 to 2015,  specialising in corporate transactions and corporate governance.

Continuing this passion for governance, Sir David has served on numerous committees during his time with the Corporation. He has acted as Chairman or Deputy Chairman of a number of those, including, most notably,  Deputy Chairman of the Finance Committee and long-serving Chairman

The Comptroller & City Solicitor reported the result of the Wardmote held on 7th

September 2023 for the Election of an Alderman for the Ward of Bread Street.

The Bridgemasters, Mr Martin Frank Howard and Mr Peter Gordon Bennett, made

the prescribed declaration under the Promissory Oaths Act 1868 for the due

execution of the Office.

The Chamberlain presented the names of seventy-three persons to be made free of this City, and it is Ordered that they be admitted into the Freedom of this City accordingly, as follows:-

There was no report.

The Town Clerk lay before the Court a letter of surrender of office from Alderman Prem Goyal, OBE offering to surrender his Office of Alderman of the Ward of Portsoken.

RECEIVED.