Priorities – Delivering on my Commitments to You

As part my commitments made in 2013 to the voters of Walbrook, I said I would focus on four key areas: Planning, Transport, Safety and Security, and Licencing and the Night Time Economy.  I have made similar commitments in the 2017 and 2022 elections building on my original commitments to all those that work, live or visit Walbrook Ward and the City of London.

I have delivered on those commitments by sitting on many of the key committees including the Policy & Resources Committee, Police Authority Board, Planning and Transport Committee, Finance Committee, Investment Committee and Capital Building Board. See further details below.

As part of ensuring the City remains an attractive place for businesses to locate and for all those that work, live or visit the City I also sit on the Destination City Advisory Board.

I am also on the board the City Bridge Foundation, the UK’s sixth largest charity, which has responsibility for maintaining the five City bridges at no cost to the tax payer and is also London’s largest charitable grant giving body supporting social justice charities across London.

Further details of my committee work and how I serve your interests can be found here.

james-thomson-walbrook-ward-city-vote-2013-20_02_13-landscape-outside-pages-only

Planning & Transport

Planning. My priority is to ensure that Walbrook and the City retains its unique culture and heritage whilst allowing for sustainable growth and development of high quality office space to support the long term growth and global competitiveness of the City through appropriate planning strategies.

I have represented the views of the Ward and the City on a number of significant planning matters. Significant planning developments in the Ward that I have focussed on include:

  • the significant above ground improvements to Bank Junction;
  • a number of transport related projects including: Bank on Safety, All Change at Bank and the Bank Underground;
  • the development of the Walbrook Building;
  • the development of the old Midland Bank Building, now The Ned hotel; and
  • the Bloomberg Building just across our boundary on Walbrook itself.

Transport. I want to see the that congestion around Bank Junction and its vicinity are minimised, anti-social behaviour by cyclists are dealt with and pedestrian safety is given the highest priority.

Bank Station and Bank junction have the highest flows of passengers, pedestrian and vehicle traffic of any place in Central London. The traffic flows around Bank are similar to that of Oxford Circus. There needs to be a continued balanced approach to all users to take into account all their differing and sometimes conflicting needs – pedestrians, cyclists and motorists – in a way that is self-enforcing and maximises the safety of all users.

Transport related matters on which I have represented businesses and residents are:

  • the All Change at Bank upgrade to improve the junction for all users and in particular pedestrians, cyclists and bus users;
  • the cracking down of anti-social cycling, illegal e-bikes and scooters and the blocking of pavements by dockless bikes;
  • the Bank of Safety traffic restrictions around Bank Junction which had a mixed but generally positive response to improve safety and air quality but have made some building access more difficult especially for those arriving by taxi;
  • access for black taxis to Bank to be granted 24/7/365 – spearheading the successful Cabs Across Bank campaign;
  • the introduction of a taxi rank on Cheapside improving availability of black cabs; and
  • the new Walbrook entrance to Bank Underground Station and ensuring it is opened for as long as possible and not closed at important times.

Please visit the Walbrook Ward website with further information and links.

picture23

Police and keeping the City safe

Security and Safety. As someone who has policed the Square Mile as a Special Constable for over 12 years, this is of particular personal interest. Together with the time spent on the Police Authority Board, I have been involved with the City of London Police for over 22 years.

I have been a member of the Police Authority Board for the City of London Police since 2015 and I am currently Deputy Chair (former Chair for a maximum four year term: 2020 to 2024). I am also Chair of the Economic and Cyber Crime Committee.

My service to the City and City Police was recognised by the award of a CBE.

I continue to support the need for an independent police force that is able to prioritise the protection of the City from terrorism and serious fraud – areas of crime that have a particular impact in the City given the number of iconic targets and the importance of the City to the national economy and vital to ensuring that trust and confidence in the City of London maintained. Liaison between the City of London Police and business should remain at the heart of this strategy.

james-police-award

I have supported the City of London Police in many areas including:

  • additional funding for a second armed response vehicle and armed officers to support and deployed 24//7/365;
  • an uplift in funding of £5.4m for an additional 67 officers from the City of London Corporation;
  • the increase in police officers as part of the government uplift programme to a record number of officers in recent years of just under 1,000;
  • initiatives focussed on the prevention of violence against women and girls including the City Police being White Ribbon accredited;
  • securing £150m of funding for a five year programme to replace the Action Fraud service;
  • an additional £7m of funding for the City’s National Lead Force services combatting fraud and economic crime; and
  • the ambition of the City Police to be the most inclusive police service in the country.

Pressure on police funding continues to be one of the biggest pressures our policing capability faces. I am committed to ensuring the right level of resources are available to the police whilst recognising that funding is limited.

Licencing and the Night Time Economy. The impact caused by the night time economy and anti-social behaviour associated with it is has become an important issue for the City over the last ten years. Proactive management of licenced activities is vitally important to minimising the disturbance to residents and workers alike. The importance of working with licensed premises and responding to anti-social behaviours such as urinating in the street, public disorder and reducing the level of crime and theft is an area where I have been directly involved.

This is an area where the City of London Police work closely with the Licencing Committee and I continue to focus on this through the activities of the Police Committee. In particular I have supported:

  • Operation Reframe, a multiagency ands multi-partner response to ensuring a safe night time economy in the Square Mile – that people are safe and feel safe.

bank-night

Published and promoted by James Thomson
Grocers’ Hall, Princes Street, Walbrook Ward, City of London EC2R 8AD