Agenda item

Resolved unanimously – That Members of this Court wish to place on record their appreciation for the exemplary service that 

Dr Peter Kane

the City of London’s 80th Chamberlain, has given to the City of London Corporation over the last 7 years.  As Chamberlain, Peter has served in a successive line dating back to 1237, and in accordance with the requirements in ‘A New History of London’, published in 1773, has fulfilled the role with trust and fidelity.

He leaves the City Corporation with a sustainable medium-term financial plan, enabling financing of the City’s three ambitious projects for a vibrant and thriving city. This plan has been delivered during an extremely challenging time for the City Corporation’s finances with reductions in Government funding, alongside economic uncertainty; and most recently pressures from the pandemic. Possibly even more importantly, Peter has delivered a financial plan that is understandable to non-finance people.

Peter’s expertise has extended beyond City financial and ceremonial matters; he is also a Trustee and a member of CIPFA’s Council and serves as a non-executive at the Institute of Fiscal Studies.

Peter has always been a firm believer in leading by example and he was instrumental in embedding responsible business throughout the organisation; signing up our financial investment portfolio to the UN Principles of Responsible Investment. Indeed, the City Corporation’s award from Public Finance in 2017 for an outstanding procurement initiative, relating to the cleaning contract which had social responsibility and environmental awareness at the heart, as well as saving £1.5m over four years, is a measure of the tenacity with which he pursued both savings and social responsibility.

Under his leadership, there has been a step change in IT provision, especially the remote working functionality on which we have depended so heavily during the pandemic; the visibility of both Internal Audit and Risk Management has increased and internal governance functions have strengthened.  

Peter has performed his ceremonial duties with great panache, a highlight of which were the Honorary Freedoms; awarded to Tim Berners-Lee  in 2014 and Professor Stephen Hawking in 2017.

The Members of this Court, and particularly those who have served on the Finance and Audit and Risk Management Committees, have benefitted tremendously from his advice and guidance. His successful management of the City Corporation’s finances, through turbulent times, has helped to ensure that we are better prepared to meet the challenges likely to be faced in the coming years.  We wish Peter a long and happy retirement and both he and Jan every good wish for the future.