Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor.

Alderman Alison Gowman, Vivienne Littlechild and Wendy Mead declared personal interests in Spark Inside, by virtue of being acquainted with one of the Directors through their Livery Company.

Edward Lord declared a non-pecuniary interest in The West India Committee, which was on the list of rejected applications, by virtue of receiving hospitality from them.

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 24 May 2016.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 24 May 2016 be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members noted that the new website was live and, for the time being, the point of contact for any questions was Martin Hall. With regard to visits, officers advised dates were being finalised, after which monthly emails would be circulated.

RESOLVED – That the Outstanding Actions update be noted.

The Committee received a presentation from Luljeta Nuzi, Programme Director and Founder of Shpresa, after which Members had the opportunity to ask questions.

Ms Nuzi began by reading a poem by the Albanian speaking community with which Shpresa worked. She thanked the Committee for their current funding, and detailed the work Shpresa carried out to bring together and support Albanians or Kosovans in the UK and help them integrate and engage with the wider community. Ms Nuzi advised that Shpresa acted as a mobilising platform, identifying partnership organisations to link together and provide specialist programmes and services; e.g. for victims of domestic abuse.

Members noted that the City Bridge Trust grant had allowed Shpresa to offer ESOL classes to improve the English speaking skills of 120 vulnerable and isolated women (40 per year) and, by doing so, better integrate them into the wider community, enable them to access mainstream services, and increase their confidence and self-esteem. Members also noted Shpresa ran Albanian schools in partnership with mainstream schools in five London boroughs, which worked to promote a positive Albanian identity, develop literacy and learning to improve the children’s attainment in mainstream schools, and also improve the children’s relationship with their own family and community.

The Chairman thanked Ms Nuzi for her presentation.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee received the regular progress report of the Chief Grants Officer and discussed the updates provided, including:

Quinquennial Review

·         A Project Manager had been recruited on secondment who was anticipated to start soon and be full-time by autumn.

Stepping Stones

·         A more detailed report would be received when more grantees had completed the process and more information was available.

Communications

·         The CBT team were linking with other departments, sharing resources and ensuring work was not being duplicated.

·         Martin Hall is covering much of the work of the vacant Communications Officer role. The JD is being reviewed and the post will then be re-evaluated. They will be responsible for CBT branding and/or promotion from successful grantees.

·         A post is being created within the Communications Team with responsibility for CBT, Responsible Business and Philanthropy and which will probably be co-located within CBT.

Central Grants Programme

·         Resources had been agreed by the Finance Committee via delegated authority to ensure the Central Grants programme would go “live” in August 2016.

·         The Chief Grants Officer reported that the Policy & Resources Committee had been tasked with ensuring the Grants Programme was adequately resourced, and assured Members there would be no drain on City Bridge Trust resources.

Resources

·         An offer had been made and accepted for a Head of Charity and Social Investment Finance, and a September start date was anticipated with interim arrangements in place until then.

Statistics

·         Members noted that two applications were still pending from March 2015 as information was outstanding. These would now be lapsed.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee received the draft Business Plan for 2016-18. Members noted a correction; that there would be one round of Stepping Stones by January 2017 rather than two, and asked that an organisational chart be circulated showing existing and new members of staff linked to the Trust’s work, and an indication of from where these were being funded (i.e. whether using Bridge House Estates monies).

RESOLVED – That the Business Plan for 2016-18 be approved, and an organisational chart be circulated.

To consider the Chief Grants Officer’s reports on grant recommendations as follows:-

APPROVED - £311,000 over five years (£61,000; £61,000; £62,000; £63,000; £64,000) towards the salary and associated running costs of the Access and Sustainability Advisory Service, with the grant subject to external evaluation after three years.

APPROVED - £76,500 over three years (£26,800; £27,700; £22,000) towards the salary of a part-time Education and Outreach Coordinator (14 hours per week) and part-time Project Manager (7 hours per week) and running costs of Botany on the Plate programme. This grant would be contingent on South London Botanical Institute providing an outline programme of work for each funding year.

APPROVED - £90,000 over three years (3 x £30,000) towards the salary of Head of Production (3 days per week) and a contribution towards the General Manager's post (1 day per week) and associated project costs.

APPROVED - £135,000 over three years (£45,000; £45,000; £45,000) to fund the salary of a full-time equivalent psychotherapist post for the delivery of the LifeWorks programme.

APPROVED - £142,500 over three years (£47,000; £47,500; £48,000) towards 4.5 days per week of the full-time Centre Manager.

APPROVED - £118,300 over three years (£40,830; £39,340; £38,130) to contribute to the full-time salary of the Co-Director (16 hours per week Year 1; 10 hours per week Year 2; 8 hours per week Year 3), project set up, sessional staff and associated running costs.

APPROVED - £93,240 over 3 years (3 x £31,080) towards the salaries of the Education Manager (5.25 hours/week) and Project Coordinator (9.75 hours/week); the sessional costs of the Artistic Director, Assistant Director, and Artistic Support Workers; and the running costs of the Blue Sky Actors project.

APPROVED - £100,560 over three years (£17,880; £40,020; £42,660) to support young people in care and care leavers in avoiding or escaping abusive relationships as follows:

(a) year 1: a contribution to the programme;

(b) years 2 and 3: towards 0.7 full-time equivalent salary costs of a Youth Engagement Manager, running costs and overheads.

APPROVED - £113,200 over three years (£40,500; £40,500; £32,200) for the salary costs of a part-time Programme Officer (21 hours per week) and Research and Campaign Officer (7 hours per week), and associated running costs.

APPROVED - £120,000 over three years (£39,100; £39,900; £41,000) for the salary of a full­time Housing Law Advisor and associated running costs.

In response to a Member’s query, officers confirmed they could discuss use of alternative places of worship alongside local churches with the applicant through the management of the grant.

APPROVED - £114,950 over three years (£37,450; £38,550; £38,950) for a full-time Project Manager and associated costs.

APPROVED - £90,000 over three years (£30,000; £30,000, £30,000) to contribute towards the Chief Executive's full-time salary, rent and associated office costs.

APPROVED - £114,200 over two years (£56,500; £57,700) for a part-time (21 hours per week) Business Development Manager and project overheads, with the proviso that pro-bono or expenses-only specialist marketing support is sought. Funding is conditional upon receipt of a satisfactory final report for the previous grant.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer, which recommended that twenty three grant applications be rejected for the reasons identified in the schedule attached to the report. In response to a Member’s query regarding how Mayors and Leaders of London Boroughs were informed about the Trust, the Chief Grants Officer confirmed there were thematic/geographic leads within the team and undertook to circulate a note outlining these.

RESOLVED – That twenty three grant applications detailed in the schedule attached to the report be rejected, and a note be circulated outlining the geographical and thematic leads.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which provided an analysis of data collected from annual grant monitoring reports received in the first two and a half years of the Investing in Londoners grants programme, which ran from September 2013 to March 2016. The report set out the range of work funded; how well work had progressed against the outcomes agreed at application stage; feedback from, and a statistical breakdown of, users/beneficiaries; and the relationship with the Trust more broadly, including what worked well and what did not.

Officers advised that most monitoring visits were providing good or very good reports which suggested that work being delivered was of a good quality and the organisations were collecting evidence to show how their work was making a difference. 75% said that their City Bridge Trust grant had positively affected their fundraising efforts, and 95% of grantees stated that their grant had brought additional benefits including the number and reach to different types of users/beneficiaries, improved partnership working, and the ability to plan ahead more strategically through multi-year funding. 

Members noted the number of beneficiaries and their geographical distribution, which broadly followed the Government’s 2015 Indices of Multiple Deprivation. Members noted the caveat regarding quality of data, and were advised that this meant equality data could not be reliably analysed at the moment. Officers advised that the Trust would explore alternative methods to collect and analyse data, though it was still useful to give an indication of overall trends by borough.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which set out the main findings of the Philanthropy Review commissioned by the Trust in September 2015. This looked at the effectiveness of the various strands of work supported by the City Bridge Trust, and to make recommendations for the Trust’s strategic direction in for the future. The Review included:

·         City Philanthropy – a Wealth of Opportunity, together with Beyond Me, the City Funding Network and the Beacon Awards

·         London’s Giving, and the related grants to Islington Giving and East End Community Foundation

·         Heart of the City

·         Spice

·         The Lord Mayor’s Appeal Charity and City Giving Day.

Overall, the Review found that the Trust’s support had been largely positive, and underlined how each aspect complemented the others. However, it also found that more could be done to co-ordinate the five projects better to maximise their impact, and highlighted areas of future need regarding infrastructure in order to create stronger, more reliant communities. Members discussed the report, and requested a report analysing the outcomes of strategic initiatives be presented at a future meeting, as well as further information regarding future funding of Heart of the City and its long-term sustainability.

RESOLVED – That:

a)    officers to bring proposed next steps to the September Committee Meeting.

b)    officers bring specific proposals for the future funding by the Trust of City Philanthropy – a wealth of opportunity, and London’s Giving to the September Committee Meeting;

c)    further details regarding future funding of Heart of the City and Spice (Time Credits) be brought to a future Committee meeting;

d)    a report analysing the current position and outcomes of the Strategic Initiatives funded by the Trust will be presented at the November Committee meeting; and

e)    the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which advised Members of seven expenditure items, totalling £191,200, which had been presented for approval under delegated authority to the Chief Grants Officer in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which provided details of eleven applications which had been withdrawn.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which provided details of seven applications where variations had been agreed since the last meeting.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee noted a report of the Chief Grants Officer regarding the key meetings and events attended by Members and officers since the last meeting.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Chairman introduced the recent rise of reports of hate crime, and advised the Committee that the possibility of making funds available from Bridge House Estates for a one-off programme looking at resilience and community cohesion might be raised at a meeting of the Court of Common Council. Members supported the need to consider this issue and discussed the governance arrangements that would inform such a programme.  The Chief Grants Officer stated that there was no easy solution but he would continue to monitor the position and take views from other funders and grantees working in this area. He would liaise with other departments in the Corporation with regard to developing any response needed.

There was no other business.

MOTION – That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business 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.

RESOLVED – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business 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.

Item No.                                              Exempt Paragraphs

12-13                                                               3

14-15                                                               -

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2016.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2016 be agreed as an accurate record.

Members received an update on the UK Consortium LGBT.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer outlining the pipeline for strategic grants.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.