News March 2019

The strategy recognises that over the years ahead increased From the Editor… numbers of people travelling to and around the Square Mile need to be comfortably and safely accommodated. It also seeks to Welcome to this latest edition of ensure that the City remains a healthy, attractive and easy place to Candlewick News which is my live, work and visit. The key proposals included in the strategy are: chance to update you all on the • Prioritising pedestrians; various things going on in the City • Developing a congestion charge that will reduce motor that might impact Candlewick traffic by 25% by 2030 and 50% by 2044; Ward. First and foremost a warm welcome to all • Alter the street design such that those whose destination is our newly registered electors and a reminder to you not in the square mile are diverted away from entering it; all that my contact details and those of my Civic • Improving air quality and reducing noise pollution by colleagues, our Alderman Emma Edhem and our enabling the switch to zero emission (electric) vehicles; Deputy Kevin Everett, are on the back page of this • Improve safety with a 15 mph speed limit; newsletter so please do contact any of us if you have • Introduce measures to manage deliveries better such that any issues or concerns. You will also find a reminder there is a reduction of 15% in delivery vehicles entering the about our annual Wardmote, which is an open City by 2030; meeting for all electors in the Ward and any others • Improve conditions for cyclists; who are interested, to come and hear from us and • Supporting improvements to local, national and ask questions. I do hope you will come. There is a lot international connections; in this newsletter which I hope you find informative • Improve accessibility particularly Tube accesses, clearing pavements and clearing pedestrian crossings; and helpful. Once you have read it perhaps you would consider pinning it to a staff notice board so • Improving street lighting; and that your colleagues who are not electors can read it. • Introducing a Transport Advisory Board to advise the City Corporation.

James de Sausmarez Enhancements to the proposed strategy will no doubt emerge from Common Councilman the consultation so look out for the final document later in the year.

Annual Wardmote – Wednesday 20 March The City’s first ever Transport 2019 at Noon Strategy published The annual Wardmote is Over the last 12 months the City of Corporation has taking place on Wednesday developed and consulted on its first long-term Transport 20 March 2019 at the Church Strategy. The new strategy is currently being finalised following of St Clements , St the closing of the public consultation and is expected to be Clements Lane, London EC4N adopted in the next few months. Over 3000 responses to the 7HB. Wardmotes are Ward consultation were received. meetings that take place on an annual basis outside election years to allow constituents to meet and hear from their Alderman and Common Councilmen about the work they have been doing and any relevant news. Constituents can raise any concerns and ask questions. There are a couple of brief formal items to attend to which are concerned with appointing Ward officers and there is an element of City tradition to observe in the way that the meeting is ceremonially opened and closed.

Emma, Kevin and I hope to see you there! London gas mains replacement ClosureCannonGas Mains of Street Cannon Replacement Street to Vehicles London gas mains replacement Cannon StreetLondon Wall If you have any questions or concerns about these works London Wall please do call the Cadent London Wall Community Relations Team on

London Wall 0800 389 8261 or email them

Wood Street at info@communityrelations. Moorgate Diversion for co.uk . For other enquiries St Martin’s - le - Grand Cannon Street t e re Wood Street Gresham Street t S d during these essential gas oa Moorgate Diversion for Br ld ST PAULS St Martin’s - le - Grand Cannon Street O t e e works please call 0800 151 Gresham Street tr S ad ro B ST PAULS Old 2404. Alternatively, please do Bishopsgate Diversion for Street ST. PAUL’S London BANK CATHEDRAL Cheapside contact myself, Kevin or Emma. Threadneedle Diversion for Street ST. PAUL’S BANK CATHEDRAL Threadneedle Cornhill

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College Hill College Hill Queen Street Queen Street critical location on the network, Upper ThamUepper Thames Street s Street CANNONCANNON Hill B Dowgate Hill B Philpott Lane STREETSTREET Philpott Lane it was agreed that Officers, MONUMENT Great Street Access will be maintained Martin Lane MONUMENT Accessto will Cannon be maintained Street for Martin Lane acting under delegated to Cannonresidents Street and for businesses Laurence Pountney Lane residents and businesses Laurence Pountney Lane Diversion from powers would partially reopen Philpott LaneDiversion from Philpott Lane No right turn onto Low Bank eastbound from Queen Key er Th Cannon Street from ames Street Key Diversion 1 - Eastbound KingNo right William turn Street onto Lowe r Tha Victoria St to ease congestion. Cannon Street from mes Diversion 2 - Westbound Street Diversion 1 - Eastbound King William Street Measures to mitigate the Bus stop Diversion 2 - Westbound Stop suspended for full duration. additional road safety risks that Bus stop Bus diversion in place London Bridge Stop suspended for full duration. might result from reintroducing Bus diversion in place London Bridge traffic into Bank were put in place with support from the

April May June July August September October November December City Police and TfL’s Road Site A Safety Team. Given that there Site B will now be a much longer Site C April May June July August September October November December Site A Site D period of works, Officers from Site B Site E both the City and TfL are Site C assisting Cadent in minimising You shouldSite D have received a letter from Cadent about the the negative impact of these works on our roads network and Site E replacement and upgrade of the old large diameter metal gas mains are exploring a range of temporary measures such as greater in Cannon Street with new pipes, made of more durable material restrictions on loading and unloading to help maintain traffic Cadent is replacing two pipes by inserting the new pipe into the flows during this time. The partial reopening of Bank Junction existing gas mains along Cannon Street. The work will take place will remain in place during this period. The City Corporation is between the junctions of Queen Victoria Street and King William determined to keep the City moving. Street and will be done between April and December 2019. This gas mains replacement programme is crucial to providing safe and reliable energy to homes and businesses and will reduce the amount of unplanned work to repair ageing gas pipes, which we have already seen around the London Bridge junction..

To allow enough space to replace the pipes, which are located deep beneath the road, and for the safety of the workforce, it is necessary to close Cannon Street to all vehicles but not pedestrians. A signed diversion will be in place and Cadent will ensure there is access for emergency vehicles, residents and businesses. Cadent has promised to work with businesses to make sure that deliveries can continue with the minimum of impact.

Alongside this article is a map showing the works, the diversions for traffic and the timeline. It is the bit of road outside that will be substantially dug up for the period but this will not impede pedestrians using the station or moving up and down the road. Also shown is an old photo of Victorian gas mains which are similar to the ones being replaced. Bank on Safety experiment made Update on Rough Sleeping permanent with improvements Rough sleeping continues to be a significant issue across the City planned and the numbers involved are growing. The City Corporation’s Community and Children’s Services Committee has established a On 13 September 2018, the City Corporation’s experimental safety new sub-Committee on homelessness and rough sleeping to drive scheme, “Bank on Safety”, was made permanent by the Court work on this agenda. The work they, and Corporation of Common Council. Work is now focused on developing design Officers are doing is vitally important and making a difference. options for further improving Bank junction. The City of London Corporation is committed to reversing the trend The City Corporation’s experimental safety scheme, “Bank on of rising homelessness, ensuring all individuals can access safe, and Safety”, was made permanent on 13 September 2018. This secure, accommodation that allows them to recover and flourish. This means only pedal cyclists and buses are permitted to cross can be challenging work; there are high levels of both mental illness Bank Junction or travel westbound on Cornhill from 7am to 7pm, and substance misuse. Physical health needs are common and Monday to Friday. City Corporation Officers advise that there individuals often present complex, multiple support needs. are now fewer vehicles passing through the junction during the 12-hour restriction than would pass through in half an hour before A broad spectrum of services has been commissioned to meet the scheme was implemented. Monitoring results show that, the needs of those who have found themselves Rough Sleeping compared to the previous 5-year average, there has been an within the Square Mile. This includes: improvement in casualty numbers of over 25% across a much wider area than just Bank. There has also been a significant • A specialist Rough Sleeper outreach team to engage improvement in air quality. directly with individuals on the streets, including a specific worker to support longer term Rough Sleepers Work is now focused on developing design options for further improving Bank junction for pedestrians and to make it the iconic • An accommodation ‘pathway’, enabling individuals to place it is at the heart of the City. receive the correct type and level of support they need in accommodation Update on major developments • A monthly emergency assessment provision offering immediate access to a safe internal overnight space and across the City increased casework provision to resolve an individual’s Notwithstanding all the uncertainties of Brexit over the last few homelessness years, major developers continue to regard the City as a long-term • A specialist caseworker to support individuals presenting to safe investment and therefore the development of major buildings services in Tower Hamlets who are sleeping in the City across the City has continued and is not showing any present • Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) to helps sign of easing. safeguard the most vulnerable people in our community - when the weather has been extreme for an extended period, Significant recent completions include 1 London Wall Place, we secure additional capacity with local partners and the Goldman Sachs at 70 Farringdon Street, 51 City’s churches. This ensures everyone has an offer of safety (“The Scalpel”), 70 St Mary Axe (“The Can of Ham”) and 120 during times when the weather is an immediate risk to life. (with public roof garden).

Major schemes on-site and in the process of being built include In addition there is access to a specialist mental health Nurse and 22 Bishopsgate, 100 Bishopsgate, 1 , 6-8 a substance misuse team. Bishopsgate, 150 Bishopsgate, 35 Vine Street, 135 Bishopsgate and 100 Liverpool Street. We can all assist us in our aim of ending rough sleeping in the City of London by referring individuals who are seen on the Developments not yet started but which the Planning and streets to Streetlink. The Streetlink website enables you to rapidly Transportation Committee have granted permission include report a rough sleeper anywhere in the UK. The Streetlink team Deutsche Bank’s new HQ at 21 , 100 Leadenhall Street will automatically refer individuals to the relevant services within (“The Diamond”) and 1-2 . the local authority area. Streetlink additionally operates an app, available to both IOS and Android devices. Finally, there is one high profile application that the Planning and Transportation Committee has not yet considered which has If you would like to help a rough sleeper financially this should be received a lot of press coverage and that is on land adjacent to 20 done through services who are able to use their knowledge and Bury Street (“The Tulip”). expertise to ensure your contribution makes a difference such as the Providence Row Day Centre, St Mungo’s, Streetlink or Crisis .

If you would like to contact someone at the City of London Corporation about Rough Sleepers then please contact Simon Young, Rough Sleeping Coordinator, at simon.young@cityoflondon. gov.uk or Will Norman – Head of Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping, at [email protected] Council Tax Rises On 7 March 2019, the agreed an increase in receipts and this might be compounded by further reforms in the in council tax of 4.99%, including a 2% Social Care Precept. This Business Rate retention system. In addition to this, the fair funding is the first time in a decade that residential council tax has been review of local government funding is likely to shift resources away increased. There will also be an increase in the business rate from local authorities like the City of London Corporation to boroughs premium by 0.1p in the pound from 0.5p in the £ to 0.6p in the in poorer areas. pound, all of which will ring-fenced for the police and other security measures. The police and other security measures already receive Despite making year-on-year 2% efficiencies in local government the higher-than-forecast receipts from the current premium levied on and non-local government services, there are significant pressures in Business Rates. particular, as everywhere else, there are pressures in adult social care - especially seen in increasing demand for mental health services and Importantly, for those on low incomes, the City Corporation has a support for the elderly. The Government has permitted an adult social council tax reduction scheme which provides assistance to those care precept of up to 2%, which is being levied for the first time next most in need. year; this will raise an extra £120,000 for adult social care.

The reasons for these increases are quite simple; the City In addition, there are rising costs in keeping the streets clean – for Corporation’s income is falling, whilst spending is rising. Like most example, the growing night-time economy, which brings many local authorities, the City Corporation faces a significant fall in benefits to the City, but also adds to the cleaning-up costs; and government funding at a time when it still has ambitious plans to energy bills are increasing. There are also commitments to improve ensure that the City is a safe, vibrant and thriving environment in air quality, to provide free school meals at the City primary school - Sir which people, from all over the world, want to live and work. The John Cass; and to make the public environment more secure. financial year 2019/20 is likely to be the last year when the City Corporation will benefit so significantly from the growth in the amount In proposing these increases to the Court of Common Council, of business rates income which the City of London Corporation Jeremy Mayhew, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, stressed allowed to retain. In addition to this, in 2020/21, a reset of the rates that City of London council tax payers will still benefit from one of the retention system is due which will remove the City’s recent growth lowest council taxes in the country.

Visit the Rooftop Garden at 120 Fenchurch Street The City of London’s largest roof top public space, “The Garden at levels, a fourteenth-floor restaurant and dedicated public lifts which 120”, is located close to Candlewick Ward at the top of the newly lead directly to The Garden at 120, which plays host to pergola opened Fen Court office building at 120 Fenchurch Street, opened planting with fruit trees, Italian wisteria, seating, a water feature and to the public on15 February 2019. At 15-storeys up, the viewing a coffee hut. The City of London leads the world in the extent of platform offers exceptional 360-degree views of the City and its free public spaces at the top of its skyscrapers. Half of the 14 and is free for members of the public to visit, with upcoming tall-building developments due to be completed by 2026 no booking required. Fen Court includes retail offering at the lower will have free public viewing galleries.

Who to contact at the City Corporation As your Ward representative on the Planning and Transportation If you are not satisfied with the responses you get then do contact Committee, I am always happy to receive emails or telephone Emma, Kevin or myself using the information below: calls or have a personal chat about any issues that might be concerning you about what is happening with the infrastructure in Alderman Emma Edhem Candlewick Ward. [email protected] In addition to that, set out below are details of how to contact City Corporation Officers directly on any areas of concern that you might have: Kevin Everett, CC Deputy • [email protected] for anything concerning permanent infrastructure (signs, street markings, etc) [email protected] • [email protected] for anything Tel: 07771 783265 concerning utility work on the street and road resurfacing • traffic.management@ cityoflondon.gov.uk for anything on James de Sausmarez, CC current or upcoming road closures [email protected] • [email protected] for anything concerning road safety Tel: 020 7818 3349 • [email protected] for any other questions and comments not covered by the above