Agenda and minutes

To agree the minutes of the previous Committee meeting.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Report of the Chamberlain.

Report of the Chamberlain.

Report of the Remembrancer.

Report of Comptroller and City Solicitor.

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

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

The Committee was informed that the City of London’s Family and Young People’s Information Service (FYi), part of the Education and Early Years Service, successfully completed accreditation for the Family and Childcare Trust’s Families First Quality Award in November 2016.

Resolved – that the report be received.

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

Members noted that the City of London Corporation (City Corporation) is committed to delivering 100 apprenticeships across its departments in 2017/18. The delivery of this commitment, and the outstanding level of service the City Corporation seeks, will require additional staffing and resources. Officers sought Member approval of the proposed staffing structure, which includes the creation of an additional post over and above the existing apprenticeships team and funding to support it.

Discussions ensued regarding the recruitment of six members of staff to assist with the implementation of the Apprenticeship Scheme. The City Corporation is already both an employer of apprentices and an approved apprenticeship provider - training and supporting apprentices employed by the City Corporation and a range of other City businesses. The number of internal apprentices employed within the City Corporation has remained broadly static over the last few years at around 25 to 30.  To grow from this position and to offer a sustainable 100 apprenticeships year on year, will require additional staffing resources in the provider service and related roles.  This report seeks approval for the creation of the required additional roles and the corresponding increases to baseline budgets.

Some Members of the Committee raised concerns regarding the resources dedicated to the scheme, namely the cost effectiveness of recruiting six members of staff to deliver the scheme. Officers informed Members that these Officers would be required to deliver a successful outreach programme to ensure members of the community were made aware of the scheme. The Officers would assist with ensuring the scheme helped to deliver the City Corporation’s wider social objectives by reaching out to those who required extra support and assistance. However, Members insisted that Officers should reconsider the recommendation prior to the report being considered by the Establishment Committee and Resource Allocation Sub Committee.

Resolved

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

The Committee noted that the creation of Aldgate Square will have a significant impact on the communities that live, work and visit the area. This report updates Members on the progress of a number of projects associated with Aldgate Square that fall under the remit of Community & Children’s services.

Portsoken Pavilion

There have been a number of delays with the final design of the pavilion. However, following negotiations, both with Members (regarding a budget increase for the pavilion) and the Kier Group (regarding pavilion value engineering), the contract to construct the pavilion has been signed.  Last month the pavilion roof structure was completed and is now weathering in the yard of specialists, Littlehampton Welding Ltd. This month work has started on site. Officers are working with Kier to programme the delivery of both the Portsoken Pavilion and the consequent Aldgate Square landscaping. We are aiming to complete both aspects of the Aldgate Square project before the end of 2017.

Temporary location for Kahaila

In September 2015 Kahaila were approved by Community and Children’s Services as Portsoken Pavilion and Café managers based on an expected start date in autumn 2016. In October 2016 Members agreed the offer of a temporary rental contract for 6 Harrow Place to Kahaila, in order that they, as Page 89 Agenda Item 14 a charitable organisation, could begin to provide a café services in the Aldgate area. Since that decision was taken, a one year lease was agreed between the City and Kahaila on the 1st December 2016 and work has commenced to fit out and open 6 Harrow Place as a café provided by Kahaila. We are currently anticipating an opening date in January 2017 and a verbal update will be given to Members at the meeting.

Aldgate Community Events

The delays to

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

Members noted that the counts of rough sleepers during the past three months were as follows: September – 25; October – 29; and November – 50. The counts continue to fluctuate but there is a noticeable trend across London that rough sleeping is increasing and it is particularly high in the City. Rough sleeping is driven by a range of factors, many beyond the control of the City. The count does not reflect how long people are on the streets, what their complex needs are or the services they may have received. The City continues to be engaged in four partnership-based projects – Home for Good,

No First Night Out, Gold Standard and the City Lodge that all address rough sleeping. Updates for these projects are as follows:

· The advice and homeless service are completing the challenges required to achieve the Silver award.

· Home for Good additional training will take place in February 2017.

· Work on the City Lodge is in progress.

· The No First Night Out project continues to attract interest on a regional and national level. An independent review of the outreach contract was presented to the Members of the Rough Sleepers Group in November 2016. Members agreed to review the current specification with St Mungo’s so that it was more outcome focused.

Members were informed that often reporting cases via email or the Street Link was more effective than calling the service.

Resolved – that the update be received.

There was one question from Mr Fletcher:

“Following a planning application by Guinness Trust to demolish and redevelop their social housing estate on Mansell St there is speculation amongst some residents on the Middlesex St Estate that The City plans to do the same with Middlesex St. Can you confirm that no such plans exist and there is no intention to demolish and redevelop the estate. Can you further confirm that in fact there are detailed plans to invest in and improve the current estate including lifts, decoration of common parts and the shop units?”

Officers said that the City of London had no intention to demolish and redevelop the Middlesex Street Estate.

Members were informed that Officer were working on a business plan for the commercial properties in Middlesex Street which would set out plans for the future maintenance and improvement of the retail units. It was intended that the business plan would be sent to the Grand Committee meeting on 17^th February 2017.

Officers had made provisions in the Major Works Programme for significant improvements to bring homes on Middlesex Street up to the ‘City Standard’. These improvement works, which have been communicated to all residents on the Estate included:

·        The replacement of the communal heating system

·        Electrical rewiring

·        Concrete testing and remedial concrete repair works

·        Refurbishing the passenger lifts

·        Redecoration of external and internal common areas

·        Replacement of balcony doors and windows to Petticoat Towers

·        Replacement of stairway panels to Petticoat Towers

·        Other general works included water tank replacement, gullies and drainage and ventilation works.

·         

Several of these programmes of work were due to commence later this year with others staggered over a further 3 to 4 year period.

The Director informed Members that following a decision by the Establishment and Culture, Heritage & Libraries Committee the Director of Community & Children’s Services would assume line-management responsibility for the Head of Barbican & Community Libraries.

Members also noted that the City’s housing service had been shortlisted for a number of awards in the Tenants Participation Advisory Service. The Committee would be kept informed regarding any progress made.

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.

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

To agree the non-public minutes of the previous Committee meeting.

Resolved – that the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed as an accurate record.

There were no questions.

There was no urgent business.