Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from the Deputy Chairman John Scott, Alderman William Russell, Alderman David Graves, Deputy the Revd Stephen Haines, Wendy Hyde, Deputy John Owen-Ward, Emma Price, Deputy Gerald Pulman, Delis Regis, and Mark Wheatley.

Sylvia Moys declared a non pecuniary interest in item 10 by virtue of her membership of the Art Fund, and in item 15 as a supporter of Spitalfields Music.

To approve the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 14 July 2014.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on14 July 2014 be approved.

Review of Guidelines for Special Events on the Public Highway – a Resolution from the Planning and Transportation Committee held on 30^th July 2014.

The Committee received a resolution from the Planning and Transportation Committee regarding the review of guidelines for special events on the public highway.

RESOLVED – That the resolution be noted.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries which provided an update on the progress made in Quarter 1 (April – June 2014) against the Business Plan.

A Member asked about the visitor trail app, and officers reported that this was launched in March and was available on the Apple App Store or Google Play. Members queried the work undertaken during October to address the water ingress on the lower ground floor of Guildhall Libraries; it was noted that an asbestos survey was being carried out before any further repairs were undertaken and officers undertook to circulate an update electronically. Members noted that an overall survey of the libraries had been completed but was not up to date, and officers undertook to circulate more details to Members electronically after the meeting.

In response to a Member’s query, the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries advised that approximately 5% of the LMA’s collection was available in full-text digital surrogate form online and a plan to digitise more material was being devised. In response to a follow up question, the Director confirmed that a major strand of this strategy focussed on partnership working. 

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  The report be noted; and

(b)  Officers circulate information regarding past surveys and current works to address water ingress in the Guildhall Libraries.

(c)   

Joint Report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries regarding the Keats House Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2014.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Joint report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries and Director of Public Relations.

The Committee received a joint report of the Director of Public Relations and the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries regarding the activities marking the 800^th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta in 1215. Members discussed the Corporation’s copy from 1297 and its visibility during the Lord Mayor’s procession, and noted that work was underway to install cameras to display it more clearly on screens.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries regarding funding approved by the Policy and Resources Committee to commission Artichoke to undertake a feasibility study to investigate the viability of delivering a major event in the City to mark the 350^th anniversary of the Great Fire of London.

Members discussed the study, noting that, should viability be proven, the City Corporation would subsequently be asked to provide seed funding not exceeding £300,000, with further funds of between £1.5 and £2million being secured from other organisations.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries regarding progress to date after just under a year of the City’s Visitor Strategy being adopted.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries regarding revisions to policies to renew and retain the Guildhall Art Gallery’s Arts Council Museum Accreditation.

RESOLVED – That the recommended revisions to the Guildhall Art Gallery “Acquisitions and Disposal” Policy relating to “Use of Proceeds of Sale”, as outlined in Appendix 1, be approved.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries presenting the recommendations of the City Arts Initiative (CAI) which met on 7 October 2014 to consider the following:

·         The Ingram Collection: Meat Porters by Ralph Brown

·         Asia Chan-Rose: Entry Makin

·         Mexican Embassy: Lapidarium by Gustavo Aceves

Members discussed the proposals, noting that the CAI had been enthusiastic about Lapidarium by Gustavo Aceves, but had requested further details as the finer points of the proposal were unclear.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  The Ingram Collection’s application be approved in principle;

(b)  Asia Chan-Rose’s application be rejected; and

(c)  Additional information be requested regarding the Mexican Embassy’s application.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries regarding the recent decision of the Clockmakers’ Company to move their collection to the Science Museum. Members discussed this unexpected end to the negotiations, and the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries confirmed that, following a letter from the Master of the Company circulated to all livery companies in July, he had written to the Master regretting the tone of his letter, clarifying the City’s position, and offering to help with any misunderstandings.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  The report be noted; and

(b)  The Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries submit a short note to the next Livery Briefing.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries which provided an update on the opening of the City of London Heritage Gallery in September 2014.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee received a report of the City Surveyor advising Members of the completion of the new utilitarian walkway over the scheduled monument in the Roman Bath House viewing chamber.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  The Capital/HLF project create a fully functioning historical attraction to be closed; and

(b)  The proposal to create a fully functioning historical attraction be re-evaluated in three to five years’ time.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries regarding the grant, last renewed in 2012, sought by Spitalfields Music for 2016-18. Members discussed the relationship between the Corporation and Spitalfields Music, noting that the two worked very closely together in the organisation of the annual music festivals.

RESOLVED – That a recommendation be made to the Finance Committee that the annual grant to Spitalfields Music be set at £45,000 a year for three years (2016 –2018).

Report of the Town Clerk.  Members are asked to note the item on Service Based Reviews at item 22 on the Agenda.

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk informing Members that savings equivalent to the current budget for the Pocketbook of £17,000 (i.e. £9,000 for the Red Book and £8,000 for the Blue Book) had been agreed by the Policy and Resources Committee, and Members’ views were being sought as to the future of the Pocketbook. The Assistant Town Clerk advised that should Members wish to retain the Pocket Book’s production, £17,000 would need to be found from elsewhere in the Town Clerk’s budget.

Members discussed the latest version of the Pocket Book, expressing their dissatisfaction in the size, typesetting and general lack of convenience. With regard to future versions Members debated various options, including a customisable Filofax version, not producing the leather sleeve, not producing a separate Aldermanic Book, and reducing paper thickness.

Members’ opinions were divided as to whether the diary or governance and committee information sections were more widely used by Members, and some Members expressed a desire to phase out the pocket book completely. Members noted that the additional governance information was available as a pdf document upon request from the Town Clerk’s Department, and asked that this option be publicised more widely and the pdf include bookmarks to aid ease of use.

The Chairman advised Members that the production of the Pocket Book was funded from the Town Clerk’s budget, and this Committee were acting in a supervisory role. As such, she proposed that all Members of the Court of Common Council be surveyed as to the future of the Pocket Book.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  The report be noted;

(b)  The pdf version of the Pocket Book information be revised to include bookmarks and publicised more widely to Members; and

(c)  A survey be circulated to all Members of the Court of Common

Report of the Town Clerk.

RESOLVED – That the decisions taken under urgency and delegated authority be noted.

In response to a Member’s query, officers reported that the Strategy Paper would be considered at the Committee’s meeting in January 2015, and by the Court of Common Council in March 2015.

The Town Clerk advised Members that, with the agreement of the Chairman, the autumn meeting dates for 2015 were being rescheduled to ensure they were consistently spaced. In response to a Member’s query, the Town Clerk confirmed that Grand Committee meetings were never double-booked, and clashing Sub Committee meetings were avoided wherever possible.

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 the 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 approve the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 14^th July 2014.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on14 July 2014 be approved.

Report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.  

Report of the Town Clerk.

RESOLVED – That the non-public decisions taken under urgency and delegated authority be noted.

There were no non-public questions.

There was one item of other business.