拢44m given by 鈥榗onfidential鈥 or 鈥榓nonymous鈥 companies, trusts and individuals
More than a third of the donations for Thomas Heatherwick鈥檚 Garden Bridge have come from individuals, companies and trusts hiding behind anonymity, according to documents released by the new mayor of London.
Sadiq Khan attempted to 鈥渓et the sunshine in on the Garden Bridge鈥 by on the controversial project as he reconfirmed his support in return for some minor concessions. These include reducing the number of days the bridge can be shut for private events to 鈥渇ewer than 12鈥.
But 39% are from anonymous sources, totalling just under 拢44m.
With construction due to start this summer by contracting joint venture Bouygues TP and Cimolai, a shade over 拢143m has been raised, leaving a 拢30m shortfall with construction due to start this summer.
The original vision for the 拢175m Thames crossing was that it would be backed by thousands of Londoners sticking their hands in their pockets.
But a document called Funding to Date published by the mayor (see attached pdf) reveals that just 拢103,897 has come from donations of 拢10,000 or less.
Seven other individuals 鈥 four of them anonymous 鈥 pledged 拢8.8m and just under 拢1 million came from a glitzy fundraising event.
The largest donations came from public funds 鈥 拢30m from the Treasury and 拢30m from TfL.
The rest has come from 12 trusts and foundations 鈥 four of them anonymous 鈥 and 14 companies 鈥 five of them anonymous. One of the biggest donations, for 拢10m, came from a 鈥渃onfidential company鈥.
The Monument Trust was the biggest named private donor, pledging 拢20m. Well-known philanthropists Garfield Weston, Sackler and David and Claudia Harding have all chipped in.
Companies that have handed over money include Sky, which gave 拢5m, Citigroup, which gave 拢2m, Glencore, which gave 拢750,000, and Ernst & Young (EY), which gave 拢500,000. EY carried out the investigation into the heavily criticised procurement of the bridge, but has denied a conflict of interest.
Khan said: 鈥淭he early days of this project clearly fell short of our expectations on transparency. I am determined to run the most open and transparent administration London has ever seen. I will let the sunshine in, which is why we are today publishing the previously undisclosed full business plan for the Garden Bridge alongside a list of its funders.鈥
The documents he published also include Heatherwick鈥檚 contract and correspondence with RIBA president Jane Duncan.
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