Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room - 2nd Floor West Wing, Guildhall

Contact: John Cater
tel. no.: 020 7332 1426  Email: john.cater@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Nick Bensted-Smith, Deputy Roger Chadwick, Dominic Christian, Deputy Clare James, Gregory Lawrence, Tim Levene, Paul Martinelli, Deputy Hugh Morris, Alderman Sir Andrew Parmley, Deputy Henry Pollard, Ian Seaton, Deputy James Thomson, Philip Woodhouse, and Deputy Catherine McGuiness.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

2.

Members' Declarations under the Code of Conduct in respect of items on the agenda

Minutes:

John Scott declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of item 21 due to being a Member of the Gresham College Council.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 103 KB

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 12th November 2019.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 3.

Minutes:

RESOLVED – That the public minutes of the meeting held on 12th November 2019 be approved as an accurate record.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Outstanding actions from previous meetings pdf icon PDF 52 KB

Report of the Town Clerk.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 4.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which set out outstanding actions from previous meetings of the Committee.

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the report.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 56 KB

Joint Report of the Town Clerk and the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 5.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which set out the forward plan of the Committee.

 

The Chamberlain clarified that the Draft BHE Statement of Accounts would now be submitted to the September 2020 meeting.

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the report.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Report of the work of the Sub-Committees pdf icon PDF 40 KB

Report of the Town Clerk.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 6.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which advised Members of the key discussions which had taken place during recent meetings of the Committee’s Sub-Committees.

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the report.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Appointment of Alderman Estlin to the Digital Services Sub-Committee

Town Clerk to be heard.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.

Minutes:

The Committee approved the appointment of Alderman Peter Estlin to the Digital Services Sub-Committee. Alderman’s Estlin’s membership would commence from 1st February 2020.

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

IT Division - Member Update pdf icon PDF 125 KB

Report of the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 8.

Minutes:

The Committee received a Report of the Chamberlain concerning the IT Division.

 

A Member raised concerns that the Open Spaces Department’s webpage on the Corporation’s website had been inaccessible for six months, with officers failing to alert Members to the problem during this time.

 

The Director of IT confirmed that whilst information had been passed to relevant Chairmen and Members, given the longevity of this situation and the high public profile of the Open Spaces Department’s services, an update should have been circulated to all Members of the Court in good time.

 

RESOLVED – that the Committee notes the Report.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

City Procurement Strategy 2020-2024 pdf icon PDF 77 KB

Report of the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 9.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This Report was deferred.

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Financial Appraisals for Procurement pdf icon PDF 70 KB

Report of the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a Report of the Chamberlain concerning financial appraisals for procurement.

 

RESOLVED – that the Committee approved the following:

 

·         Noted the informal recommendation by Resource Allocation Sub Committee of

the Chamberlain’s Fundamental Review recommendation for the use of a credit

agency to provide financial checks for suppliers rather than in-house appraisal;

and to receive a verbal update on whether the proposal has been ratified by

Policy and Resources Committee.

 

·         Approved from 1 January 2020 that the financial assessment criteria used for

suppliers bidding for “low risk” procurements above the OJEU services and the

City’s £400,000 works thresholds are replaced by credit rating agency checks.

 

·         Approved changes to Part 2 of the Procurement Code and the Financial Appraisal

Procedure Guide to include distinction between ‘low risk’ and ‘not low risk’.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Risk Management - Top Risks pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Report of the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Chamberlain which provided updates regarding the top risks within the Departmental Risk Register.

 

The Chairman emphasised the critical importance of continuing to drive progress in relation to CR23 – Police Funding.  

 

He advised Members that the Commissioner of the City of London Police would be addressing the Efficiency & Performance Sub-Committee on 14th January 2020.

 

The content of the Commissioner’s presentation will focus on several areas, including the Police’s Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP), an update on the Transform programme, and, the progress made to date, as well as their future plans for, Shared Services. It was vital that this latter area was taken seriously - potential collaboration between the Corporation and the Police in functions such as HR and Finance could deliver real dividends.

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the report.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

Central Contingencies pdf icon PDF 55 KB

Report of the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Chamberlain which provided Members with information regarding the current balance of the Finance Committee Contingency Funds for the current year.


RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the report.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

FM arrangements for Guildhall events pdf icon PDF 113 KB

Joint report of the Remembrancer, Chamberlain and City Surveyor

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 13.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a Joint Report of the Chamberlain, the Remembrancer, and the City Surveyor.

 

After expressing concerns about the hitherto slow progress made in this area, Members welcomed the Report as a useful step forward in terms of both interdepartmental collaboration and transparency.

 

Officers would submit an updated Report to the Corporate Asset Sub-Committee in January 2020 that will build upon today’s paper. The Deputy Chairman asked that the 2020 paper included greater clarity in relation to the cost allocations for commercial and non-commercial activities across the Guildhall complex.

 

RESOLVED – that the Committee approved the following:

 

·         The creation of a single profit and loss (P&L) account, showing the full direct and indirect costs of events.

 

·         The setting of charges for commercial events and those subject to a charity discount to exceed the direct and indirect cost of events.

 

·         The Remembrancer to act as the single Chief Officer responsible for the P&L account, a joint operating plan which identifies event-related facilities requirements, and a forward plan for the maintenance of the Guildhall event spaces.

 

 

 

 

    

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

14.

City's Cash Financial Statements 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 88 KB

Report of the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 14.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a Report of the Chamberlain concerning City’s Cash Financial Statements for FY 2018/19.

 

Officers reassured Members that, after a tax liability of £14.8m had been incorrectly omitted, the Barking Power Limited (BPL) accounts had been updated and submitted to Companies House.

 

Members asked that in future, as a way to mitigate potential errors, the draft accounts of directly owned subsidiaries, such as BPL, are submitted to Committees for oversight and approval.

 

A Member asked that in an effort to cut down on excessive printing in future, the BDO reports (included in today’s annexes) are either distributed only as soft pdf copies or limited to one printed copy per two Members.   

 

RESOLVED – that the Committee approved the following:

 

·         the contents of the revised Audit Management Report issued by BDO LLP (Annex 2);

 

·         approved the amended Annual Report and Financial Statements for City’s Cash for the year ended 31 March 2019 (Annex 1); and

 

·         agreed that the Financial Statements are signed by the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Finance Committee on behalf of the Court of Common Council.

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

15.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

16.

Any Other Business that the Chairman considers urgent

Minutes:

There were no urgent items.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

17.

Exclusion of the Public

MOTION - 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 Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 17.

Minutes:

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 Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

18.

Non-public minutes of the previous meeting

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 12th November 2019.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 18.

Minutes:

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 12th November 2019 were approved as an accurate record.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

19.

Report of the non-public work of the Sub-Committees

Report of the Town Clerk.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 19.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which advised Members of the key non-public discussions which had taken place during recent meetings of the Committee’s Sub-Committees.

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the report

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

20.

Dispute Update

Verbal update of the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 20.

Minutes:

The Committee received a verbal update of the Commercial Director concerning the discussions with IBM.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

21.

Gresham College: Proposed Funding Arrangements and Business Plan

Report of the Town Clerk.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 21.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a Report of the Town Clerk concerning Gresham College.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

22.

Bridge House Estates Strategic Review - Update Three

Joint Report of the Town Clerk & The Chief Grants Officer and Director of City Bridge Trust.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 22.

Minutes:

The Committee received a Report of the Town Clerk concerning the Bridge House Estates.

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

23.

Contigencies appendix

Minutes:

24.

Non-public questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

Members considered a non-public question relating to the work of the Committee

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

25.

Any Other Business that the Chairman considers urgent and which the Committee agree should be considered whilst the public are excluded

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.