Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Deputy John Absalom, Munsur Ali, Peter Bennett, Sir Mark Boleat, Tijs Broeke, Alderman John Garbutt, Alderman Sir Roger Gifford, Ann Holmes, Jeremy Mayhew, Barbara Newman and Mark Wheatley.

The Chairman welcomed new Members James de Sausmarez and Mary Durcan to their first meeting of the Committee.

There were no declarations.

To approve the public minutes and non-public summary  of the meeting held on 2 July 2018.

RESOLVED, That – the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 2 July 2018 be approved.

Matters arising (from an earlier set of minutes)

The Assistant Director (Highways) was heard in respect of the Illuminated River Project and Members noted Planning Permission had been granted in July and a new year start was anticipated, with switch on in late Spring. 

To receive the draft minutes of the meeting held on  3^rd October 2018.

RESOLVED, that – the draft minutes of the meeting held on 3^rd October 2018 be noted.

Matters arising

Members noted that there had been some delay in respect of the Licensing Application, which was explained in the minutes and the Chairman advised that Members of the Consultative Committee had asked for this to be progressed as soon as possible.  The Principal Curator confirmed that it would be within this Financial Year.    Members were also pleased to note that the defibrillator had been installed at the House.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members  considered a report of the Town Clerk, further to the Motion passed at the Court of Common Council on 21 June, which sought to recognise the centenary of women’s suffrage and the various contributions made by women to the City and London, by commissioning a statue (or other suitable depiction) celebrating the role of pioneering women in London’s history.   Ahead of the meeting, Members had received a letter from a Member and a former Lord Mayor supporting the case for a statue of Mary Wollstonecraft to be sited at Newington Green. 

There was a suggestion that plaques may be sited at appropriate locations across the City celebrating the role of women in City business as well as, or instead of, the statue proposed.  However, there was strong support for the option of a new statue and it was suggested that, after the CAI had completed its work developing a proposal, the Policy and Resources Committee be asked to offer funding to the Mary Wollstonecraft statue to be located at Newington Green at a match to that donated to the Sylvia Pankhurst statue (£10,000) , subject to this aligning with the CAI proposal when complete. 

RESOLVED, that – the City Arts Initiative develop proposals for a statue or suitable depiction, within the City boundaries, to be created pursuant to the terms of the Motion passed by the Court of Common Council on 21 June 2018.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Members considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces which provided the Committee with an update on the management of risk faced by the Open Spaces Department and Keats House, in particular. 

RESOLVED, that –

1.     The Corporate risk scoring grid at Appendix 1 to the report be noted.

2.     The Keats House Risk Register included in Appendix 2 to the report be approved.

3.     The Keats house current and target risk grid at Appendix 3 to the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Members received a performance report in respect of Keats House for the period 2017/18.

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 Committee with an update on the management of risks faced by the Open Spaces Department and Tower Bridge and the Monument, in particular. 

RESOLVED, that –

1.     The Corporate risk scoring grid at Appendix 1 to the report be noted.

2.     The Tower Bridge and Monument Risk Register included in Appendix 2 to the report be approved.

3.     The Tower Bridge and Monument current and target risk grid at Appendix 3 to the report be noted.

4.     The Green Risks be removed from future reports to the Committee, as proposed in paragraphs 7 and 8 of the report. 

Joint report of the Assistant Town Clerk/Culture Mile Director and the Commissioner, City of London Police.

Members considered a joint report of the Town Clerk and City of London Police, which sought to clarify governance arrangements for the City of London Police Museum. In response to questions, Members noted that the visitor figures for the Museum had exceeded the Heritage Lottery Fund target.  The Cultural and Visitor Development Director advised that the volunteers were former police officers, with a great wealth of experience, and this helped to bring the exhibition to life.  Members asked if Livery companies could assist with promoting the Gallery and Museum, and whether officers could provide anything to share with them.  There was a further suggestion  that front of house staff be briefed to proactively refer visitors between the museum and Guildhall Art Gallery.

RESOLVED, that –

1.      The governance structure outlined in this report, namely that the business strategy for the City of London Police Museum and the cost of the staffing, accommodation and business operations, sit under the governance of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee for a period of three years (until 14 November 2021); and that ownership of the Museum collection, and costs pertaining to its rotation within the Museum and its conservation, as well as the recruitment of volunteers for Museum business, fall under the governance of the Police Committee.

2.      Subject to approval of the above, authority be delegated to the Assistant Town Clerk and Culture Mile Director for the management and staffing of the Museum, and to the Commissioner, City of London Police, for the management of the Museum Collection.

3.      Subject to the approval of both recommendations above, the re-establishment of the officer-led Museum Board be approved (with representation from both departments) to manage the day-to-day running of the Museum, under the delegated authority proposed, noting major projects, expenditure, or changes to the running

Report of the Assistant Town Clerk/Culture Mile Director.

Members received a report of the Assistant Town Clerk and Culture Mile Director, which summarised the work undertaken in recent years by the Cultural Services Teams, in the Town Clerk’s Department, to develop more inclusive and diverse programmes. 

RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.

Report of the Assistant Town Clerk/Culture Mile Director.

 Members received a report of the Assistant Town Clerk and Culture Mile Director, which provided a review of the City Information Centre (CIC’s) performance for the last financial year (2017/18).  The Chairman asked that the Committee’s gratitude be conveyed to staff at the CIC for their excellent work in implementing a significant number of successful income generation schemes, which had kept the CIC running successfully following the SBR savings delivered two years ago.

RESOLVED, that – the report and survey findings be noted.

Report of the Assistant Town Clerk/Culture Mile Director.

Members considered a report of the Assistant Town Clerk and Culture Mile Director, which presented the recommendations of the City Arts Initiative for ratification. In response to questions, Members noted that ‘Ice Watch’ would not carry any narrative but officers accepted that its environmental message could be open to speculation.  There was also a query in respect of the weight of the ice blocks, and the crane used to position them, and this was under consideration by the City’s Highways team. 

Members also noted that consultation was ongoing in respect of the precise siting of ‘Fearless Girl’, as there had been some objections to it being sited at the proposed location in Paternoster Square.  Members were very keen for this sculpture to be in the City and noted that the Square was large enough to provide an acceptable alternative location.  

RESOLVED, that – Members ratify the City Arts Initiative’s recommendations in relation to the above proposals as follows:

1.          Ice Watch London: approve the proposed installation, noting that the number and location of the ice blocks must be agreed with your Highways Team; risk assessments and method statements must be provided to advise how meltwater will be dealt with in the event of run-off and of freeze/thaw; a procedure must be in place for the removal of the ice blocks, if they have not melted by 21 December 2018, and there must be clearance of at least 2m around each block.

2.          The Fearless Girl: approve - noting the need to ensure 2m clearance around the sculpture

3.          Domestic David: decline as the proposal constitutes advertising, even with the logos and manufacturer’s name removed.

Report of the Assistant Town Clerk/Culture Mile Director.

 Members received a report of the Assistant Town Clerk and Culture Mile Director in respect of the most recent round of applications to the Central Grants Programme: ‘Inspiring London through Culture’ theme. 

In respect of the Ring Consortium Grant, a Member who was in attendance at the CGP meeting suggested that the summary should reflect how the City Corporation regarded the organisation positively and that it is inviting it to submit another application to fund the residual balance.   Members also commended Spitalfields for showing a significant return on previous City Corporation investment and their excellent events which assisted children from low income families. 

RESOLVED, that – the grant decisions made by the panel, under the Inspiring London through Culture funding stream, as part of the City Corporation’s Central Grants Programme and set out in the report, be noted.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

 Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services, following feedback from the last Barbican and Community Libraries Survey, in respect of Artizan Street Library’s trial of revised opening hours.  Members noted that later weekday opening has been successful and would continue but Saturday opening would not. Members noted that the local ward Members were supportive of the revised hours. 

Members also noted that the Barbican Library stayed open until 7.30pm on two weekday evenings and customers can return their books to any City Library.  In respect of Saturday opening, Members noted that this had not been successful due to the high number of other events in the City at weekends, which are advertised at the Libraries. 

RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of the Dragon Café, which launched in February this year.  Members were very pleased to note that, due to the success of the project, the staff at the Café had won the ‘Town Clerk’s Award for Customer Excellence’ and asked for their congratulations to be passed onto the team.  Officers advised that the sessions ran in parallel with children’s activities which encouraged parents to read with their children.  Members noted that recent research into such initiatives had concluded a very positive impact on a mother’s mental health, as well as providing an opportunity for isolated parents to socialise. 

Members were very supportive of the Cafe and would encourage a recommendation to Policy and Resources Committee for the funding to be permanent.

RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.

Report of Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk, which advised Members of action taken, under delegated authority, since the last meeting in July 2018.  Members noted that, in this instant a past Chairman and the most Senior Member were consulted, as the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee serve on the City Arts Initiative. 

ACTION TAKEN, - following satisfactory responses to Members’ queries, approval be given to the installation of the ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ art project.

In response to a question about the new pocket book, the Town Clerk reminded Members that a number of them had opted for having just their corporation emails and/or mobile phone numbers visible on the intranet/internet and/or in the pocket book, with their addresses shown c/o Guildhall.   Members were reminded of the audit conducted earlier in the year, as part of GDPR preparations, in which they were required to state their preferences.   Some Members were still willing to share personal and/or work contact details and, also as part of GDPR, all Members were using city corporation email addresses.

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 2^nd July 2018.

RESOLVED, That – the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 2 July 2018 be approved.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members considered and approved a report the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Report of the Assistant Town Clerk/Culture Mile Director.

Members considered and approved a report of the Assistant Town Clerk and Culture Mile Director.

Head of Tower Bridge to be heard.

The Head of Tower Bridge was heard.

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.

A question was asked while the public were excluded.

There were no items while the public were excluded.