Q. As one of the most prominent city centres in the world, how is the City of London Corporation reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic?
It is fair to say the City has suffered a once in a generation shock that has rocked and tested what we know about our society and the way we work and do business.
Within this context my priorities can be grouped into three themes my department will focus on: flourishing society; thriving economy and outstanding environments.
Q. How can the City promote a flourishing society?
More than ever, we must recognise the City is more than a place of business. We want to deliver a range of services that meet the needs of the City’s diverse communities in a sustainable and inclusive way, addressing the health, employment, education, leisure and housing needs of the people who work in, live in and visit the City.
Q. How can your department promote a thriving economy?
The City has many peers challenging its role as the world’s leading international financial and professional services centre. The City as a place of business is more important than ever as a driver of the national economy, so needs to be supported by corporation services that enable continual innovation and the development of new business areas, including in tech and creative sectors.
Other cities in Europe lack the connectivity and buzz that London offers and I want to make sure quantity and quality of new development, particularly office- led development, meets the growing needs of business.
This will support and strengthen opportunities for the continued collaboration and clustering of businesses that is vital to the City’s operation and its pre-eminence.
Now is not the time to be insular or elitist – the City must set the pace for inclusivity, so we will continue to build on the successes we’ve had, such as encouraging rooftop accessibility. In particular, we need to ensure the City is a 24/7 destination.
Q. How can you promote outstanding environments?
Deliveries and servicing have long been a challenge for the City of London, so I will focus on partnership working with City businesses and developers to minimise the number of delivery and servicing trips into the City. This will help reduce congestion and improve air quality.
The City is known for being a centre of world class architecture, but we cannot rest on our laurels. Buildings need to be flexible and adaptable as well as high-quality, with public realm at the forefront of considerations. More than ever, the City needs to produce public realm for people to admire and enjoy, and buildings need to be in the right location.
I would expect the Square Mile to become a much greener place, with additional planting in and around new and existing buildings. This will enhance the environment and help in combating the impacts of pollution, which assists the City Corporation in meeting the ambitious targets set out in our radical Climate Action Strategy.
Q. What difference will we see in the City of London in the 2020s?
I will plan for the systemic shifts in the role of cities and to challenge the assumptions about what makes a city great. I want to create a people-centred Square Mile that promotes the mental and physical wellbeing of all residents, workers and visitors.
I will bring a sharp focus to partnership, working in co-operation with a range of organisations, including developers, businesses, residents, community and amenity groups, transport and service providers, Central Government, the Mayor of London and other London boroughs to deliver positive improvements across the City.
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