The london reception

Date & time: 28/09/2025 17:30 — 19:30

The evening reception, kindly sponsored by Arcadis, brought together BusinessLDN’s cross-sector membership and senior stakeholders from across the capital to celebrate London as an engine of growth for the whole UK. Hosted on board the Daffodil at Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock, this flagship event during the party conference season provided a valuable opportunity to honor the capital alongside political leaders and other key voices.

It’s also an opportunity to:

• Celebrate the capital with political stakeholders
• Understand what the key issues are for London
• Hear how we can work together so London remains a thriving city

Speakers included: 
Peter Hogg, London City Executive, Arcadis
Councillor Claire Holland, Leader of Lambeth Council & Chair of London Councils
Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan
Chaired by John Dickie, Chief Executive, BusinessLDN

The future of local authority funding and implications for London

Date & time: 29/08/2025 09:00 – 10:30

A breakfast roundtable, sponsored by Inner Circle Consulting, was held to discuss with senior politicians and business leaders how the local government funding system could be reformed in a way that worked for London and the whole UK.

Following recent coverage in The Times of our letter to the Local Government Minister, a coalition was being built to ensure proposed changes did not undermine the ability of inner London councils to provide services that supported investment and growth. London MPs, Borough leaders, and other key stakeholders from across the capital were expected to join the discussion.

Attendees explored:
• The potential impact of the Fair Funding Review on London
• How can the funding formula better reflect actual local needs and costs
• The ability of London councils to provide services critical to drive investment and growth

Speakers included:
Cllr Claire Holland, Leader of Lambeth Council & Chair of London Councils
Chris Naylor, Managing Director, Inner Circle Consulting
Chaired by John Dickie, Chief Executive, BusinessLDN

Unlocking investment to meet London’s housing needs

Date & time: 29/09/2025 12:30 — 14:00

This lunchtime roundtable, kindly sponsored by Arcadis, provided an opportunity to hear first-hand about the work of Places for London, a key client for many of our members. Participants gained insight into opportunities to engage and get involved in their significant urban regeneration and infrastructure projects across London.

Arcadis was recently appointed as the technical delivery partner for Places for London, the TfL property company. The partnership sought to unlock the potential of Places for London’s £2bn property portfolio by delivering thriving commercial and retail spaces in London to create a more inclusive, greener city.

Discussion centred around how the Places for London model, where the city’s regional transport authority placed assets in a development vehicle, could help to address London’s chronic housing shortage and meet its target to deliver 50% affordable housing across its portfolio. The conversation also explored whether the approach could create better investable places in London, driving inward investment and contributing to London and the UK’s economic growth. Furthermore, there was speculation about what the success of this approach in London could mean for the way housing and commercial development were delivered across the UK.

Speakers included:
Peter Hogg, London City Executive, Arcadis
Graeme Craig, Chief Executive, Places for London
Alison Griffon, Chief Executive, London Councils
Chaired by John Dickie, Chief Executive, BusinessLDN