Agenda and minutes

It was proposed by Deputy Nash, Seconded by Randall Anderson and agreed that Alderman Prem Goyal take the Chair until the appointment of the Chairman at agenda item 4.

Apologies were received from Munsur Ali, Rehana Ameer, Alderman John Garbutt, Caroline Haines, Deputy the  Rev Stephen Haines, Henrika Priest, Deputy Philip Woodhouse, Laura Jorgensen and Matt Piper.

There were no declarations.

To receive the Order of the Court of Common Council.

Members received the Order of the Court of Common Council dated 24^th April 2019. 

The Committee are invited to elect a Chairman pursuant to Standing Order 29.

Members elected a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 29. 

Being the only Member willing to serve, it was RESOLVED, that – Randall Anderson be elected as Chairman of the Community and Children’s Services Committee for 2019-20.

The Committee are invited to elect a Deputy Chairman pursuant to Standing Order 30.

Members elected a Deputy Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 30. 

Being the only Member willing to serve, it was RESOLVED, that – Ruby Sayed be elected as Deputy Chairman of the Community and Children’s Services Committee for 2019-20.

Members confirmed the appointment of the two co-optees; Ms Laura Jorgensen and Mr Matt Piper.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk, which sought to appoint to the Sub Committees and approve their Terms of Reference.

Members agreed that a query about the scope of the Housing Management and Almshouses Committee’s Terms of Reference be considered at the next meeting of the Sub Committee on 16^th May 2019, with any recommendations to the next meeting of the Grand Committee. 

There were 10 expressions of interest for 8 places on the Housing Management and Almshouses Sub Committee.  It was proposed by John Fletcher, seconded by Marianne Fredericks and agreed that, for 2019/20, all 10 candidates be permitted to serve.

There were 9 expressions of interest for 6 places on the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Sub Committee.  It was proposed by Marianne Fredericks, seconded by Randall Anderson and agreed that, for 2019/20, all 9 candidates be permitted to serve.

RESOLVED, that –

1.   The Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Sub Committee’s Terms of Reference be amended to enable the Sub Committee to: (1) Meet at least 5 times a year; and (2) Make recommendations to the Grand Committee for decision. 

1.       The following Members be appointed to the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Sub Committee for 2019/20, together with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Community and Children’s Services Committee:

1.     Alderman Bronek Masojada - Court

2.     Natasha Lloyd-Owen - CCS

3.     William Pimlott - CCS

4.     Alderman and Sheriff Vincent Keaveny - Court

5.     Jason Pritchard - CCS

6.     Marianne Fredericks – CCS

7.     Mary Durcan – CCS

8.     Benjamin Murphy – CCS

9.     Henrika Priest – CCS

3.   The following Members be appointed to the Sub Housing Management and Almshouses Sub Committee for 2019/20, together with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Community and Children’s Services Committee:

1.     Jason Pritchard

2.     William Pimlott

To approve the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 12^th April 2019.

RESOLVED, that – the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 12 April 2019 be approved.

Members are asked to note the Committee’s Outstanding Actions list (TO FOLLOW).

Members received the Committee’s outstanding actions list, noting those items that either had been, or would be, discharged on either this or future agendas. The following updates were noted:

·       Roll out of fibre broadband to City of London Housing Estates – City Corporation officer to meet with Guinness Trust next week.

·       Petticoat Tower Fire Doors – proceeding with new contractor, with works due to commence in July/August this year.

·       Dron House Door Entry System Replacement – officers agreed to append a detailed analysis of the scope of this project to the minutes from this meeting. Members noted that there would be more than 30 entrances at Dron House and William Blake, all requiring a new access control panel to be installed, and this would equate to a significant proportion of the contract cost. The Assistant Director advised that the  project was progressing well, with an anticipated start in June/July.   

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of commissioning activity in the City of London Corporation. Members commended officers on their achievements in this area of work.

During the discussion and questions, the following points were noted:

·       There was no specific  events to explain the recent increase in unaccompanied asylum seeking children presenting to the City Corporation.

·       Officers were working on a new approach to  delivering smoking cessation services and this would include continued delivery within the square mile.

·       Officers had been working with partners in other local authorities, and through the Integrated Commissioning Board, to secure wider access to social care accommodation providers, and to ensure procurement of these services are benchmarked with prices paid by others.

RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk which presented a City of London Corporation Policy on gender identity.

Members challenged the timing of the survey, which had co-incided with a national consultation on gender recognition, and it was also suggested that it should not have been on-line.  Officers advised that these issues had been raised at the Policy and Resources Committee and that there were ‘lessons learned’ to guide future practice. The survey had provided invaluable insight into attitudes to trans inclusion, key issues of concern to residents and others and shown a strong majority in support of our approach. It was stressed that this had been a survey, not a consultation, and that the Policy itself provided a clear statement of the legal requirements of the Equality Act 2010 in respect of gender identity. 

Members noted that the survey had been requested and the work steered by the Establishment Committee, which has overall responsibility for equality issues.  The Director encouraged Members to challenge any reports which did not include appropriate Equality Impact Assessments.

RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services on the securing of funding for the next two years.Members commended an excellent City initiative, which had highlighted the work of the Community and Children’s Services Committee in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the City’s residents and workers.  Members had been given the opportunity to visit during the pilot and were encouraged to continue doing so.

Members noted that footfall into the library doubled on Dragon Café days and asked if they could have further supporting data.  Officers advised that this had been available in a review of the pilot and, whilst the proposal continued to be the best option for tackling mental health issues, they would be looking at longer term, alternative funding.  Members noted that future bids would require similar data sets to those acquired during the pilot.

RESOLVED, that - the report be noted and the efforts to promote Dragon Café in the City, to those living and working in the Square Mile, be supported.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services which confirmed that the City of London Corporation had complied with the statutory duty to co-ordinate school applications as part of the cross-borough, Pan-London Admissions Scheme process.  Members noted that all children and young people, who applied for a school place for entry in September 2019, had received a placement.

RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of a request, to the City of London Corporation, to make a pledge of additional resettlement support and accommodation to unaccompanied asylum seeking and refugee children.  Members noted that the City Corporation already exceeded the level of support expected of local authorities and the report recommended that the City Corporation should not pledge additional support and resources at this time.

Members suggested that the City Corporation should still pledge its support, to enable the ‘Our Turn’ Campaign to seek government funding.   Members also commented on the perception generally of the City Corporation’s wealth, particularly as other Local Authorities had made pledges.  Members also raised the potential cost implications, to both the Police and Children’s Services, if young refugees were exploited. 

The Director advised that he had spoken to King Edwards School and, as the majority of unaccompanied asylum seeking children were above 14, the assistance they could offer was limited.  Officers always sought to keep families together as much as possible. 

Members requested further information on what the pledge entailed and whether other London authorities had pledged. Members asked for this report to be deferred in order for it to be re-written to reflect making a pledge, as set out above. 

RESOLVED, that – the report be deferred pending inclusion of the arguments discussed in support of making a pledge to the ‘Our Turn’ Campaign.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk in respect of the City Corporation’s Sport and Physical Activity Strategy, which would be presented to various Committees for input, before being presented to Policy and Resources Committee in July 2019.  During the discussion on this report, the following points were noted:

·       The general reference to ‘community’ but no specific reference to the impact on residential wards; i.e. almost every large scale event affected Queenhithe in some way.

·       There was no specific reference to a coherent education plan  reflecting the move by Downing Street to encourage schools and other educational sites to host sporting, creative and other cultural events.

·       There was little reference to diversity, gender or ability/disability.

·       It was suggested that the strategy reflected a ‘top down’ rather than a ‘bottom up’ approach.

RESOLVED, That - the report and the comments set out above be noted.

There were no questions.

The current Chairman of the Housing Management and Almshouses Sub suggested that any Members interested in standing as Chairman or Deputy Chairman of this Sub Committee be invited to a pre-meeting with the Assistant Director, Barbican and Property Services, at 11 am on 13^th May 2019.

There was a further suggestion that the Chairman of the Sub Committees be invited to provide an update on the work of their Sub Committees at future Grand Committee meetings.

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 Paragraph 3 of 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 of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 (Schedule 12 A) of the Local Government Act.

Item no                             Paragraph no

19-20                                3

To approve the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 12^th April 2019.

RESOLVED, that – the minutes of the meeting held on 12 April 2019 be approved.

Report of the City Surveyor.

Members considered and approved a report of the City Surveyor

There were no questions.

There were no items.