Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Alderman David Graves, Wendy Mead, Viviennce Littlechild, Christopher Purvis and John Scott.

There were no declarations.

Order of the Common Council dated 1 May 2014 appointing the Board and approving its Terms of Reference.

The Board received the Order of the Court of Common Council, 1 May 2014.

RESOLVED – That the Order of the Court of Common Council be noted.

To elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 29.

The Board moved to elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 29.

The Town Clerk read a list of Members eligible to stand and John Tomlinson being the only Member indicating his willingness to serve was declared Chairman for the year ensuing.

The Chairman thanked Members for their support before thanking John Scott for his services to the Board as outgoing Chairman of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee and welcoming Judith Pleasance to her first Board meeting.

To elect a Deputy Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 30.

The Board moved to elect a Deputy Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 30.

The Town Clerk advised the Board that Deputy Catherine McGuinness, as immediate past Chairman, had opted to take up her right to serve as Deputy Chairman. Deputy Catherine McGuinness was therefore declared Deputy Chairman for the year ensuing.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That at the conclusion of her three year term of office as their Chairman, the Members of the Barbican Centre Board wish to extend to

Catherine McGuinness, Deputy

their sincere thanks and appreciation for the excellent manner in which she has presided over their deliberations and the detailed care and interest she has shown in the business of the Board.

Her detailed knowledge of and involvement in the work of the Barbican Centre, together with her enthusiasm for the arts, culture and learning have been of great value to the Board. Her active encouragement of the development of the Centre’s Creative Learning work, the combining of world class arts and learning, and taking these beyond the walls of the Barbican to young audiences in East London has increased the distinctive offer of the Centre to London.

Her support for the establishment of a Cultural Hub harnessing the creative energies of the Museum of London, Barbican Centre, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, together with City Corporation cultural partners to create a vital arts destination for London and the Nation will bear fruit in the future.

Her time in office has coincided with a deep UK recession but she has worked for the maintenance and enhancement of the Barbican Centre’s status as a world-class multi-arts centre despite these considerable challenges, and played a full part in the work of the Barbican Centre Trust. 

Finally, the Board wish to convey their thanks for her committed and active service to the Barbican Centre as Chairman, her colleagues hope her services will long remain available to the City of London, and also convey to her their good wishes for her future health and happiness.

To approve the public minutes and summary of the Barbican Centre Board meeting held on 26 March 2014.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 26 March 2014 be approved.

To receive the public minutes and summary of the Finance Committee of the Barbican Centre Board meeting held on 7 May 2014 (to follow).

RESOLVED – That the draft public minutes and non-public summary of the Finance Committee of the Barbican Centre Board meeting held on 7 May 2014 be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Board considered a report of the Town Clerk seeking to appoint the Board’s various Sub Committees and approve their Terms of Reference.

There being no ballots, it was:

RESOLVED: That: -

i)              The Reference Sub-Committee be suspended until further notice;

ii)             The Terms of Reference for the Finance Committee, Risk Committee and Nominations Committee of the Barbican Centre Board be agreed; and

iii)            the following Memberships be agreed: -

Report of the Managing Director.

The Board received a report of the Managing Director providing Members with an update from each of the Centre’s Directors.

The Managing Director advised that the consultation on the Barbican Area Strategy that would feed into the development of the Cultural Hub was about to commence.

The Director of Arts advised Members that the new Head of Music would begin work in September 2014 and the recent ‘Testament of Mary’ production had received critical acclaim.

The Director of Creative Learning advised that the ‘Snapshot Songs’ event was well received and that Drumworks, an organisation the Barbican had helped establish, had received a grant from Youth Music. He added that his team were working with the Museum of London and reaching out across London to assist in fulfilling the City’s Objectives.

The Director of Audiences and Development advised that a contract for the website development was being finalised and that the Centre was examining future collaboration opportunities with Trampery which would build on the Hack the Barbican event that took place in August 2013.

The Director of Operations and Buildings reported that no disruption to performances had occurred despite some protests being organised with regards to the crisis in Ukraine. He added that improvement projects continued to produce carbon and energy savings for the Centre and the City Corporation.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

There were no questions.

There was one urgent item as follows: -

Safeguarding Training for Board Members

The Deputy Chairman stated her belief that safeguarding training should be made available to all Board Members.

In response to some Member concern about the delivery method of the training, the Head of HR undertook to facilitate the training for all Board Members.

MOTION – That under Section 100A 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 1, of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act

RESOLVED – That under Section 100A(4) 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 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To agree the non-public Minutes of the Barbican Centre Board meeting held on 26 March 2014.

RESOLVED ­– That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2014 be approved.

To receive the non-public minutes of the Finance Committee of the Barbican Centre Board held on 7 May 2014 (to follow).

RESOLVED – That the draft non-public minutes of the Finance Committee of the Barbican Centre Board meeting held on 7 May 2014 be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk

The Board considered a report of the Town Clerk regarding outstanding actions.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Board received a report of the Town Clerk.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Managing Director, LSO

The Board received a presentation by the Managing Director, London Symphony Orchestra.

RESOLVED – That the presentation be noted.

Joint Report of the Chamberlain and the Chief Financial and Operating Officer.

The Board received a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Chief Operating and Financial Officer.

RESOLVED ­- That the report be noted.

Report of the Chief Operating and Financial Officer.

The Board received a report of the Chief Operating and Financial Officer.

RESOLVED ­– That the report be noted.

Report of the Managing Director.

The Board approved a report of the Managing Director.

Report of the Head of Development.

The Board received a report of the Head of Development.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Operations and Buildings Director (to follow).

The Board received a verbal update from the Operations and Buildings Director.

RESOLVED – That the update be noted.

Operations and Buildings Director to be heard.

The Board received a verbal update from the Operations and Buildings Director.

RESOLVED – That the updated be noted.

Report of the Operations and Buildings Director.

The Board received a report of the Operations and Buildings Director.

RESOLVED ­– That the report be noted.

Operations and Buildings Director to be heard.

The Board received a verbal update of the Operations and Buildings Director.

RESOLVED - ­That the update be noted.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.