The City of London Corporation has been praised for its ‘strong leadership’ and ‘clear strategic direction’ in an independent report.
The findings came from the Square Mile governing body’s first ever corporate peer challenge, carried out by a team of senior local government figures appointed by the Local Government Association (LGA).
The LGA commended the City Corporation’s strategic programmes aimed at driving growth and guiding the development of the Square Mile, while recognising its unique role combining local authority functions with strategic, economic, and civic duties.
They highlighted the City Corporation’s ‘Destination City’ growth strategy which is designed to keep the Square Mile a globally attractive place to invest and do business. The Square Mile now supports 678,000 jobs – 25% above pre‑pandemic levels.
The strategy focuses on drawing workers and the next generation of talent back to the office, while creating an environment where people want to live, work, learn, and explore. It also drew attention to the organisation’s ‘pioneering’ £68m climate action programme and its improved engagement with residents and workers, including via the City Belonging project, aimed at helping Square Mile workers feel more connected.
Meanwhile, the LGA noted improvements in internal functions such as project management, risk management and health and safety; hailed improved employee morale as shown in staff surveys; and referenced the recent ‘outstanding’ rating for the City Corporation’s children’s services.
Areas of improvement highlighted in the report included the need to upgrade the City Corporation’s housing estates, something that it is already addressing with the recent announcement of a £211 million refurbishment programme.
The report also recommended further streamlining decision-making processes, building on earlier governance reforms arising from the 2020 Lisvane review, which saw the number of committees reduced from around 130 to around 80.
Meanwhile, it stressed the need to ensure that ‘robust’ plans were in place to address the significant financial pressures that the organisation, like many councils across the country, faces – particularly relating to a shortfall in the Housing Revenue Account, which the City Corporation is already working to address.
City of London Corporation Policy Chairman, Chris Hayward, said:
“This review confirms the strength of the City Corporation’s leadership, our clear ambition, and our deep commitment to the people and communities we serve. I’m proud of the progress we are delivering, particularly in areas such as economic growth, climate action and community engagement, but we are not complacent. The report highlights important challenges, and we will act on them with pace and purpose. This is an opportunity to sharpen our focus and continue building on the strong foundations already in place.”
City of London Corporation Town Clerk and Chief Executive, Ian Thomas, said:
“I welcome this report and the recognition it gives to the dedication of our staff and the steady progress being made across the organisation. The peer team saw what I see every day – talented people working hard for our residents, workers and visitors. Their commitment is central to everything we do. We will use the report’s honest and constructive feedback to continue improving how we deliver our services for the benefit of our communities, the capital and the nation.”
To compile the report, the LGA team reviewed extensive documentation and spent four days in the organisation gathering evidence, meeting staff, elected members, residents and strategic partners.
The report focused on the organisation’s strategic leadership and local authority functions, not its additional duties such as its management of open spaces, ceremonial duties or its role promoting the UK financial services sector.
The full report is available to read online at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-us/plans-policies/lga-corporate-peer-challenge-2025