Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Doug Barrow, Robert Howard, Vivienne Littlechild, Wendy Mead and Sir Michael Snyder.

The Chairman declared and interest in item No. 17 by virtue of being a member of Centre for London and the Commission on Housing for Londoners’.

To consider minutes as follows:-

The public minutes of the meeting held on 30 April 2015 were approved.

The Committee noted that this year Jeremy Mayhew had been selected as the statutory Deputy Chairman.

The draft public minutes of the Projects Sub-Committee meeting held on 6 May 2015 were noted.

To consider the appointment of one Member to serve on the following:-

4a.    Public Relations and Economic Development Sub-Committee

4b.    Audit and Risk Management Committee

4c.    Local Development Framework Reference Sub (Planning) Committee

The Committee considered the appointment of one Member to serve on its Public Relations and Economic Development Sub-Committee one Member to represent it on the Audit and Risk Management Committee and one Member to serve on the Local Development Framework Reference Sub (Planning) Committee.

Ballots were cast in respect of a place on Public Relations and Economic Development Sub-Committee and the Audit and Risk Management Committee.

RESOLVED – that:-

1.      Alderman The Lord Mountevans be appointed to serve on the Public Relations and Economic Development Sub-Committee;

2.      Henry Colthurst be appointed as the Committee’s representative on the Audit and risk Management Committee; and

3.      Dhruv Patel be appointed as Committee’s representative on the Local Development Framework Reference Sub (Planning) Committee.

Report of the Deputy Town Clerk.

NB: This report will have been considered by the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee earlier this day.

The Committee considered a report of the Deputy Town Clerk concerning the outcome of the cross-cutting review of the City Corporation’s grant giving activities.

It was noted that the proposals had been considered by the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee and were recommended for approval subject to responsibility for strategic oversight and performance management of the City Corporation’s grant giving activities being a matter for the Finance Committee.

It was also noted that staff and other costs associated with the administration of the City Corporation’s grant activities would be met by the relevant grant programme.

A Member stated that whilst she welcomed the consolidation of the City Corporation’s grant activities, it was hoped that grants would be considered in a timely manner as currently some grants were taking up to six months to process.

The Committee acknowledged that a de minimis limit would need to be established as part of the governance process.

Reference was made to the Signor Pasquale Favale Bequest and the level publicity it attracted each year in return for a very modest sum. A Member also requested information relating to the Vickers Dunfee Memorial Benevolent Fund.

RESOLVED - That:-

1.      the proposed change of approach to grant giving as set out in the report and in Appendix 2 be approved;

2.      responsibility for strategic oversight and performance management of the City Corporation’s grant giving activities being a matter for the Finance Committee;

3.      the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee be authorised to:-

·           set the annual quantum for each City’s Cash and City Fund grants programme (including for City’s Cash funded open spaces grants)

·           consider annual performance reports for all grants programmes from the Finance Committee.

4.      subject to the approval of (2) above the Sub-Committee’s terms of reference be altered accordingly.

Joint report of the Town Clerk and the Director of Human Resources.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Town Clerk and the Director of Human Resources proposing an amendment to Standing Order No. 63 regarding disciplinary action to comply with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2015.

RESOLVED – That:-

1.      it be recommended to the Court of Common Council that Standing Order 63 be amended to comply with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2015, as set out in Appendix A of the report; and

2.      subject to the approval of the amendment, the Director of Human Resources be requested to undertake further work into the composition and constitution of the disciplinary panel and report thereon to the Policy and Resources Committee and the Establishment Committee and the Court of Common Council, as necessary.

Report of the Chamberlain.

NB: This report has been considered and approved by the Finance Committee.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain concerning the City Corporation’s Living Wage Procurement Policy.

It was noted that the report had been considered by the Finance Committee.

RESOLVED – That:-

1.      the requirement for the payment of the Living Wage be applied across all contracts in accordance with the legal advice referred to in paragraph 28 of the report; and

2.      the new City of London Living Wage Procurement Policy 2015 be approved as outlined in summary revisions a) to d) set out in Appendix 2 of the report.

Report of the Chamberlain.

NB: To be read in conjunction with the separately bound non-public appendices. The report will also have been considered by the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee earlier this day.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain concerning the proposed funding of projects involving refreshment points at the Barbican Centre and the feasibility and planning of the transformation of Barbican and Shoe Lane libraries, which now required the allocation of resources to progress them to the next stage.

It was noted that the report had been considered and approved by the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED – that:-

1.      the content of the report in respect of the allocation of the 2014/15 provisions for new schemes be noted;

2.      the 2014/15 unallocated balances of £0.486m for City Fund and £0.125m for City’s Cash be carried forward to bolster support for Service Based Review (SBR) investment proposals;

3.      the allocation of £154,000 from the 2015/16 City Fund provision to provide funding for SBR investments be approved, comprising:-

·           £130,000 for coffee point and mobile bars at the Barbican Centre; and

·           £24,000 towards the cost of feasibility and planning for the transformation of the Barbican and Shoe Lane libraries.

4.      the allocation of a total of £6m to be set aside in 2018/19 as a provision for new schemes (£3m each for City Fund and City’s Cash) be approved.  

Report of the Remembrancer.

The Committee considered the Remembrancer’s Business Plan for 2015-18.

Reference was made to the review of the effectiveness of hospitality and the need for Member input at an early stage.

A Member referred to the City Corporation being more strategic when considering hospitality and the need to examine whether certain current practices and procedures were too antiquated.

RESOLVED – that Remembrancer’s Office Business Plan for 2015-18 be approved.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee considered a report of the City Surveyor concerning the outcome of ballot for the Cheapside Business Improvement District (BID) and the Memorandum of Understanding required to progress the arrangements.

RESOLVED – that:-

1.      contents of the report be noted and that the Memorandum of Understanding in connection with the BID be approved; and

2.      the City Surveyor be authorised to enter into the Memorandum of Understanding with the Cheapside Board and establish the relevant budgets in the 2015-16 accounts.

Joint report of the Director of Economic Development and the Director of Public Relations.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of Economic Development and the Director of Public Relations proposing support for a project aimed at improving public understanding of the impact of immigration being undertaken by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR).

RESOLVED – that approval be given to the provision of £30,000 in support of NIESR’s project to improve public understanding of the economic impact of immigration. The cost would be met from the Committee’s Policy Initiatives Fund 2015/16, categorised under Events and charged to City’s Cash.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of Economic Development and the Director of Community and Children’s Services proposing a process for the assessment of support for new ideas coming forward on employability initiatives.

RESOLVED – that:-

 1.     the process for assessing proposals for new employability activity requiring additional funding/ significant resources before they are implemented be approved as set out in paragraph 6 of the report; and

2.      the proposed guidelines to establish which kinds of new ideas would fall within the scope of the proposed assessment process as set out in Appendix 1 be noted.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Economic Development concerning the commission of a study examining the challenges facing unemployed young Londoners’ to include what could be done differently, examples of good practice and guidance.

RESOLVED – That:-

1.      approval be given to the provision of £30,000 to fund research and related activity including dissemination and an event, for a study to Strengthen the City’s role in working with London’s Communities to be met from the  Committee’s Policy Initiatives Fund for 2015/16 under the Communities heading, and charged to City’s Cash; and

2.      authority to appoint members of the Study Panel be delegated to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman and the Study Panel’s two proposed Co-Chairs.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Economic Development concerning the outcome of the Chairman’s recent visit to New York and Washington.

RESOLVED – that the report be received and its content noted.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Economic Development updating it on activities for the period February to May 2015.

The Chairman stated that whilst the activities papers for both the Economic Development and Public Relations Offices were useful, it would also be helpful to set out the key issues. Members supported his sentiments.

RESOLVED: That the report be received and its content noted.

Report of the Director of Public Relations.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Public Relations concerning a research project being undertaken by New Local Government Network (NLGN) entitled “Social Capital – How public Investment can drive public value”.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the provision of £15,000 to complete the NLGN’s funding package for this research project to be met from the Committee’s Policy Initiatives Fund for 2015/16, categorised under the Research heading and charged to City’s Cash.

Report of the Director of Public Relations.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Public Relations proposing the sponsorship of Centre for London’s Commission on Housing for Londoners on low-to-middle incomes.

It was noted that housing was a key issue for London.

RESOLVED – that approval be given to the sponsorship of the Centre for London’s Commission on Housing for Londoners on low-to-middle incomes in the sum of £20,000 to be met from the Committee’s Policy Initiatives Fund for 2015/16, categorised under the research heading, and charged to City’s Cash

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain concerning the Policy Initiatives Fund and the Committee’s contingency for 2015/16.

RESOLVED: that the report be received and its content noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a quarterly report of the Town Clerk concerning the risks arising from various departmental activities.

RESOLVED: that the report be received and its content noted.

A Member declared that he was a member of the Conservative Party.

He referred to a statement in the Australian Financial Review which had been attributed to the Chairman about the EU debate being a debate within the Conservative Party only and also to a letter he had subsequently sent to the Chairman, copied to all Members of the Committee, expressing his concern about the statement and the negative comments it could attract. He stated that it was important for the City Corporation to steer clear of party politics.

The Chairman said that the report followed a briefing he had given to the Foreign Press Association prior to the General Election.  He stated that neither he nor the press officer in attendance recalled the expression being used and it had not been reported by any other journalist present. However, he said that in a lengthy briefing, it was possible that that the words quoted had been used and if this was the case he apologised.  He advised that he had given many interviews of the City’s position on the EU.  People were interested in the views of the City institutions etc., rather than the City Corporation and his comments reflected that position.  He had always ensured that his comments were in line with that approach.

A Deputy Chairman commented that the City Corporation did not need to voice its view on the referendum until further details were available. He stated he believed that the polls suggested that a large majority of businesses were in favour of a reformed EU, as opposed to an unreformed EU.

A Member highlighted the systematic approach being taken to agree the City Corporation’s position on the matter which he welcomed. He also welcomed the opportunity for the matter to be debated fully.

After further discussion,

There were no items of urgent business.

MOTION - That under Section 100(A) 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 I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

MOTION - That under Section 100(A) 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 I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act:-

Item Nos.                              Paragraph(s) in Schedule 12A

23 – 26                                                         3

Part 2 – Non-Public Agenda

To consider non-public minutes of meetings as follows:-

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 30 April 2015 were approved.

The draft non-public minutes of the Projects Sub-Committee meeting held on 6 May 2015 were noted.

The draft non-public minutes of the Hospitality Working Party meeting held on 13 April 2015 were noted.

Report of the Principal of the Guildhall School.

NB: This report has been considered and agreed by the Board of Governors of the Guildhall School and will have been considered by the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee earlier this day.

The Committee considered and agreed a report of the Principal of the Guildhall School concerning the proposed extension of the School’s Capital and Supplementary Revenue Programme (Cap 3) to 2016/17 and other associated matters.

It was noted that the report had been considered and agreed by the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee earlier this day.

Report of the Managing Director of the Barbican Centre.

NB: This report will have been considered by the Barbican Centre Board.

The Committee considered and agreed a report of the Town Clerk, attaching a report of the Managing Director of the Barbican Centre, concerning the establishment of a community interest company for the Centre’s Drum Works activities.

The Committee noted that the substance of the proposal was predominantly a matter for the Barbican Centre Board but that this Committee’s views were being sort on the principle of such a venture.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk reporting action taken in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman since the last meeting of the Committee in accordance with standing orders.

RESOLVED – That the content of the report be noted and, in particular, that approval was given to the progression of a project as part of phase 2 of the City of London Freemen’s School Master Plan.

A Member referred to the Project Funding Update report and questioned whether it was necessary for the supporting papers relating to the libraries to be non-public.  

There were no items of urgent business.