City council approves London Downtown Business Association’s $1.8M budget

A heated disagreement between London’s downtown merchants and the area’s business association appears to be simmering down.

London city council received a letter from 127 members of the London Downtown Business Association (LDBA) recommending a $1.8-million budget be accepted, about two months after a tense annual general meeting where the membership voted against the budget and challenged the association’s leadership.

The LDBA’s budget was passed unanimously by full council on Tuesday night, despite an earlier split vote at the committee level.

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“Where we are now, and the work that’s been done in the last week or so allows me to be supportive of this tonight,” said Ward 2 Coun. Shawn Lewis, acknowledging his change of heart.

As per Ward 7 Coun. Josh Morgan’s motion, the unanimous support also backed having an ad hoc committee — recently formed to address problems between the LDBA board and its membership — report back to council.

“I think the budget moving forward is a positive thing for members, and for the LBDA board, and for LBDA management,” said ad hoc committee chair, John Fyfe-Millar.

“But I think the budget moving forward will not put aside those concerns from both parties. Until we can get everyone to sit down and have a solid conversation about what those concerns are, I think they’re going to continue to fester.”