Philip Woodhouse

I have a long and close relationship with the City…frighteningly for nearly fifty years, starting as a messenger aged 14 working in my school holidays, and then at the age of twenty I started working on the London Commodity Futures Exchange trading cocoa, coffee and sugar. The majority of my working life has been at ED & F Man and Tate & Lyle in the sugar business, although my family’s involvement in the City can trace its origins back to 1750 in St Dunstan’s Hill as City merchants.

Since being elected in 2013 I have been involved in many Corporation committees. I was Chair of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee, which looks after the City’s green spaces of Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches, Coulsdon Common and Kenley airfield. These green spaces are a vital part of our responsibilities; visitors to Epping Forest alone reached 23 million in 2021.

I currently chair one of the City Schools Governing bodies and am Deputy Chair of The Education Board. I also chair the Finance Grants Oversight and Performance Committee and sit on a number of other committees including the Policy and Resources committee at the heart of our activities.

I have been a signed up supporter of both the City Corporation’s Diversity Charter and have promoted this as Chair of the Livery Committee (the Committee that works with all 110 Companies and 47,000 members). The involvement with Livery stems from being part of The Grocers and having the honour of being Master in 2012/3.

As in previous elections, I am standing as an Independent in Langbourn Ward. I remain so grateful to those who voted for me in 2013 and 2017, and will work tirelessly for Langbourn in the future if re-elected.

I have very much enjoyed the past nine years and chairing committees, giving me the opportunity to help facilitate changes for the benefit of both our community in the City and around London. I am a passionate advocate for the City’s global position as the most important financial, professional, tech and historic centre, and would relish the chance to continue to promote this wonderful City and work for our electorate.