Agenda item

Joint report of the, Executive Director & Private Secretary to the Lord Mayor, the Director of Innovation & Growth, the Deputy Town Clerk and the Chief Strategy Officer.

The Committee received a joint report of the Executive Director & Private Secretary to the Lord Mayor, the Director of Innovation & Growth, the Deputy Town Clerk and the Chief Strategy Officer outlining the proposed mayoral theme to be championed, subject to election, by the Lord Mayor of London 2024-25, Alderman Alastair King.

It was highlighted that the Mayoral Theme – Growth Unleashed – was intended to empower the City and its communities to seize opportunities, maximise growth and succeed. The report set out the final version of the theme and key activities that will be undertaken during the Mayoral year, following the preliminary ‘high-level’ theme that was agreed at previous meetings of this committee.

Alderman King highlighted that he had linked in with what the City of London Corporation had already done around its Vision for Economic Growth and also its City Belonging Project – seeking to add the Mayoral Theme to already established foundations. He added that he had held numerous events in recent months to help stress test the proposed theme and seek input on this and anticipated output from the wider City. He highlighted that there was a forthcoming Mayoral Theme event planned specifically for the under 40s so as to capture the City’s rising stars both in the Financial and Professional Services sphere but also in the voluntary sector.

Alderman King went on to report that he was also working alongside the Lord Mayor’s Appeal to try and raise money from various different, specific communities during his Mayoral year. He also spoke on joined up thinking and referred to string links between his own theme and that of Sir Nicholas Lyons who had focused on ‘Financing our Future’ and also with what the current Lord Mayor was doing around new technologies. There was also now an agreement amongst the next three Aldermen like to become Lord Mayor that all would continue to promote the growth agenda.

Finally, Alderman King spoke of launching 15 new employee resource networks within the City and also referenced launching the Lord Mayor’s Award in his Mayoral Year – this would cut across all of his proposed strands of work and recognise and celebrate real excellence.

The Deputy Chairman noted that the Court of Aldermen would also have a session on the Mayoral Theme, particularly the communities element of this, ahead of their next meeting in September.

RESOLVED:- That Members note the 2024-2025 Mayoral Priorities as set out in this Report.