Manifesto for Coleman Street
My pledge to the voters in the Ward
I am standing as an independent candidate to represent Coleman Street Ward on the Court of Common Council. The Ward is home to firms of every size, from global law firms and financial institutions to independent practices, hospitality venues, and the small businesses that serve the City's daily life. Each deserves a Councillor who will listen, advocate, and be accountable.
This manifesto sets out the priorities I will champion if elected, and the specific commitments I make on how I will operate. I welcome your views on any of it.
1. A strong, modern, and trusted Corporation
The City of London Corporation is one of the most distinctive institutions in British public life. Its independence allows it to act decisively in support of business; to fund cultural and public assets that benefit far beyond the Square Mile, including Hampstead Heath, the Barbican Centre, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the new London Museum, and the new police station & criminal courts; and to maintain a system of governance refined over centuries.
That independence is worth defending. But the best defence of an institution is to ensure it operates at the highest standards. I will support reform that strengthens transparency, accountability, and accessibility, while protecting what works. Specifically, I will:
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Press for clearer, more open decision making at committee level, with stronger public participation where appropriate.
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Support continuing improvement in the Corporation's performance on sustainability and social values, recognising that performance in some of these areas has drawn external scrutiny.
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Champion a Corporation that is modern in its methods but rooted in the principles of fairness, integrity, and service that have made it trusted for centuries.
2. Practical support for businesses of every size
Coleman Street's voters are predominantly its businesses. Their concerns must drive the Council's work.
Liverpool Street Station: a decade of disruption. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2028, with station works running approximately four years and the over-station office construction continuing into the mid-2030s. Concourse closures, partial Tube station closures, increased lorry movements, narrowed pavements, and street disruption will affect every firm in the Ward. I will press the Corporation, Network Rail, and the developers to keep businesses fully informed, to consult genuinely, and to mitigate disruption wherever possible. I will also provide regular updates so firms can plan ahead.
Cyber crime: practical defence for firms of all sizes. Cyber crime does not discriminate. Many larger firms have in-house security teams; smaller firms often do not. The City of London Police are nationally and internationally recognised experts in this field, and I will work with them to organise practical seminars and briefings for Ward businesses, translating their expertise into accessible, usable guidance.
Artificial Intelligence: opportunity and risk. AI is reshaping every sector represented in the Ward. I will host regular sessions for firms of every size on the responsible adoption of AI, drawing on Corporation resources and external expertise, so that smaller firms are not left behind.
Transport reliability. The promised new Piccadilly Line trains, offering 10 per cent more capacity, wider doorways for easier boarding, and the first air conditioning on a deep Tube line, were originally due in 2025 and have now slipped by a year. I will press the Corporation to advocate strongly to Transport for London on behalf of City workers, and to seek firm commitments on the revised timetable.
3. Personal safety in the Ward
Safety is the foundation of everything else. Two specific concerns have been repeatedly raised with me by voters and firms in the Ward.
Ask for Angela. Following concerns raised by women working and socialising in the City, I asked two female colleagues to visit a random sample of City hostelries and use the "Ask for Angela" code phrase. More than half of the venues failed to respond correctly, with many staff members completely unaware of the scheme. This is not acceptable. If elected, I will:
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Campaign to make participation in Ask for Angela a condition of granting new alcohol licences in the City.
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Push for the Corporation to actively test venues on a routine basis to ensure the scheme works in practice.
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Work with the Licensing Committee to ensure that venues failing to operate the scheme properly are warned that they risk losing their licence.
Late-evening transport. Women and businesses have raised the limited availability of taxis late in the evening as a real safety concern. I have already opened constructive discussions with the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers on this matter, and will continue working with them, the Corporation, and the City Police to improve options for those leaving the Ward after working late in the evening.
Street crime. Phone snatching and opportunistic theft remain a daily risk for workers and visitors, particularly around Moorgate at peak commuter times. The City of London Police's Cycle Unit has made meaningful progress in recent years, with significant reductions in phone theft across the Square Mile. I will support sustained investment in visible, responsive policing of this kind, so the gains are not lost.
4. Protecting the City of London Police
There are periodic suggestions that the City of London Police should be merged into a larger force. While accepting there are areas where specialist roles could be provided by the Metropolitan Police and would bring efficiencies, I do not support the view that the City's police force should be subsumed into a larger geographical force. I would use my position on the Council to oppose any such move.
The City of London Police is:
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Specialised, built around the unique policing needs of the Square Mile, including a major financial district, dense business activity, and a large transient population.
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Nationally important, with expertise in fraud, cybercrime, and economic crime that contributes far beyond local policing.
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Locally accountable, closely tied to the Corporation's governance, giving Ward businesses and residents a direct voice in priorities.
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Operationally agile, small enough to respond quickly and tailor its tactics to the City's particular environment.
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Constitutionally distinctive, one of the oldest police forces in the UK, embedded in a long-established civic framework.
A merger would dilute all of this. I will be a clear voice in defence of the force's independence and continued specialisation.
5. How I will work for you
Issues are only addressed if voters can reach their Councillor and see action taken. I commit to four structured forms of engagement, each designed to serve a different part of the Ward.
Fortnightly surgeries. I will hold a fortnightly surgery for workers and businesses in the Ward, held at a consistent time, including evening slots to suit shift workers and hospitality staff. They will be open to voters and businesses of every size, including sole traders, with a mix of pre-booked appointments and short drop-in windows, and phone or video options where needed. Issues will be logged, referred to the appropriate Corporation Officers and Committee Chairs. I will also raise issues and matters on your behalf at the general meetings of Common Council when these matters are laid bare and in the public arena. I wil report progress on every issue you raise with me.
SME Business Forums. I will establish regular Forums giving small and medium-sized firms a practical route to raise day-to-day operational concerns such as licensing, street management, safety, servicing, and business rates, with the right City officers and partners invited as needed. Each Forum will produce a short action log so participants can track outcomes between meetings.
Business Leaders' Lunches. I will host regular Lunches bringing together larger employers, SMEs, and key City stakeholders to surface challenges early and agree practical actions the Corporation can take. They will be solution focused, with clear follow-ups.
Young Future Leaders. I will establish a Future Leaders group for young professionals in the Ward, pairing them with senior leaders for mentoring, running skills and insight sessions, and giving them real-world projects on issues such as personal safety, transport, and the night-time economy. A "Young Professionals Pulse" will be published twice a year, reporting concerns and progress directly back to the Corporation.
A clear standard of accountability
Each year, I will publish a short written update on what I have worked on, what has been achieved, and what remains outstanding. Voters deserve to know whether their Councillor has earned their continued support.
Independent. Visible. Accountable.
I am standing as an independent candidate. My judgement will be guided by what is best for the Ward, the Corporation, and the City, not by party affiliation or pre-formed positions.
I welcome your views, your concerns, and your challenge.