Latest news with #ChrisHayward
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
London's first public park reopens after upgrades
London's first public park has reopened after a decade largely spent as a building site for the construction of the Elizabeth line. Finsbury Circus Gardens has been the focus of a major transformation project by the City of London Corporation since 2023, with the Grade II listed site's lawn revitalised, seating improved and landscaping added. The largest open green space in the Square Mile has had 12 additional tree species, more than 13,000 plants and 6,000 bulbs added to its site to boost biodiversity. Chris Hayward, from the City of London Corporation, said the "tranquil" park was "revitalised and ready to be rediscovered". The gardens first became a public park known as "Moor Fields" in the 1600s. A formal layout was introduced by George Dance the Younger in 1815. For most of the past 10 years, Finsbury Circus Gardens has been closed to the public while it was used by Crossrail to build the nearby Liverpool Street Elizabeth line station. It was partially reopened on 6 May, with the official reopening due to take place on 4 June. Hayward said: "Our green spaces play a vital role in making the Square Mile a welcoming and attractive place to live, work, and visit – delivering on our vision for a more inclusive, innovative, and sustainable City." The corporation's natural environment board chairperson, James St John Davis, said the Square Mile's parks and gardens, which attract over 21 million visits a year "truly punch above their weight". He added: "They offer a vital escape from the bustle of daily life." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Deer spring back into London park after four years City of London Corporation
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
London's first public park Finsbury Circus Gardens reopens
London's first public park has reopened after a decade largely spent as a building site for the construction of the Elizabeth Circus Gardens has been the focus of a major transformation project by the City of London Corporation since 2023, with the Grade II listed site's lawn revitalised, seating improved and landscaping largest open green space in the Square Mile has had 12 additional tree species, more than 13,000 plants and 6,000 bulbs added to its site to boost Hayward, from the City of London Corporation, said the "tranquil" park was "revitalised and ready to be rediscovered". The gardens first became a public park known as "Moor Fields" in the 1600s. A formal layout was introduced by George Dance the Younger in most of the past 10 years, Finsbury Circus Gardens has been closed to the public while it was used by Crossrail to build the nearby Liverpool Street Elizabeth Line was partially reopened on 6 May, with the official reopening due to take place on 4 June. Hayward said: "Our green spaces play a vital role in making the Square Mile a welcoming and attractive place to live, work, and visit – delivering on our vision for a more inclusive, innovative, and sustainable City."The corporation's natural environment board chairperson, James St John Davis, said the Square Mile's parks and gardens, which attract over 21 million visits a year "truly punch above their weight". He added: "They offer a vital escape from the bustle of daily life."
Bloomberg
02-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
In the City: London May Be Coming for Wall Street
London is closing the gap with New York for the title of world's top financial center, according to the latest Global Financial Centres Index. Is it a signal that the the UK's efforts to rejuvenate its banking and investment sectors post-Brexit are starting to pay off? On this week's In The City, host David Merritt sits down with Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman of the City of London Corp., who makes the argument it is.
Bloomberg
02-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
London May Be Coming for Wall Street Again
City of London Policy Chairman Chris Hayward tells In the City that the UK financial industry is bouncing back from the aftermath of Brexit.
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
City of London residents call for independent election inquiry
City of London residents have called for an independent inquiry into why 14 of the Square Mile's 25 wards were uncontested in the recent of the primary residential wards, Aldersgate and Cripplegate said uncontested seats would automatically result in lower voter turnouts and City of London Corporation's electoral system had "failed".The success of the City of London Corporation's campaign to boost voter turnout and encourage more candidates to stand was also questioned but the authority said it had resulted in more people registering to two wards have each passed resolutions which will be considered by the authority and its committees. 'Real public concern' The Cripplegate resolution stated that voters would not be able to take part in the elections in 14 of the 25 seats "as the number of candidates is the same as the number of seats available".It called for an investigation "into the process which has failed to deliver a fully democratically elected group of members to Common Council". The Aldersgate resolution, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), also called for an independent stated that although its ward would democratically elect its common councillors "in 14 of the 25 City of London wards there will be no elections and by default there will be fewer voters exercising their democratic right".It said that either the City of London's Speak for the City campaign to drive up voter turnout and encourage candidates to come forward had failed or the system of election to Common Council had failed. In response, the authority said its electoral campaign had resulted in the "highest voter registration figures in a decade". The authority is composed of 100 common councillors and 25 aldermen, the former of which were up for election to the Common the 25 wards, 11 had more candidates than seats come forward meaning only 55 of the 100 council seats were contested at the elections on 20 March. The City of London covers the so-called Square Mile, is distinct from the Greater London Authority which covers the whole of the area has a residential population of about 8,000, based on 2021 census figures, with more than 600,000 people working there - and the City Corporation enables a proportion of those workers to vote for councillors is the only local authority in the country to allow workers to vote as well as recent election saw some significant changes to the elected membership. All eight seats in Castle Baynard, home to St Paul's Cathedral and Blackfriars Bridge, went to a band of women named the "Iceni". Deputy Chris Hayward, the de-facto political head of the authority retained his seat in an uncontested ward.
