Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Mark Boleat, Deputy Michael Cassidy, Alderman Dr Andrew Parmley and Brian Harris.

Jeremy Mayhew declared a non-pecuniary interest, in relation to the City of London Festival, as a representative of the City on the City Arts Trust.

To receive the Order of the Court of Common Council 25 April 2013.

The Order of the Court of Common Council, dated 25 April 2013, appointing the Committee and approving its terms of reference was noted.

RECEIVED.

To elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 29.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 29. A list of Members eligible to stand was read out and John Scott being the only Member indicating his willingness to serve was declared to have been elected for the year ensuing.

John Scott took the Chair thanked Members for electing him to serve in his third year as Chairman.

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

The Committee proceeded to elect a Deputy Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 30. A list of Members eligible to stand was read out and Vivienne Littlechild being the only Member indicating her willingness to serve was declared to have been elected for the year ensuing.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk regarding the appointment of Sub Committees for the ensuing year (2013/14).

The Town Clerk read a list of Members wishing to stand as representatives of the Benefices Sub Committee, and with six Members indicating their willingness to stand for four positions, a ballot was taken and the votes were cast as follows:-         

There being no further ballots, it was:

RESOLVED – That the following Memberships be agreed: -

Reference Sub Committee

Benefices Sub Committee

Keats House Consultative Committee

* External organisation representation subject to approval of item 11 on the public agenda.

The Chairman welcomed new Members to the Committee and gave thanks to those

To approve the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 28 January 2013.

The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 28 January 2013 were approved.

Matters arising:-

Change Alley

Members were told that an update would be provided at the next meeting of the Committee in July.

Artizan Street Library

Members were informed that the library had been well received in the community and had recently hosted a consultation on Aldgate Gyratory.

Cultural Strategy Group

The Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries informed Members that the Cultural Strategy Group had been pursuing usage options for Exhibition Hall 2 at the Barbican Centre. He added that a large community and academic library, incorporating the Barbican Library and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Library was being explored and a report would be brought before the Committee at its next meeting.

To receive the public minutes and summary of the Benefices Sub-Committee meeting held on 28 January 2013.

The Committee received the public minutes and summary of the Benefices Sub Committee meeting held on 28 January 2013.

RECEIVED.

To receive the minutes of the Keats House Consultative Committee meeting held on 5 February 2013.

The Committee received the minutes of the Keats House Consultative Committee meeting held on 5 February 2013.

RECEIVED.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk seeking approval to the recommendations of the City Arts Initiative which met on 25 March 2013.

In response to a Members question regarding the Blue Trees project, the Director of the Built Environment advised that adequate signage indicating that specialist paint had been used that caused no damage to the plants could be made a condition of the Committees approval.

RESOLVED: That: -

i)              the Blue trees application be approved, subject to the provision of adequate signage being provided highlighting that no damage had been cause to the trees;

ii)             Cancer Research’s Pink Bandanas proposal be approved, with the Director of the Built Environment and the City Surveyor to agree an appropriate date and statutes for use with the applicant

iii)            The principal of the commercial sale of the HSBC Gates be approved; and

iv)           the Digital Bench application be refused.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries seeking approval to a change in the external membership of the Keats House Consultative Committee.

RESOLVED: That: -

i)              the Friends of Keats House be removed from the list of external organisations represented on the Committee as it had ceased to exist;

ii)             the Keats Foundation be invited to send a second representative to reflect the extension of its work on the dissolution of the Friends, as detailed at paragraph 5;

iii)            the Friends of Heath Library be removed from the list of external organisations represented on the Committee as it  had ceased to exist;

iv)           the Keats Community Library be invited to send a representative to reflect its continuation of much of the work of the Friends, as detailed at paragraph 6; and

v)            all other external organisations be contacted to confirm if they still wish to play an active part in the work of the Committee and who their representative will be, as detailed at paragraph 7.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries providing details of progress made against the departmental  Business Plan in quarter 3 and against the objectives and key performance indicators set out in the Culture Heritage & Libraries Department’s Business Plan 2012-2013.

RESOLVED: That: -

i)              the progress shown against our Key Objectives as set out in the Quarter 3 performance for 2012/13 against the Key Performance Indicators and Service Response Standards set out in Appendix B be noted

ii)             the financial information contained in Appendix C be noted; and

iii)            the approach outlined in Appendix D relating to the two identified business risks be approved.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries setting the departmental business Plan for 2013-15 which built on the reported progress agreed by the Committee on 28 January 2013.

In response to a Members query, the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries responded that the level of out of hours IT support was being examined. He added that an increased level of service would have cost implications.

RESOLVED – That the content and underlying policy of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Business Plan 2013-15 be approved.

Presentation by the Director of London Metropolitan Archives.

The Committee received a presentation by the Director of London Metropolitan Archives (LMA).

The presentation informed the Committee of the work the LMA undertook and details of the London wide partnerships it had in place with a number of historic and current organisations.

The presentation highlighted London’s Screen Archives, a pan London organisation where the LMA was taking on an increasingly significant role, and the Archive’s work with a number of pan-London bodies.

A Member, also Chairman of the Barbican Centre Board, suggested a strong relationship be formed between the LMA, the London Film School and the Barbican Centre.

In response to a Members question the Director of the LMA undertook to come back to the Committee at a later date outlining the organisations policy and methodology on digitisation.

RECEIVED.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment outlining progress made with the Sculpture in the City programme, now in its third year.

The Director advised the Committee that in its third year the aim of the programme was to expand the project to a wider area of the City whilst maintaining the density of sculptures previously achieved. He highlighted that all sculptures were provided free, that any costs incurred, including insurance for the artworks were covered by the City Corporation’s business partners.

In response to a Member’s query, the Director confirmed that future expansion of the project would depend on the ability to maintain the density of artworks and that an ‘untapped resource’ paper would be brought to the Committee at a later stage in the year.

RECEIVED.

Verbal update by the City Surveyor.

The Committee received a verbal update of the City Surveyor regarding the latest position with Clockmaker’s Museum and their tenancy at Guildhall.

The City Surveyor advised that progress had been made but that an independent assessment to determine the market rent value at the property was required in order to move forward.

In response to a Members question, the City Surveyor confirmed that a deadline of December 2014 had been set for the conclusion of the negotiations and advised that a report would be brought to the next meeting.

RECEIVED.

Verbal update by the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a verbal update of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries reminding Members that the City of London Festival was 30% grant funded by the Committee.  He informed Members that Paul Gudgin had been appointed director of the festival.

The Chairman requested that Mr Gudgin present to the Committee later in the year.

RECEIVED.

Presentation by the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a verbal update of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries giving Members the history of the Lord Mayors Autograph Book and inviting the Committee to survey the item. The artefact had been brought to Guildhall after it had been taken to Mansion House for signing by the incumbent Lord Mayor.

RECEIVED.

Verbal update by the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a verbal update of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries regarding the City Culture Network. The Committee heard that a number of external organisations had expressed interest in setting up the network, that a recent meeting regarding the network had received good feedback and that the Director and his team would continue to pursue the matter.

RECEIVED.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.

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 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.

To approve the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2013.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2013 were approved.

To receive the non-public minutes of the Benefices Sub-Committee meeting held on 28 January 2013.

The non-public minutes of the Benefices Sub-Committee meeting held on 28 January 2013 were approved.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee approved a report of the City Surveyor.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee approved a report of the City Surveyor.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee received a report of the City Surveyor.

RECEIVED.

Joint report of the City Surveyor and the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee approved a report of the City Surveyor.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee received a report of the City Surveyor.

RECEIVED.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.