Agenda and minutes

Resolved – That the Minutes of the last Court are correctly recorded.

Resolved unanimously – That the Vote of Thanks read informally at the last meeting of this Honourable Court be agreed, included in the Minutes of this meeting; and that it be fairly transcribed, signed by the Town Clerk and presented in a manner agreeable to the late Lord Mayor.

Resolved unanimously -  That the Members of this Court take great pleasure in expressing to:

Alderman David Wootton

their most sincere thanks for the distinguished way in which he has carried out the varied demands of the Office of Lord Mayor of the City of London over the past year.

Whether at home or abroad, he has been an exemplary ambassador for both the City of London and for the United Kingdom.  His efforts to stimulate jobs and growth, coupled with his enthusiasm for the City’s future well-being, have been vital during this year of continued economic uncertainty. His measured and persuasive approach has been particularly valuable in highlighting London’s role as a global hub emphasising the City’s vast expertise in working with other international City centres in financial, legal and educational services together with dispute resolution and arbitration. The important and rapidly emerging markets in potential new regional groupings across the World present new opportunities for British business and David has been playing his part in presenting a coherent picture of what the United Kingdom has to offer.

The Lord Mayor has promoted the interests of the City, London and the nation around the World – visiting 26 countries, places as diverse as Russia, Canada, Australia, Turkey, Thailand and the Gulf region and more recently Vietnam, India and Argentina. He has also demonstrated the City’s contribution and commitment to the wider national economy noting the important role that the financial and professional services play in developing regional businesses and supporting

The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor reported on his recent visit to Dublin.

A letter from Robin Sherlock resigning his office as a Common Councilman for the Ward of Dowgate was received.

A letter from John White informing of his decision not to seek re-election for his office as Alderman for the Ward of Billingsgate was received.

There was no policy statement.

Sundry documents were sealed with the Hospital Seal.

(A list of names, together with those of the nominators, has been separately circulated).

The Chamberlain, in pursuance of the Orders of this Court, presented a list of the under-mentioned persons who had made application to be admitted to the Freedom of this City by redemption:-

To: –

·        Change the date of the elections of Ward Beadles;

·        Make incidental and consequential changes to the term of office of Ward Beadles;

·        Provide that any casual vacancy occurring in the office of Ward Beadle shall be filled by the Alderman of the ward in which the vacancy occurs;

·        Repeal the Act of Common Council made and passed on the 4th day of December 2003.

(First and Second Reading)

(A printed report of the Policy and Resources Committee thereon has been circulated).

A Bill for an Act of Common Council to:-

•           change the date of the elections of Ward Beadles;

•           make incidental and consequential changes to the term of office of Ward Beadles;

•           provide that any casual vacancy occurring in the office of ward Beadles shall be filled by the Alderman of the ward in which the vacancy occurs;

•           repeal the Act of Common Council made and passed on the 4th day of December 2003.

(First and Second Reading)

(A printed report of the Policy & Resources Committee thereon has been circulated).

Resolved – That the report be agreed to and that the Bill be read a first and second time.

Two Members on the Board of Governors of the Museum of London for a four year term expiring in November 2016 and a three year term expiring in November 2015;

* denotes appointed

Votes

* Michael John Cassidy, C.B.E., Deputy                60

Martin James Day, B.A., M.Sc., LL.M.                   9

* Tom Hoffman                                                    55

Jeremy Paul Mayhew, M.A., M.B.A.                       40

Ann Marjorie Francescia Pembroke                       5

Two Members on the Board of Governors of the Museum of London for a four year term expiring in November 2016 and a three year term expiring in November 2015;

Votes

* Michael John Cassidy, C.B.E., Deputy       60

Martin James Day, B.A., M.Sc., LL.M.            9

* Tom Hoffman                                               55

Jeremy Paul Mayhew, M.A., M.B.A.             40

Ann Marjorie Francescia Pembroke                5

Read.

Whereupon the Lord Mayor declared Deputy Michael Cassidy and Tom Hoffman to be re-appointed on the Board of Governors of the Museum of London.

Nomination received:-

Martin James Day, B.A., M.Sc., LL.M.

a) The Court proceeded to appoint one Member on the Board of Governors of the City of London School for Girls for the balance of a term expiring in April 2016 in respect of which the Town Clerk reported that the following nomination had been received.

Nomination received:-

Martin James Day, B.A., M.Sc., LL.M.

Read.

Whereupon the Lord Mayor declared Martin Day to have been appointed on the Board of Governors of the City of London School for Girls.

8 November 2012

The Court of Aldermen has recently considered the criteria for eligibility to become an Alderman. The last time this was reviewed was in 2005/06 as part of the comprehensive review of the Mayoralty and it is now being proposed that a further review be carried out.

This would include consideration of the current links with the magistracy and would look generally at the issues surrounding pre-election qualifications for Aldermen. To this end, both the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen and the Policy & Resources Committee have established a small working party of Members specifically to carry out the review with any findings or conclusions being reported to those Committees in the first instance.

The Working Party’s terms of reference are “to undertake a review of the criteria for eligibility to become an Alderman” and its proposed constitution is as follows:

·        The Chairmen of the Privileges Committee of Aldermen and the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen

·        The Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Policy & Resources Committee

·        The Chief Commoner

·        Two Aldermen appointed by the Court of Aldermen (Alderman Ian Luder and Alderman David Graves have been appointed)

·        Two Members of the Policy & Resources Committee appointed by the Policy & Resources Committee (Simon Duckworth and Deputy Douglas Barrow have been appointed)

·        Two Members appointed by the Court who are not Members of the Policy & Resources Committee.

The two vacancies on the Working Party which it is proposed should be filled by the Court (from Members not on the Policy & Resources Committee) have already been advertised to Members, in advance of and subject to the Court agreeing to make the appointments. This is to ensure that the Working Party is able to commence its work without having to wait until after the next meeting of the Court in 2013.

It

Nominations received:-

Anthony Noel Eskenzi, C.B.E., D.Sc., Deputy

Robin Anthony Eve, O.B.E., Deputy

Sophie Anne Fernandes

William Barrie Fraser, O.B.E., Deputy

Stanley Ginsburg J.P., Deputy

Gregory Alfred Lawrence

Vivienne Littlechild J.P.

Julian Henry Malins, Q.C.

Jeremy Lewis Simons M.Sc.

The Court proceeded to make the following appointments in respect of which the Town Clerk reported that the following nominations had been received:-

b) Two Members on the Aldermanic Eligibility Working Party not a Member of the Policy and Resources Committee.

Nominations received:-

Robin Anthony Eve, O.B.E., Deputy

Sophie Anne Fernandes

William Barrie Fraser, O.B.E., Deputy

Stanley Ginsburg J.P., Deputy

Gregory Alfred Lawrence

Vivienne Littlechild J.P.

Julian Henry Malins, Q.C.

Jeremy Lewis Simons M.Sc.

Nominations received:-

# denotes fewer than five years’ service on the Court

John Alfred Barker, O.B.E., Deputy

Martin James Day, B.A., M.Sc., LL.M.

The Revd. Dr. Martin Dudley

# Robert Picton Seymour Howard

Richard David Regan, Deputy

(C) Two Members on the Social Investment Board of the Investment Committee, one of whom shall have fewer than five years' service on the Court at the time of their appointment. 

# denotes fewer than five years’ service on the Court

Nominations received:-

John Alfred Barker, O.B.E., Deputy

Martin James Day, B.A., M.Sc., LL.M.

The Revd. Dr. Martin Dudley

# Robert Picton Seymour Howard

Richard David Regan, Deputy

Read.

The Court proceeded, in accordance with Standing Order No. 10, to ballot on the vacancy.

The Lord Mayor appointed the Chief Commoner and the Chairman of the Finance Committee, or their representatives, to be the scrutineers of the ballot.

Resolved – That the votes be counted at the conclusion of the Court and the result printed in the Summons for the next meeting.

There were no questions.

“That the Resolution of Thanks to the late Lord Mayor, passed by Common Hall on 1^st October last, be presented in a form agreeable to him?”

Resolved unanimously  - That the Resolution of Thanks to the late Lord Mayor, passed by Common Hall on 1st October last, be presented in a form agreeable to him.

“That the Resolution of Thanks to Alan Colin Drake Yarrow, Alderman and Wendy Mead, Deputy, the late Sheriffs of the City, passed by Common Hall on 1^st October last, be presented in a form agreeable to them?”

Resolved unanimously - That the Resolution of Thanks to Alan Colin Drake Yarrow, Alderman and Wendy Mead, Deputy, the late Sheriffs of the City, passed by Common Hall on 1st October last, be presented in a form agreeable to them.

There was no report.

(Mark John Boleat)

8 November 2012

In accordance with the arrangements approved by the Court on 21 June 2001 for the approval of applications for the use of Guildhall, we now inform the Court of the following applications which have been agreed to:-

Policy, Finance, Establishment, Investment and Audit Committees - Reports

POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE 

(Mark John Boleat)

8 November 2012

(A)       Applications for the Use of Guildhall

In accordance with the arrangements approved by the Court on 21 June 2001 for the approval of applications for the use of Guildhall, we now inform the Court of the following applications which have been agreed to:-

In 1613, The Honourable The Irish Society was incorporated by a Royal Charter which formally established the administration of the region of Northern Ireland bounded by the River Foyle, the sea and the River Bann, including the towns of Derry and Coleraine and the fisheries of the two rivers, known as the County of Londonderry.

The City of London Corporation appoints the Governor, the Deputy Governor and the Members of The Honourable The Irish Society and thus the City of London and the County of Londonderry share a strong historical and cultural link.  The Society also engages today in a range of charitable and philanthropic initiatives across all sections of the community in County Londonderry.

With 2013 being the 400^th anniversary of the Society’s establishment, and in order to bring people together to discuss inward investment in the province, it is recommended that a number of guests including prominent investors and potential investors in the Province, senior Northern Irish diaspora, representatives of “Tech City” and “Digital Derry”, City investors with a significant presence in Northern Ireland as well as representatives from County Londonderry and the Governor, Deputy Governor and representatives of The Honourable The Irish Society, be invited to attend a dinner on an inward investment theme to be held in early 2013; it being referred to this Committee to make the necessary arrangements from City’s Cash within the approved cost parameters; Members with relevant interests being part of the host element.

This would be a Committee event.

(B)      The Honourable The Irish Society 400th Anniversary

In 1613, The Honourable The Irish Society was incorporated by a Royal Charter which formally established the administration of the region of Northern Ireland bounded by the River Foyle, the sea and the River Bann, including the towns of Derry and Coleraine and the fisheries of the two rivers, known as the County of Londonderry.

We submit for consideration, as a printed and circulated report, proposals that deal with a legal requirement to establish a Health & Wellbeing Board for the City of London with effect from April 2013. The report sets out the recommendations agreed by your Community and Children's Services, Port Health & Environmental Services and Policy & Resources Committees which we believe will enable the City Corporation and partner agencies to discharge important new functions in respect of public health.

(D)       Establishment of a Health and Wellbeing Board 

We submit for consideration, as a printed and circulated report, proposals that deal with a legal requirement to establish a Health & Wellbeing Board for the City of London with effect from April 2013. The report sets out the recommendations agreed by your Community and Children's Services, Port Health & Environmental Services and Policy & Resources Committees which we believe will enable the City Corporation and partner agencies to discharge important new functions in respect of public health.

Read and agreed to.

At its meeting on 3 March 2011 the Court agreed a number of changes to the City Corporation’s Governance. In approving the new arrangements it was also agreed that a post- implementation review should be undertaken after a year of operation to take stock and to ensure that the revised arrangements were operating effectively. To this end, a Working Party was established by the Court to conduct the post-implementation review.     

A consultation exercise on the revised arrangements was subsequently carried out over the summer recess on behalf of the Working Party with both Members and City Corporation Committees. The Working Party has considered the responses in detail and concluded that overall the new arrangements are operating well but that there were one or two areas that required modification.

Whilst the various conclusions and recommendations of the Post-implementation Review of Governance are set out within the Working  Party’s report, the principal changes recommended are as follows:-

·     An increase from 10 to 15 in the number of elected Members on the Establishment Committee, two of whom shall have less than 5 years’ service on the Court.

·     The Chief Commoner should be elected in October rather than September; should take office at the first Court meeting after the wardmotes and the current arrangement whereby there is an expectation that Aldermen will not vote in the election of that office should be dispensed with.

·     The West Ham element of the Open Spaces, City Gardens and West Ham Park Committee should be reconstituted as a separate committee but with the same Court-elected Members on each committee.

·     The Corporate Asset and Energy and Sustainability Sub Committees be transferred from the Policy and Resources Committee to the Finance Committee and the Planning and Transportation Committee respectively.

·     The Policy & Resources Committee should, in future, elect three deputy chairmen

(E)          Post-implementation Review of the Governance Arrangements 

At its meeting on 3 March 2011 the Court agreed a number of changes to the City Corporation’s Governance. In approving the new arrangements it was also agreed that a post-implementation review should be undertaken after a year of operation to take stock and to ensure that the revised arrangements were operating effectively. To this end, a Working Party was established by the Court to conduct the post-implementation review. 

A consultation exercise on the revised arrangements was subsequently carried out over the summer recess on behalf of the Working Party with both Members and City Corporation Committees. The Working Party has considered the responses in detail and concluded that overall the new arrangements are operating well but that there were one or two areas that required modification.

 Whilst the various conclusions and recommendations of the Post-implementation Review of Governance are set out within the Working  Party’s report, the principal changes recommended are as follows:-  

·      An increase from 10 to 15 in the number of elected Members on the Establishment Committee, two of whom shall have less than 5 years’ service on the Court.

·      The Chief Commoner should be elected in October rather than September; should take office at the first Court meeting after the wardmotes and the current arrangement whereby there is an expectation that Aldermen will not vote in the election of that office should be dispensed with.

·      The West Ham element of the Open Spaces, City Gardens and West Ham Park Committee should be reconstituted as a separate committee but with the same Court-elected Members on each committee.

·    The Corporate Asset and Energy and Sustainability Sub Committees be transferred from the Policy and Resources Committee to the Finance Committee and the Planning and Transportation Committee respectively.

·      The Policy & Resources Committee should,

(Martin Charles Farr)

18 September 2012

Aldgate and Tower Area Strategy

A draft Aldgate and Tower Area Strategy has been developed to provide a more detailed framework for transport and environmental improvements in order to meet the Core Strategy Policy, CS8 within the City’s Local Development Framework. The Area Strategy, informed by the City’s policies, an urban analysis, intensive workshops with stakeholders and a further public consultation during late 2011 and early 2012 aims to create a greater sense of community, and officers have identified six areas through which the Core Strategy vision can be realised which would provide opportunities for achievable change through a series of transportation and environmental enhancement projects.  These projects are identified and prioritised in the Area Strategy and the indicative total cost of these projects is £14.35 million. A copy of the draft Aldgate and Tower Area Strategy is available upon request from the Town Clerk’s department and in the Members’ Reading Room.

A printed report has been circulated and we recommend approval thereof.

PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

(Martin Charles Farr)

18 September 2012

Aldgate and Tower Area Strategy

A draft Aldgate and Tower Area Strategy has been developed to provide a more detailed framework for transport and environmental improvements in order to meet the Core Strategy Policy, CS8 within the City’s Local Development Framework. The Area Strategy, informed by the City’s policies, an urban analysis, intensive workshops with stakeholders and a further public consultation during late 2011 and early 2012 aims to create a greater sense of community, and officers have identified six areas through which the Core Strategy vision can be realised which would provide opportunities for achievable change through a series of transportation and environmental enhancement projects.  These projects are identified and prioritised in the Area Strategy and the indicative total cost of these projects is £14.35 million. A copy of the draft Aldgate and Tower Area Strategy is available upon request from the Town Clerk’s department and in the Members’ Reading Room.

“That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business below on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972:-

A) recommendations of the Finance Committee on the acceptance of a tender for the provision of insurance cover for the City Corporation reimbursable and non-reimbursable property portfolio and the contractors All Risks Policy;

B) recommendations of the Property Investment Board to extend and redevelop the Bridgemaster’s House, Tower Bridge;

C) action taken under urgency procedures approving recommendations of the Property Investment Board concerning the refurbishment Guildhall House, 81-87 Gresham Street, EC2; and

D) recommendations of the Planning and Transportation Committee on the construction of a new staircase at London Bridge”

Resolved - That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of

business below on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt

information, as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972:-

BARRADELL

The meeting commenced at 1pm and ended at 2.10pm