Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from the Karina Dostalova, Peter Dunphy and Alderman Susan Langley.

Alderman Alison Gowman declared a personal interest in Item 15f – West London Mission Methodist Circuit by virtue of her attendance of the church.

Ian Seaton declared an interest in Item 15b – Partnership for Young London by virtue of his Livery Company’s support of London Youth.

Jeremy Mayhew declared an interest in Item 15j - Legal Education Foundation by virtue of his role as a non-executive Member of the Legal Services Board.

To receive the Order of the Court of Common Council on 25 April 2019.

The Committee received an Order of the Court of Common Council of 25 April 2019 appointing the Committee and approving its Terms of Reference.

To elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 29.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order No.29. The Town Clerk read a list of Members eligible to stand and Dhruv Patel, being the only Member who expressed his willingness to serve, was duly elected as Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing year. On being elected, the Chairman expressed thanks to the Committee for their support.

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

The Committee proceeded to elect a Deputy Chair in accordance with Standing Order No.30. In accordance with Standing Order 30, paragraph 3a, Alderman Alison Gowman, as the immediate past Chair and being willing to serve, was duly elected as Deputy Chair of the Committee for the ensuing year. On being elected, the Deputy Chair thanked the new Chairman and the Committee for their support during her time as Chair of the Committee.

VOTE OF THANKS

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Members of the City Bridge Trust Committee express their sincere thanks and appreciation to:

ALDERMAN ALISON GOWMAN

for the manner in which she has presided over their deliberations, and the interest and commitment she has shown in all aspects of the work of the City Bridge Trust Committee for the past three years.

Alison has been a knowledgeable, passionate and dedicated Chair of this Committee and an exceptional advocate and ambassador for the City Bridge Trust. Under her stewardship, the City Bridge Trust Committee has awarded over 670 grants, totalling almost £64 million in funding, and recently surpassed the mark of £400 million granted in total. With diligence, ambition and a keen eye for detail, Alison has ensured that the Committee has supported organisations of all shapes and sizes, to the benefit of so many in London and beyond.

Alison’s tenure as Chair began with a quinquennial strategic review, that with careful planning and widespread engagement became Bridging Divides. Alison has been instrumental in developing and embedding the Bridging Divides strategy, fostering a positive environment for the evolution of the Trust, and inspiring a dynamic and collaborative approach that exemplifies the priorities and values of the strategy. As Chair, she has ensured that City Bridge Trust is relevant and alive to the changing needs of Londoners, and maintained a clear focus

To appoint up to two external co-opted Members to the Committee.

RESOLVED – That the Committee appoint Jannat Hossain and William Hoyle as Co-opted Members of the Committee.

The Chairman congratulated and welcomed the new Members of the Committee.

To agree the minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 21 March 2019.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 21 March 2019 be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk

RESOLVED – That the Committee appoint Alderman Alison Gowman, Jeremy Mayhew and Dhruv Patel to the Social Investment Board.

Report of the Town Clerk

The Committee received a list of outstanding actions, noting those which were on the agenda or were scheduled for a future date or meeting.

RESOLVED – That the Outstanding Actions update be noted.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer & Director of City Bridge Trust (CGO)

The Committee received the regular progress report of the Chief Grants Officer & Director of City Bridge Trust (CGO) and discussed the updates provided.

Stepping Stones

The CGO advised that the Stepping Stones programme had been relaunched, and was now fully integrated into the Bridging Divides strategy.

HR Update

The CGO advised of staffing changes within the City Bridge Trust team, and introduced new staff members Ruth Feder and Catherine Mahoney at their first Committee meeting. An organogram would be circulated once all positions had been finalised.

Cornerstone Fund

The CGO advised that two further recommendations for Stage 2 Cornerstone Fund grants were on the agenda for today’s meeting.

Brexit Update

The CGO advised Members that a full update following the last Committee meeting had been circulated via email, and that the information was still relevant. One operational risk relating to data within the GIFTS software programme had been identified and measures had been taken to mitigate this risk.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the CGO

The Committee received a report of the CGO providing the Committee’s section of the key risks register for Bridge House Estates (BHE) for review.

A Member queried whether the target score on Negative Publicity and Reputational Damage was correct, as the current score was lower than target and could come off if it was that low. The CGO responded that this was a possible error which officers would revisit and change if necessary.

RESOLVED – That, pending the above correction, the City Bridge Trust Committee:

a)    review the four risks currently on the register for this Committee and

confirm that appropriate control measures are in place; and

b)    confirm that there are no other risks relating to the services overseen

by the CBT Committee which should be added to the BHE risk register.

Report of the CGO

The Committee received a report of the CGO providing a review of progress towards implementing the Bridging Divides Strategy in Year One (2018-19), including key learning points. The CGO introduced the report and drew Members’ attention to the key points. Both successes and challenges had been identified, and key learning points and recommendations were set out in the report.

In response to a query from a Member, the CGO confirmed that there would be an ongoing relationship with Renaisi who would report at the end of each year. Officers wanted to work closely with Renaisi and appreciated their role as a ‘critical friend’. A Member queried why thirteen grants had not been assigned a geographic location in the report. The CGO responded that this would be explored, with a report back to the July meeting.

The Chairman drew Members’ attention to the table setting out progress towards implementation of each pillar of Bridging Divides and asked the Committee for suggestions on amending the language of ‘cohesive communities’ used in the vision and mission, noting that it was intended to encompass the various strands of City Bridge Trust work. Members made suggestions referencing strength, inclusiveness and the trend elsewhere towards ESG issues, and asked officers to come back with suggested options.

RESOLVED – That the Committee note information on progress towards implementing Bridging Divides to date, including key learning points and recommendations, as presented.

Joint report of the CGO and the Chamberlain

The Committee received report of the CGO and the Chamberlain setting out CBT’s position against budget for the year ended 31 March 2019.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the CGO

The Committee received a report of the CGO summarising grant applications recommended for decision at the meeting, and those that had been considered since the last meeting under schemes of delegation.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider the CGO’s reports on grant recommendations as follows: -

The Committee noted the Bridging Divides eligibility criteria set out in one-page format as suggested by Members. A Member asked that this be kept on future agendas as it was a helpful reminder. The Chairman suggested transferring it to a leaflet or postcard format.

The Committee noted that the application was part of the Cornerstone Fund.

APPROVED £303,600 over two years (2 x £151,800) towards a project increasing and embedding digital skills amongst small voluntary organisations across London.

APPROVED £138,000 over two years (£68,000; £70,000) towards a project designed to improve how young people's lived experience can shape and influence data collection and research thereby improving services that affect them.

In response to a query from a Member, the CGO explained that reserves were considered by officers on a case-by-case basis taking a number of factors into account. In this case, the reserves being above target was considered to be justified as the organisation were taking on significant commitments that would increase expenditure in the ensuing year.

APPROVED a grant of £150,000 towards the purchase of specially designed shipping container pod offices on the site on condition that a satisfactory lease is finalised with LB Hackney.

In response to a query from a Member about the proposal to create a London National Park City mentioned in the application, the CGO advised that the Director of Open Spaces was supportive of the organisation’s ideas. The City of London Corporation had hosted a discussion group on the subject but not signed up to the initiative at this stage.  The grant was not to promote the park proposal but to create an enhanced web platform.

APPROVED a grant of £120,000 over three years (3 x £40,000) towards of developing a web-based platform and map to promote London's parks and green spaces, on condition that a satisfactory reserves policy for CPRE London is provided.

In response to queries, the CGO advised that the organisation would need a fuller funding package to be effective, and that City Bridge Trust would have an opportunity to work closely with the organisation to influence programme design. A Member asked if it could be ensured that City Bridge Trust funding would only be used on the London element of the initiative, which was nationwide. The CGO responded that this had been discussed and was set out as part of the recommendation.

APPROVED a grant of £400,000 over two years (2 x £200,000) towards the London element of an initiative to make civil society more resilient by embedding digital in their strategy, services and governance.  Release of funding in Year 2 is conditional on CAST being able to demonstrate the viability of the programme in 2020/21. The grant is also conditional on CAST providing a satisfactory revised reserves policy.

In response to a query from a Member about the organisation’s reserves policy, the CGO advised that the organisation held free reserves and used the income generated by interest to fund their core costs, which officers considered to be reasonable as the income generated was being spent rather than accumulated. The CGO also advised that the proposed salary was comparable to similar roles at other organisations and was in keeping with the rest of the organisation.

APPROVED £114,350 over three years (£34,740; £39,238; £40,372) to cover the salary and on costs of a specialist mental health worker for homeless people to work alongside a multi-disciplinary team at Seymour Place.

APPROVED £96,200 over three years (£31,900, £32,000, £32,300) towards the project running costs of Hidden Harms in London.

APPROVED £140,800 over three years (£46,000, £46,900, £47,900) for the full-time salary of a Young Parent Practitioner and associated on-costs.

APPROVED £150,000 over five years (5 x £30,000) towards Legal Manager salary costs and overheads, on the condition that all funds are restricted for support to London clients.

The CGO advised that whilst the charity was endowed, it spent the income generated and free reserves were under target. Whilst receipt of the proposed grant might enable other funders to support the scheme elsewhere, City Bridge Trust grant funding would only support the London element of the scheme, which was nationwide.

APPROVED £320,000 over three years (£80,000; £180,000; £80,000) towards the costs of providing 6 Justice First Fellowships in London.

APPROVED £100,000 over three years (£34,000, £33,000, £33,000) towards the project running costs for Work It Out in London.

APPROVED £254,700 over 5 years (£50,300; £48,800; £52,000; £50,600; £53,000) towards the costs of a Project Co-ordinator (21 hours per week) and associated running costs.

APPROVED £500,000 over two years (£222,500; £277,500) towards the continued development of London Plus, through the legal entity, Greater London Volunteering. Funding in Year 2 is conditional on satisfactory progress being made in diversifying the organisation's funding base.

APPROVED £135,000 over three years (£50,000; £45,000; £40,000) to provide auditory verbal therapy to deaf children and their families In London.

APPROVED £66,800 over two further and final years (£33,100; £33,700) for a part-time Project Co-ordinator (21 hours per week) and project costs for delivering the Peer Support Brokers programme for Londoners.

APPROVED £283,300 over five years (£54,400, £55,500, £56,800, £57,700, £58,900) for the salary and on-costs of a full-time Senior Caseworker (London).

APPROVED £77,900 over a further and final two years (2 x £38,950) for salaries and related costs of delivering the Performing Arts project for young adults with learning disabilities.

RESOLVED – That the Committee reject the grant applications listed in the accompanying schedule.

The Committee received a report of the CGO which advised Members of five expenditure items, totalling £28,200, which had been presented for approval under delegated authority to the CGO in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman.

RESOLVED – That the report be received, and its contents noted.

The Committee received a report of the CGO which provided details of sixapplications which had been withdrawn or had lapsed.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the CGO which advised Members of a variation toone grant agreed by the CGO, plus one correction to a previous report, since the last meeting.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the CGO about two visits that had taken place.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

The Committee received a report of the CGO updating on the communications work of the City Bridge Trust.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

There were no questions.

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

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23                                                                    3, 5

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