Agenda and minutes

The apologies of those Members unable to attend this meeting of the Court were noted.

No declarations were made.

To agree the minutes of the meeting of the Court of Common Council held on 21 April 2016.

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

There were no resolutions.

The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor to report on his recent overseas visits.

The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor reported on his recent overseas visits to Brazil, Chile and Cuba.

There were no documents to be sealed.

To consider a circulated list of applications for the Freedom of the City.

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

To receive a report setting out measures introduced into Parliament which  may have an effect on the services provided by the City Corporation.

The Court received a report on measures introduced by Parliament which might have an effect on the services provided by the City Corporation as follows:-

(The text of the measures and the explanatory notes thereon may be obtained from the Remembrancer’s office.)

The Town Clerk to report the outcome of the several ballots taken at the last Court:

Where appropriate:-

* denotes a Member standing for re-appointment;

¬ denotes appointed.

(A)      Five Members to the Policy and Resources Committee.

(B)      One Member to the Hospitality Working Party of the Policy and Resources Committee.

(C)      Three Members to the Investment Committee.

(D)      Three Members to the Audit and Risk Management Committee.

(E)      Two Members to the Police Committee.

(F)      Three Members to the Gresham (City Side) Committee.

(G)      Two Members to the Barbican Centre Board.

The Town Clerk reported the results of several ballots taken at the last Court, as follows:-

(A)      Policy and Resources Committee (five vacancies for four year terms expiring in April 2020).

Read.

Whereupon the Lord Mayor declared Simon Duckworth, Marianne Fredericks, Deputy Catherine McGuinness, Deputy Dr Giles Shilson and Tom Sleigh to be appointed to the Policy and Resources Committee.

(B)      Hospitality Working Party of the Policy and Resources Committee (one vacancy for a four year term expiring in April 2020).

Read.

Whereupon the Lord Mayor declared Deputy Bill Fraser to be appointed to the Hospitality Working Party.

(C)      Investment Committee (three vacancies for four year terms expiring in April 2020).

Read.

Whereupon the Lord Mayor declared Nicholas Bensted-Smith, Keith Bottomley and Clare James to be appointed to the Investment Committee.

(D)      Audit and Risk Management Committee (three vacancies for four year terms expiring in April 2020).

Read.

Whereupon the Lord Mayor declared Nigel Challis, Henry Colthurst and Alderman Peter Estlin to be appointed to the Audit and Risk Management Committee.

(E)      Police Committee (two vacancies for four year terms expiring in April 2020).

To consider the following appointments:

(A)         One Member on the Establishment Committee, for a one year term expiring in April 2017.

Nominations received:-

Mark Boleat

(B)         Two Members on the Community and Children’s Services Committee, for one year terms expiring in April 2017.

Nominations received:-

Alex Bain-Stewart, J.P.

(C)         One Member on the Board of Governors of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, for a three year term expiring in April 2019.

Nominations received:-

Stuart John Fraser, C.B.E.

(D)         Two Members on the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee, for four year terms expiring in April 2020.

Nominations received:-

Michael Hudson

(E)         Three Members on Christ’s Hospital, for four year terms expiring in January 2020.

Nominations received:-

Michael Hudson

(F)          One Member on the City of London Reserve Forces and Cadets Association, for a three year term expiring in May 2019.

*denotes a Member Standing for reappointment

Nominations received:-

*John William Fletcher

(G)         One Member on the London Road Safety Council, for a four year term expiring in April 2020.

* denotes a Member standing for re-appointment

Nominations received:-

*Alison Jane Gowman, Alderman

(H)         One Member on the Richard Reeves Foundation, for a four year term expiring in May 2020.

Nominations received:-

Michael Hudson

The Court proceeded to consider appointments to various committees and outside bodies. It was noted that Michael Hudson’s name had been printed in error against item (E), with Members advised that the name of Randall Anderson should have been printed instead.

A point of order was raised concerning the length of time which should be made available for Members to submit nominations in respect of vacancies, whilst noting that the provisions of Standing Order 25(2) made no reference to any minimum period. The Lord Mayor responded and ruled that the appointments should proceed.

(A)         Board of Governors of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (one vacancy for a three year term expiring in April 2019).

Nominations received:-

Stuart John Fraser, C.B.E.

Read.

Whereupon the Lord Mayor declared Stuart Fraser to be appointed to the Board of Governors of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

(B)         Community and Children’s Services Committee (two vacancies for one year terms expiring in April 2017).

Nominations received:-

Alex Bain-Stewart, J.P.

Read.

Whereupon the Lord Mayor declared Alex Bain-Stewart to be appointed to the Community and Children’s Services Committee.

(C)         One Member on the Establishment Committee, for a one year term expiring in April 2017.

Nominations received:-

Mark Boleat

Read.

Whereupon the Lord Mayor declared Mark Boleat to be appointed to the Establishment Committee.

(D)         Two Members on the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee, for four year terms expiring in April 2020.

Nominations received:-

Michael Hudson

Read.

Whereupon the Lord Mayor declared Michael Hudson to be appointed to the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee.

(E)         Three Members on Christ’s Hospital, for four year terms expiring in January 2020.

Nominations received:-

Randall Keith Anderson

Read.

Whereupon the Lord Mayor declared Randall Anderson to be appointed to Christ’s Hospital.

(F)

Electoral Registration

Deputy Alex Deane asked a question of the Policy and Resources Committee concerning the electoral registration of those using shared office space in the City.

In reply, the Chairman explained that under the terms of the City of London (Various Powers) Act 1957, qualifying bodies including sole traders and partnerships must occupy premises as owner or tenant to be eligible to register. It would be for the Town Clerk to determine applications and consider whether there was a genuine tenancy in each case and therefore whether it was possible to confer voting rights. He encouraged all Members to direct any potential cases to the Town Clerk’s office and highlighted the work that the City Occupiers Database team was doing to identify and provide information to businesses who might be affected.

In response to further supplementary questions, the Chairman expressed his agreement that the evolving ways in which businesses were operating and using office space in the City were not sufficiently captured by the current legislation, noting however that it would be potentially difficult and time-consuming to amend primary legislation. He also thanked James Tumbridge for his offer to provide access to previous work he had been involved with, which had looked at interpreting the relevant legislation in relation to tenancies and which might provide assistance in this area.

The Chairman reassured Members that he would be asking officers to explore the potential steps that could be taken to address this issue, including changes to primary legislation. This report would be considered by the Policy and Resources Committee and presented to the Court before the end of the year.

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

William Campbell-Taylor asked a question of the Policy and Resources Committee regarding the City Corporation’s support for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal.

There were no motions.

There was no report.

To consider reports of the Hospitality Working Party of the Policy and Resources

Committee, as follows:

HOSPITALITY WORKING PARTY OF THE POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE

(William Harry Dove, O.B.E., J.P., Deputy)

(A)Applications for the Use of Guildhall – to note the prior approval of the listed applications for the use of Guildhall.

For Information

12 April 2016

(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, the Court was informed of the following applications which had been agreed to:-

Resolved – That the several applications be noted.

(B) Applications for Hospitality – to consider one recommendation concerning

the provision of hospitality.

For Decision

12 April 2016

(B) Applications for Hospitality

350th Anniversary of the Great Fire of London: Lecture and Reception

2016 marks the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London, one of the most well-known events in British history. The fire devastated the City and led to its almost total reconstruction. The Culture, Heritage and Libraries Department, the Barbican Centre and the Museum of London, in consultation with creative events management company Artichoke, have planned a number of activities, exhibitions, walks and talks to take place throughout the City to coincide with this anniversary.

It was therefore recommended that hospitality be granted for a lecture and reception to mark the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire, with arrangements to be made under the auspices of the Hospitality Working Party; the costs to be met from City’s Cash and within the approved parameters.

This would be a Committee event.

Resolved – That hospitality be granted and that the arrangements be made under the auspices of the Hospitality Working Party; the costs to be met from City’s Cash and within the approved cost parameters.

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.

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.

Summary of exempt items considered whilst the public were excluded:-

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting of the Court held on 21 April 2016.

Non-public Minutes

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

To consider a report concerning a pay award for Museum of London staff.

Finance Committee

The Court approved a report of the Finance Committee concerning the annual pay award for staff at the Museum of London.

To receive a report advising of one action taken in accordance with urgency procedures in relation to Tower Bridge.

Planning and Transportation Committee

The Court received a report of the Planning and Transportation Committee advising of action taken in accordance with urgency procedures relative to Tower Bridge.

To consider a report proposing the letting of a Bridge House Estates property.

Property Investment Board

The Court approved a report of the Property Investment Board concerning the letting of a Bridge House Estates property.