Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Sir Michael Snyder and Deputy Tom Sleigh.

There were no declarations of interest.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 4 May 2017.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 4 May 2017 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

Members received a quarterly update from the Economic Development Office. The Director of Economic Development gave some examples of successful work the office had undertaken since the Grand Committee granted an uplift last year, including the Green Finance Summit (with 700 attendees), launch of the Institute of Apprenticeships at Mansion House, as well as work to discuss what could be included in the financial services chapter of a bespoke Free Trade Agreement between the UK and the EU27.

Members also received verbal updates from the Special Representative to the City for the EU and the Special Adviser for Asia.

The Special Representative for the EU gave background on the current political landscape and the UK’s relationship with the EU. He updated Members on his extensive travel across the EU, most recently to Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Lithuania, Italy, Austria, Poland and Brussels, which is coordinated with partners, including the Foreign Commonwealth Office network. Members were requested to feedback on the visits’ reports. 

The Special Adviser for Asia explained how her work was focused on three key strategic regions: Greater China, India and Singapore, as a part of “future-proofing” the City, using opportunities for trade and investment in Asia. She talked about how the learnings of her recent visits make clear that there is a growing need to engage with China, including contributing to the Belt and Road initiative. She mentioned that Singapore is seen as both a collaborator and competitor as a global financial centre looking aggressively at opportunities, post-Brexit. In India, she noted we participated in the recent UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD). She added that the City Corporation offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Mumbai were being utilised to pick up intelligence on the ground and push forward work on identified priorities.

The Chairman commented that this activity was

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

Members considered a report of the Director of Economic Development on the department’s business plan for 2017-18.

Members commented:

·         It was requested that the Corporation include more emphasis on youth unemployment and that more office space for small businesses is provided as part of our offer.

·         SMEs, particularly FinTech companies, were vibrantly important to the ecosystem and it would be important to work with them.

·         There should be more focus on tackling the cyber threat, as well as noting that maritime services is a key theme for the mayoralty as part of the financial and professional services sector.

RESOLVED, that the Economic Development Office Business Plan 2017-18 is agreed.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Sub Committee considered a report of the Director of Economic Development on the City Corporation’s regional strategy.

This report was well received and the Chairman commented that she had consulted a variety of business and Government stakeholders on this draft strategy who were also positive about it.

In response to a question, Members heard how the regional strategy will initially be piloted on three UK financial centres (Edinburgh, Belfast and Manchester), and if successful would then be rolled out to other UK cities.

It was pointed out that the strategy delivered in Belfast needs to cover also the north west of Northern Ireland given the City’s close links with County Londonderry. It was confirmed that to Members that in this area, the City Corporation would be working with Invest Northern Ireland, who have a remit, which is wider than just Belfast.

It was requested that, when looking at additional centres, officers accounted for the benefit of working with cities with a high proportion of employment in the financial services’ sector. It was agreed that this Sub Committee would be involved with the discussion of future cities to engage with.

RESOLVED, that the Public Relations and Economic Development Sub Committee recommend to the Policy and Resources Committee that the regional strategy be approved.

Report of the Director of Communications.

Members considered a report of the Director of Communications on attendance of the Policy and Resources Committee at the 2017 Party Conferences.

The Chairman underlined that it was important to use Members with relevant expertise and to also ensure they were conveying corporate messages at party conferences.

It was agreed that the team of Members, who are going to each conference, should meet in the week leading up to Communications and Corporate Affairs teams to coordinate attendance at roundtables and events, strategically.

RESOLVED, that the attendance for future party conferences is:

·         Maintain the approach of previous years, whereby funded attendance was available to all Members of the Public Relations and Economic Development Sub Committee, subject to the Corporate Affairs budget;

·         Other Members of the wider Court with specific experience or relevance may exceptionally be invited to attend party conferences as a representative of the City Corporation, where appropriate, subject to the Corporate Affairs budget;

·         Other Members attending party conferences in a self-funded and separate capacity would be entitled to attend Corporation dinners.

Report of the Director of Communications.

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Communications updating on media output over the past six months.

The Chairman thanked the Communications Team for their help and support to her in the first month of her Chairmanship. The Team were also commended on how well they responded to the terrorist attack on London Bridge.

RECEIVED

Report of the Director of Communications

Members considered a report of the Director of Communications on the City Corporation’s standalone website policy, setting out when and how institutions owned or wholly-funded by the City Corporation can set up standalone websites or digital platforms.

The Director of Communications was asked to give an update on the branding strategy, to which he will come back to the particular Member to update outside of the meeting.

There was also quite a lot of discussion surrounding the functionality of the City Corporation website, particularly in relation to its search function and its ease of navigation. Members asked for a joint paper of the Director of Communications and Director of IT to be taken back to this Sub Committee outlining proposals for a new digital strategy.

RESOLVED, that the new standalone website policy be approved.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk relating to sport engagement opportunities for the City Corporation.

One Member highlighted that the hospitality should involve children from the City’s family of schools as well as Members.

RESOLVED, that the proposed hospitality to be provided for the upcoming IAAF World Athletics Championships be noted; and that the Town Clerk, in consultation with relevant officers, be asked to look further into how the City Corporation can strategically support further major sports events and report back on a way forward.

Prime Minister’s Visit to Smithfield Market

A question was raised to ascertain the details of the Prime Minister’s Visit to Smithfield Market as part of her campaign, the day before the General Election.

There were mixed opinions on this. Some Members stated that there was precedent for such visits and that Smithfield Market is a public place so is open to any party candidate during a political campaign. Others felt that the City Corporation had been inconsistent in its policy, having asked a Member of Parliament not to use an official visit to Highgate Wood during purdah as an opportunity for campaigning or publicity.

Officers clarified that there was a difference between the Prime Minister’s visit to Smithfield Market and the MP’s visit to Highgate Wood, as the latter example was taking place in her own constituency. Additionally, the Smithfield Market building is open to the public and is not a local authority building, and the prohibition relates to provision of financial or other assistance. This is generally taken to involve financial assistance using public funds, at publicly accessible facilities. Therefore it was not considered any breach of the prohibition has occured.

The Chairman of Markets Committee who was present at the visit of the Prime Minister to Smithfield Market clarified further details, that the City Corporation did not use this as a publicity opportunity itself and no press release was issued, and that the Prime Minister was not invited by the City Corporation but the request had come through only the afternoon before from her private office at the Conservative Party Headquarters.

Members congratulated the Remembrancer on his recent appointment as Master of Middle Temple.

MOTION - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

There were no questions.

There were no items of urgent business.