Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from the Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 17 May 2019.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 17 May 2019 be approved as a correct record.

Matters Arising

The Chairman advised that, further to subsequent discussions following the previous meeting regarding the Committee’s appointments to Gresham College Council and Committees, Deputy Tom Hoffman would continue in to represent the City Side until the expiry of his term in May 2020.

Report of the Town Clerk

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk asking the Committee to review its terms of reference. The Chairman advised Members coming to the end of their current terms to let him know if they were not intending to seek re-election.

RESOLVED – That the Committee approves the terms of reference of the Gresham Committee (City Side) for submission to the Court, as set out.

Report of the Town Clerk

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk providing Members with an update on restoration works to the Gresham Music Collection. The Town Clerk introduced the report and confirmed the project programme was on time and within budget. Members of the Committee reiterated their support for a performance comprising some of the works within the Collection following completion of the restoration project.

RESOLVED – That the progress made in restoring the Collection be noted.

Report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee considered a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services presenting the annual submission of the revenue budgets overseen the Committee and seeking approval for the 2019/20 latest revenue budget and proposed revenue budget for 2020/21 for subsequent submission to the Finance Committee. The Committee noted that the 2020/21 provisional revenue budget was subject to the approval of the revised 5-year Funding Agreement in respect of Gresham College.

RESOLVED – That Members:

i)              Having reviewed the 2019/20 revenue budget, confirm that it reflects the Committee’s objectives and approve the budget for submission to the Finance Committee; and

ii)             Having reviewed the proposed 2020/21 revenue budget, confirm that it reflects the Committee’s objectives and, subject to the approval of the revised 5-year ‘Funding Agreement’, approve the budget for submission to the Finance Committee.

Report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services presenting the 2018/19 revenue outturn for the Gresham (City Side) Committee for information. The Committee noted that the request for the underspend to be carried forward had been approved, and this would be used to fund refurbishment works to the Gresham Almshouses.

RESOLVED – That the Committee’s revenue outturn for 2018/19 and the approved carry forward requests to 2019/20 be noted.

Joint report of the Town Clerk, the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk, the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services providing a register of key risks for the Sir Thomas Gresham Charity for review. The Committee noted the newly-added risk of failure to agree a funding arrangement, assessed as unlikely, with due regard to the fact that the City of London Corporation was legally obliged to fund the four professorships and associated lectures according to the terms specified by Gresham’s Will.

The Committee then discussed fire as a Corporate Strategic Risk in the context of two of the key risks on the register, principally the specifications of fire-resistant doors at the Almhouses. The Director of Community and Children’s Services advised that both weight and resistance were both considered during the procurement process for doors to be replaced, given the necessity to ensure they could be opened by the elderly or infirm. Additionally, extra alarms and detectors were built into the monitoring system for the Almshouses complex in case of fire. Arising from the discussion, officers undertook to confirm the specification of doors at the Almshouses for Members, in case this merited further consideration with regards to the key risks.

RESOLVED – That Members confirm that the risk register satisfactorily sets out the risks faced by the charity, and that appropriate measures are in place to mitigate those risks.

Report of the Chamberlain

The Committee received a report of the Chamberlain providing Members with a copy of the draft Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2019 for the Sir Thomas Gresham Charity (charity number: 221982) for information.

RESOLVED – That the Gresham (City Side) Committee receive the draft Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2019.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services updating Trustees on the Gresham Almshouses and City of London Almshouses in Lambeth.The Director of Community and Children’s Services introduced the report and outlined the key points for Members.

The Director of Community and Children’s Services advised the Committee of preparatory meetings and key dates ahead of the Almshouses refurbishment works and confirmed that steps would be taken to minimise disruption and inconvenience to residents.

The Committee was also reminded that the annual Almshouses Visit and Christmas hamper delivery was scheduled for 6 December 2019, with transport for Members provided from Guildhall leaving around 10:30am.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk detailing decisions taken since the last meeting regarding Gresham College interim payments and Gresham Almshouses refurbishment.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

In response to a query from a Member reflecting on the 2020/21 Revenue Budget figures at Item 6, the Chamberlain confirmed that the larger figure, stated as Discretionary Expenditure: Support to Gresham College included supplementary expenditure on Books, Support Services and Contingencies, in addition to the central grant to Gresham College.

There was no other business.

MOTION - That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items 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.

RESOLVED – That, under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that the involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

Item Nos.                                                        Exempt Paragraph(s)

15 - 16                                                                         3

17 - 18                                                                         -

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 17 May 2019.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 22 May 2019 be approved as a correct record.

Papers to be circulated separately

The Committee considered the various items on the agenda for the meeting of the Joint Grand Gresham Committee that day.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.