Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from John Absalom, Deputy Kevin Everett, Deputy Michael Cassidy, Deputy, the Reverend Stephen Haines, Judith Pleasance, Deputy Dr Giles Shilson and Jeremy Simons.

Wendy Mead, Chief Commoner, declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of agenda item 12 (Decisions taken under Urgency and Delegated Authority) as she had served as a Member of the City Arts Initiative for a number of years. 

To approve the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 4^th September 2017.

RESOLVED, That – the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 4^th September 2017 be approved.

A presentation of the Head of Barbican and Community Libraries.

Members received a presentation of the Head of Barbican and Community Libraries in respect of the Library Service, together with an update on Business Plan Objectives (2017/18) for Library Services.

During the discussion and questions, the following points were noted:

•           The Chairman had recently attended, and thoroughly enjoyed, the Children’s Reading Challenge Awards and the Deputy Chairman had also enjoyed the ‘Cityread’ Play Reading.  The under 5’s facilities generally were commended and Members suggested that the events be widely advertised.

•           It is necessary to ask for 2 forms of ID (proof of identity and address) to join the Libraries as this helps protect the safety and security of both the collections and customers.

•           Some glitches in the E-Audio Books App had resulted in RBdigital receiving a low rating on the App Store.  The Head of the Library Service explained that the application was supplied by W F Howes, the e-Audiobook supplier.  The Head of Barbican and Community Libraries advised that despite this, the application was usable and that constant improvements were being made and agreed that the negative reviews had been unfortunate. 

•           Members congratulated officers on the quality of their outreach work and noted that the team worked closely with the Health and Wellbeing Board, who would be receiving a report on this work at their next Board Meeting.

•           In respect of the negative comments on Twitter in respect of Artizan Street’s opening times, Members noted that the hours changed following public consultation but officers had been surprised at the pattern selected.  The need for further change was highlighted in the recent customer survey and staff had been working with stakeholders, including the Youth Programme Board, on further improvements, noting the importance of balancing user need and cost.  There would be further consultation

To receive the draft public minutes of:

Benefices Sub Committee – held on 5^th October 2017.

Keats House Consultative Committee – held on 7^th November 2017.

RESOLVED, that:

1.     The draft minutes of the Benefices Sub Committee held on 5^th October 2017 be received.

2.     The draft minutes of the Keats House Consultative Committee held on 7^th November 2017 be received.

Report of the Town Clerk

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk in respect of the Annual Review of the Committee’s Terms of Reference.

RESOLVED, that:

1.         The Terms of Reference of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee be approved for submission to the Annual Meeting of the Court of Common Council, 2018, as set out in the appendix; with an additional point (n) in respect of the Chairman’s representation on the panels for appointing the Directors of Open Spaces and Community and Children’s Services and the Assistant Town Clerk (Culture Mile Director).

2.         The Committee continues to meet 6 times a year.

Report of the Assistant Town Clerk (Culture Mile Director).

Please note there is a non-public appendix in respect of this report at item XX on part 2 of this agenda.

Members received a report of the Assistant Town Clerk (Culture Mile Director)  in respectof the Annual Survey Findings (2017/18) for the City Information Centre.

RESOLVED, that – the report be noted. 

Report of the Chamberlain, the Assistant Town Clerk and Culture Mile Director, the

Director of Open Spaces and the Director of Children’s and Community Services.

Members considered a report of the Chamberlain, the Assistant Town Clerk (Culture Mile Director), Director of Open Spaces and Director of Community and Children’s Services, which presented the annual submission of the Revenue and Capital Budgets overseen by the Department of Culture, Heritage and Libraries, prepared within the resources allocated to the three Chief Officers.  Details of the Committee’s Draft Capital Budgets were also provided. 

The Chairman opened the discussion by making the following points:

1. The cuts being proposed by the officers are in response to a corporate wide instruction to cut budgets by 2% p.a. for the next 3 years with no allowances made for pay increases and external inflation so in real terms the cuts are circa 5% pa.
   
   
2. This follows on from the successful accomplishment of a very challenging SBR programme by the officers which have reduced Culture Heritage and Libraries (CHL) Local Risk costs by £1.35 million (circa 20%) over the last 3 years (2015/16 to 2017/18).  The impact of the latest cuts on CHL is greater than a number of other cultural departments as the bulk of the finance for activities is derived from the City’s funding and none of these cuts can be carried forward as reserves.
   
   
3. The Chairman stated that he fully supports a process and corporate culture to continually scrutinise costs and to make efficiency savings wherever possible and was not seeking to make a special case for the budgets under the committee’s control or to ask for additional funding.

4. However, the Chairman disagreed with the current budgeting process which he described as salami slicing. As a one-off emergency exercise this approach might be defensible but not as an on-going ‘Business as Usual’ process.

5. He disagreed with the assertion that these cuts which in real terms are approximately 5% pa can be

Report of the Assistant Town Clerk (Culture Mile Director), Director of Open Spaces and Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk, Director of Open Spaces and Director of Community and Children’s Services, which presented the draft high-level Business Plans for 2018/19 for those Departments which provide services for which this committee is responsible.  Members noted they were receiving this report earlier than usual to align with the Budget Report, next on this agenda.

RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Members considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces, which provided the Q2 Monitoring Review of the Open Spaces Department Business Plan 2017-18.  The Director of Open Spaces was pleased to announce the appointment of a new Curator for Keats House. 

RESOLVED, that:

1.         The Quarter 2 progress against Key Objectives, KPI’s and Corporate Service Response Standards be noted.

2.         The current schedule of charges be maintained, pending the outcome of a price review in Spring 2018.

Town Clerk to be heard.

Members received a resolution from the Policy and Resources Committee, in respect of the draft public minutes of the Members Privileges Sub  Committee meeting held on 21 September 2017, which resolved that the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee be requested to reconsider the quality of the material used to produce the sleeve for the Pocket Book.

Members noted that the Town Clerk was considering options and pricing for this proposal, which Members would be asked to approve at their next meeting in January 2018.

RESOLVED, that – the Resolution of the Policy and Resources Committee of 19 October 2017, in respect of the quality of material used to produce the sleeve for the pocket book, be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk is respect of two decisions taken under urgency provisions, in accordance with Standing Order Nos 41A, as follows

Claim for Restitution of ‘The Oyster Meal’ by Jacob Ochertvelt

The Town Clerk, acting under urgency powers, in consultation with the Chairman of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen and the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee,  authorised the restitution of The Oyster Meal, by Jacob Ochtervelt, to the heirs of Dr. J. H. Smidt van Gelder; Dr Smidt van Gelder’s daughter, now being of 96 years of age, pursuant to:

(i)  Standing Order 41(a) of the Standing Orders of the Court of Common Council, and

            (ii) Standing Order 30 of the Standing Orders of the Court of Aldermen

            (iii)The Terms of Reference of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee

Paddington Pop Up Book: A proposal by Cake Media in partnership with STUDIOCANAL

Given that the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee also serve on the City Arts Initiative; the Town Clerk, in consultation with the two most senior Members of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, agreed to:

Ratify the City Arts Initiative’s recommendation in relation to the Paddington Pop Up Book and a temporary artwork installation on St Peter’s Hill, subject to planning permissions and licenses being obtained.

RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.

There were no questions.

There were no 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 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 4^th September 2017.

RESOLVED, that – the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 4^th September 2017 be approved

To receive the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 5^th October 2017.

RESOLVED, that – the Non-Public Minutes of the Meeting held on 5^th October 2017 be approved. 

A presentation from the Head of Cultural and Visitor Development.

Members are asked to note the report and minute from the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee held on 24 October 2016 in respect of this matter and attached herewith.

Members received a presentation in respect of a replacement model for the City of London Festival and the 2017/18 Outdoor Arts Programme.

Report of the Chamberlain.

Members received a report of the Chamberlain.

A non-public appendix in respect of item xx on this agenda.

Members received a non public appendix in respect of the City Information Centre: Annual Survey Findings (2017/18), which also appeared at agenda item 7 on this agenda.

RESOLVED, that – the report be noted. 

Report of the City Surveyor.

Members considered and approved  report of the City Surveyor.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

This report was approved by the Projects Sub Committee on 8^th November 2017.

Members received a report of the City Surveyor in respect of the Lord Mayor’s State Coach.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Members received a report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Members considered and approved a report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

This report will be presented to the Projects Sub Committee, for Decision, on 11^th December 2017.

Members received a report of the Director of Open Spaces.