Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Karina Dostalova, Jannat Hossain and Alderwoman Susan Langley.

The Deputy Chair and Deputy Edward Lord declared standing interests by virtue of being trustees of Trust for London, and advised that they would withdraw from the decision in respect of Item 12a (1) – Bellingham Community Project Ltd, as the charity was a subsidiary of Trust for London.

The Committee then watched a short film by Media Trust about Disability Sport, arising from the ‘Telling your Stories’ initiative.

To agree the public minutes and non-public summaries of the meetings held on 26 September 2019 and 30 October 2019.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meetings held on 26 September 2019 and 30 October 2019 be agreed as an accurate record.

Matters Arising

Arising from the Committee’s discussion on sports and physical activity at the 26 September 2019 meeting, the Deputy Chair asked that this be kept sight of, with a view to forming a strategic initiative if possible. The CGO responded that City Bridge Trust had recently been working with London Sport, and there was appetite for collaboration should any specific proposals come forward.

Report of the Town Clerk

The Committee received the 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 and Director of City Bridge Trust (CGO)

The Committee received the regular progress report of the CGO and discussed the updates provided.

Committee Strategic Away Half Day

The CGO thanked Members for attending the event and for their feedback and recommendations arising from it, which had been used to inform much of the strategy proposals presented to the Committee.

Association of Charitable Funders Annual Conference

The CGO advised that the Deputy Chair and officers had attended the conference, focussing on social and environmental justice. The conference coincided with the launch of the Funder Commitment on Climate Change, developed by ACF Members, with a Sustainable Action Plan to be produced in 2020. The Chairman drew the Committee’s attention to the recommendation seeking ‘in principle’ support for the Funder Commitment on Climate Change and instruction to seek the approval of relevant onward committees, with a view to Bridge House Estates becoming a signatory to the pledge.

Whilst Members were supportive of the thrust of the Funder Commitment on Climate Change, there was some concern about inconsistencies with discussion on climate change at other Committees arising from some of the language used in the document. Members were keen that the Court of Common Council be joined-up on this issue, with a consistent message. However, the Committee noted that the Funder Commitment was not a City of London Corporation document and that the wording had been agreed. The Committee was supportive in principle, and noted that with the Committee’s agreement the Funder Commitment would be referred to other Committees for their views.

RESOLVED – That the City Bridge Trust Committee:

a)            Note the report; and

b)            Give ‘in principle’ support for the Funder Commitment on Climate Change and instruct officers to seek the approval of the relevant onward committees so that Bridge House Estates can also add its signature to the

Report of the Director of Innovation & Growth and the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Innovation and Growth and the Director of Community and Children’s Services presenting the first annual report for the City of London Corporation’s Digital Skills Strategy 2018-2023, which was approved by Policy & Resources Committee in September 2018.

In response to a query from a Member, the Committee was advised that whilst quantitative measures were currently used as a proxy, officers hoped to develop more sophisticated methods and take on qualitative data in time.

The Committee then paid tribute to Sufina Ahmed, who was leaving the Corporation to take up a role elsewhere, having previously worked closely with City Bridge Trust, including on developing the Bridging Divides Strategy.

RESOLVED – That the City Bridge Trust Committee:

a)    Endorse the Digital Skills Strategy Annual Report and provide guidance on how it should be shared with all Members; and

b)    Continue to prioritise the Digital Skills Strategy going forward.

Report of the CGO

The Committee considered a report of the CGO setting out the strategy for Impact and Learning at CBT for the Bridging Divides period (until 2023). The CGO introduced the report and drew Members’ attention to the key points. The Committee noted City Bridge Trust’s involvement in the pilot of GrantAdvisor, an online tool for grantees to give anonymous feedback on funders.

RESOLVED – That the City Bridge Trust Committee note the report and agree the Impact and Learning Strategy.

Report of the CGO

The Committee received a report of the CGO setting out the strategic Communications Vision and Plan to support the delivery of the Bridging Divides and Philanthropy strategies. The CGO introduced the report and drew Members’ attention to the key points.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the CGO and the Chamberlain

The Committee received a report of the CGO setting out City Bridge Trust’s financial position against budget for the period ended 30^th September 2019.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the CGO

The Committee considered a report of the CGO presenting for approval the City Bridge Trust high-level summary Business Plan and budget estimates for 2020/21. The CGO introduced the report and drew Members’ attention to the key points.

In response to a query from the Deputy Chair, the CGO confirmed that the proposed £25 million funding uplift had been factored into the Business Plan, and that operational costs would continue to be at an appropriate ratio with grant expenditure. A Member raised whether the Committee should start to look at prospective spending allocations, in addition to the in-year and retrospective data the Committee considered. Whilst this should not become prohibitive, it may prove useful and provide a way to monitor changes in the relationship between the Committee’s budget and strategy.

RESOLVED – That the City Bridge Trust Committee:

i)       Approve, subject to the incorporation of any changes sought by this Committee, the final high-level summary Business Plan for 2020/21 in respect of those areas within the CBT Committee terms of reference;

ii)      Approve CBT’s proposed revenue budget for 2020/21 in respect of those areas within the CBT Committee terms of reference for submission to Finance Committee;

iii)     Authorise the Chamberlain, in consultation with the CGO, to revise these budgets to allow for any further implications arising from Corporate Projects, other reviews and changes to the Cyclical Works Programme; and

iv)     Agree that minor amendments for 2019/20 and 2020/21 budgets arising during budget setting be delegated to the Chamberlain.

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:-

Report of the CGO

The Committee considered a report of the CGO advising Members of funds recommended for approval for amounts between £100,000 and £250,000, including strategic initiatives. The Committee noted that there were two separate applications from Media Trust for consideration, one under Strategic Initiatives and one under Bridging Divides.

RESOLVED – That the City Bridge Trust Committee receive the report and approve the recommended amounts for the following applications:

1. Bellingham Community Project Ltd

APPROVED £175,600 over five years (£35,900; £33,400; £34,400; £35,400; £36,500) for the salary and on-costs of a part-time (3dpw) Community Projects Officer, to develop and deliver a range of projects for people aged 65 and over in Bellingham. The grant includes a contribution towards project costs and equipment. Release of the grant is conditional upon BCP submitting a satisfactory safeguarding policy.

2. Clinks

APPROVED £271,400 over 5 years (£54,000; £54,100; £54,250; £54,300; £54,750) for the salary and associated costs of a London Development Worker to provide support to voluntary sector organisations working in the criminal justice sector in London.

3. Media Trust

APPROVED £223,000 over three further and final years (£73,300; £74,300; £75,400) to contribute to the delivery costs of the Stronger Voices Training Programme for 45 equalities organisations, including Advocacy Masterclasses and volunteer brokerage.

4. On Road Ltd

APPROVED £120,000 over three further and final years (3 x £40,000 towards media training courses, interactions, and peer support, as part of the All About Trans and Angles projects in support of London organisations.

5. Lambeth Elfrida Rathbone Society

APPROVED £101,700 over 3 years (£33,500; £33,700; £34,500) to cover salary costs of the Transitions worker, additional youth work hours, youth committee costs and project activities.

6. The Children’s Society

APPROVED £120,000 over two further and final years (2 x £60,000) to support boys/young men in London at risk of or affected by criminal exploitation.

7. Brent

Report of the CGO

The Committee considered a report of the CGO advising Members of funds recommended for approval for amounts of £250,000 or above. The CGO introduced each application to Members and outlined the proposals.

RESOLVED – That the City Bridge Trust Committee receive the report and approve the recommended amounts for the following applications:

10. Doctors of the World UK

APPROVED £300,000 over five years (£70,000; £65,000; £60,000, £55,000, £50,000) towards the staff and running costs of the Stratford Clinic run by Doctors of the World for vulnerable migrants.

11. Merton Home Tutoring Service

APPROVED £135,000 over three years (£43,000; £46,000, £46,000) towards pre-entry to entry level 2 ESOL community classes to give adult migrants, refugees and asylum seekers more opportunities to learn English. The grant includes £2,000 in year 1 towards safeguarding training.

The Committee considered a report of the CGO outlining a total of ten grant applications that were recommended for rejection. In response to a query from a Member, the CGO gave further detail on the reasons for recommending rejection of the application from the Spanish and Portuguese Jews Synagogue.

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 seventeen expenditure items, totalling £1,035,422, which had been presented for approval under delegated authority to the CGO in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chair.

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

The Committee received a report of the CGO which provided details of three applications 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 toseven grants agreed by the CGO since the last meeting.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the CGO

The Committee received a report of the CGO providing an update on progress against the 2019/20 grants budget and summarising those grants awarded and in management.

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 noted.

The Committee received a report of the CGO providing Members with an update on the communications work of City Bridge Trust.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

A Member asked for an update on any work City Bridge Trust was involved in on the topic on knife crime, as the matter was still high on the agenda of the government and Livery Companies. In response the CGO advised that recently City Bridge Trust had been a part of the Greater London Authority’s approach to tackling knife crime and had worked closely with them, notably with the Court of Common Council approving a £1 million grant to help organisations receiving funding from the Mayor’s Young Londoners Fund. The City Bridge Trust also supported specific related programmes, such as the grant approved to The Children’s Society at today’s meeting.

A Member suggested that a report updating on this work be brought to a future Committee meeting. The Chairman responded that the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit could be invited to present to the Committee, and that the Committee could consider a ‘deep dive’ look at the issue with them.

The Deputy Chair then requested that a progress report on Strategic Initiatives be brought to Committee in the New Year.

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

17 - 20                                                             3

21                                                                    -

22                                                                    3,5

To agree the non-public minutes of the meetings held on 26 September 2019 and 30 October 2019.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meetings held on 26 September 2019 and 30 October 2019 be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the CGO

The Committee considered a report of the CGO.

Report of the CGO

The Committee considered a report of the CGO.

Report of the CGO

The Committee received a report of the CGO.

There were no questions.

There was one item of other business.