“Our negotiations with the Government have been somewhat protracted, but we are glad to be in a position to report that by slightly amending the original plan we have obtained the approval of the Government to the scheme, and an undertaking on their part to assist with the Abingdon-street portion. The amendment in question consists chiefly in the alteration of the line of the proposed street. By somewhat altering the line so as to bring the street nearer the river than was originally proposed, a larger amount of land will be available for the purpose of recoupment, and the cost of the scheme to the Council will be accordingly reduced. This amended plan involves the acquisition for the purpose of addition to the public way, of a narrow strip of the existing Victoria-tower-gardens. For the scheme to be complete it is also necessary that portions of the sites of five houses in Abingdon-street, four of which belong to the Government, should be given up, and we have now received a letter from the Lords Commissioner of HM Treasury approving this amended scheme.” (Report of the Improvements Committee, 11 October 1899) (emphasis added). 89. The Council approved the amended scheme. In around November to December, the Bill was deposited before Parliament accompanied by a plan which did not specify that the land by the river was to become a garden. 90. On 14 December the First Commissioner of Works wrote to the Council objecting that the Bill did not specify the land by the river becoming a garden: “I am to mention, however, that the draft Bill does not fully or accurately provide for carrying out the arrangement provisionally agreed to by the First Commissioner and the Treasury. In particular, the First Commissioner notices that it is not specified that there shall be a Public Garden, to be formed and maintained by the Council, between the east side of the diverted roadway and the River, in continuation of the Victoria Tower Garden, down to Lambeth Bridge. This public benefit was, in the mind of the First Commissioner, one of the principal considerations in favour of giving up a strip of the existing garden.” (Letter on behalf of the First Commissioner of Works to the LCC, 14 December 1899) (emphasis added) 91. On 23 February 1900, the First Commissioner of Works wrote to the Council again insisting that the Bill had to provide for the land by the river to become a garden: 32