Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from the Deputy Chairman, Hugh Morris and from Doug Barrow, Alderman Charles Bowman, Henry Colthurst, Rev’d Stephen Haines, Alderman Sir David Howard, Giles Shilson and Sir Michael Snyder. 

The Chairman declared a personal interest in item no 8 as a prospective Chairman of the Housing and Finance Institute and also in item no. 21 as Chairman of the London Councils Pensions CIV Sectoral Committee.

The Deputy Chairman, Catherine McGuinness, declared a personal interest in item 24 by virtue of her daughter being a pupil at the Guildhall School.

To consider minutes as follows:-

The public minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2015 were approved subject to Henry Pollard being recorded as having given apologies for the meeting.  

The draft pubic minutes of the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee meeting held on 16 July 2015 were noted.

The draft pubic minutes of the Projects Sub-Committee meeting held on 21 July 2015 were noted.

The draft pubic minutes of the Public Relations and Economic Development Sub-Committee meeting held on 16 July 2015 were noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning an alternative system for conducting ballots at the Court of Common Council.

The Committee supported of the introduction of alternative voting (AV).

A Member pointed out that whilst an AV system worked well for single vacancies it would present difficulties when dealing with multiple ones. It was therefore suggested that further consideration be given to an alternative system for multiple vacancies such as a single transferable vote or an open list system and that the matter be brought back to Committee on this basis. Members supported this suggestion.

RESOLVED – That the content of the report be noted and that further consideration be given to an alternative system for multiple vacancies such as a single transferable vote or an open list system and that the matter be brought back to Committee for consideration.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning the composition and terms of reference of the Ceremonials Working Party.

The Chairman advised that Catherine McGuinness had expressed an interest in serving as the Deputy Chairman on the Working Party. He also suggested that Edward Lord be appointed to fill one of the three Committee places on it given his involvement with the matter so far. Expressions of interest would be sought on the remaining places and those vacancies filled at the next meeting. The Committee supported his suggestion.

RESOLVED – That:-

1.    the terms reference and composition be approved as follows:-

Composition

·           Chairman of the Policy & Resources Committee

·           A Deputy Chairman of the Policy & Resources Committee

·           Chief Commoner

·           Two Aldermen, nominated by the Chairman of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen

·           Three Members appointed by the Policy and Resources Committee

·           Two Members with over ten years’ service, appointed by the Court of Common Council

·           Two Members with under ten years’ service, appointed by the Court of Common Council

·           The Remembrancer

·           Assistant Town Clerk (Members’ and Democratic Services)

Terms of Reference

·           To review the totality of the City Corporation’s ceremonial protocols and practices, with the intention of bringing them up to date to reflect current circumstances;

·           To examine the principles behind each protocol, particularly where there have been changes in practice over recent years, making recommendations as to the approach to take in future, with a view to an updated and consolidated Ceremonials Book being produced.

2.    Catherine McGuinness be appointed as the Deputy Chairman on the Working Party, Edward Lord appointed to fill one of the three Committee places on it and that the two remaining places be filled at the next meeting of the Committee.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk proposing a revision to the appointments process for Scheme Member representatives on the Local Government Pensions Board.

RESOLVED – That with regard to the appointment of Scheme member representatives, it be recommended to the Court of Common Council that the terms of  reference of the Local Government Pensions Board be amended to read “Three Scheme Member representatives, appointed by a process determined by the Town Clerk and Chief Executive.”

Joint report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services and the City Surveyor.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services and the City Surveyor proposing the adoption of a policy setting out the City Corporation’s ambitions on delivering more homes entitled increasing the supply of homes – the role the City of London Corporation.

The Chairman pointed out that the proposal covered broad policy and that any specific proposals would be considered by the relevant committee. He also advised that the City Corporation’s aspirations for assisting in increasing the number of homes in the capital had been well received at the LibDem conference and he was confident that it would receive the same reception at the other party conferences.

The Committee expressed its support for the proposal and noted that, given the importance, the policy would also be considered by the Court of Common Council.

RESOLVED – that:-

1.    the policy document “Increasing the Supply of Homes – the Role of the City of London Corporation” and the commitment to provide additional homes through opportunities on the City Corporation’s social housing estates and other City Corporation sites with development potential be approved and forwarded to the Court of Common Council for endorsement; and

2.    it be note that following would be brought back to Committee:-

• where the delivery of this vision required additional resources; and

• the progress of developing detailed proposals to support the ambitions set out would be reported to Members.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk proposing that the City Corporation becomes a founding member of the Housing & Finance Institute.

RESOLVED – That:-

1.   approval be given to the City of London Corporation becoming a founding member of the Housing & Finance Institute (HFI) at the cost of £40,000 per annum for 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18, to be met from the Policy Initiatives Fund categorised under the New Areas of Work section and charged to City’s Cash; and 

2.   authority be delegated to the Town Clerk to enter into membership of the HFI on such terms as considered appropriate.

Report of the Town Clerk.

NB: This was also considered by the Planning and Transportation Committee

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning the City Corporation’s policy on the issue of UK aviation.

Members noted that the policy had been considered and supported by the Planning and Transportation Committee.

RESOLVED – That:-

1.    an additional £10,000 be allocated to the Let Britain Fly campaign from the Committee’s Policy Initiatives Fund, 2015/16, allocated to the Events section of the Fund and charged to City’s Cash; and

2.    the following policy position be recommended to the Court of Common Council for approval:

The City of London Corporation is clear that the lack of airport capacity in the South East of England has been needed to be addressed for a number of years. Not only because it is integral in maintaining the City of London’s preeminent position as a leading financial centre, but it is also essential for the creation of jobs and growth across wider London and the rest of the UK.

Our own research backs this up showing that airport capacity remains one of the key factors necessary to achieve the forecast of 145,000 jobs being created in Central London in the next ten years. Furthermore, additional reports we published on the issue of aviation capacity in both 2002 and 2008 highlight its potential impact on the wider economic performance of the City. The latter found that 82 per cent of businesses regarded Heathrow as ‘critical’ or ‘very important’ to their organisations.

Following the publication of the Final Report of the independent Airports Commission, led by Howard Davies, in July 2015, the City of London Corporation supports the main recommendation for the expansion of Heathrow through the building of a third runway.

If the City is to continue to compete on the global stage then the financial and professional services firms based in the

Joint report of the Town Clerk and the Remembrancer.

NB: the non-public appendix to this report has been circulated as a separately bound document.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Town Clerk and the Remembrancer concerning London devolution and the work being undertaken by the City Corporation and other London agencies on the matter.

A Member questioned whether Central London Forward (CLF) was the only sub-regional group that the City Corporation would consider participating in and was advised that that it was unlikely that the organisation would consider changing its affiliation as CLF was the most developed group in London.

RESOLVED – that the current work which had been undertaken to devolve powers to and within London be noted and that:-

1.     London Councils’ approach to the issue of devolution be supported;

2.     the City Corporation continues to work with the inner London boroughs in Central London Forward; and

3.     legal, technical and political support be provided where this was helpful to London Councils and Central London Forward to support the devolution agenda.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Economic Development concerning the renewal of funding for the Heart of the City (HOTC).

The Director of Heart of the City provided details of the HOTC’s development since it was founded in 2000 and highlighted that it was now the UK’s largest small business network. The Director pointed out that HOTC’s core programme was its New Comers Programme, that that programme had been highly successful and that HOTC had helped its last Newcomer cohort to give over £2 million in charitable contributions to other social causes.

RESOLVED – approval be given to the provision of a grant of £511,570 to HOTC from City’s Cash spread over a three year period (2016/17: £167,000, 2017/18: £170,500, 2018/19: £174,000) to enable it to continue its delivery of social and environmental support to City businesses under its new model and to deepen the connections between the business sector and the community sector.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Economic Development concerning the contract to deliver the City of London Business Traineeship programme.

RESOLVED – That:-

1.     Brokerage Citylink be appointed to deliver the City Business Traineeship scheme for the academic years 2015/16 – 2017/18, at a cost of £267,949 to be met from the Economic Development Office’s local risk budget; and

2.     the Director of Economic Development be authorised to extend the contract with Brokerage Citylink for a further two years (the academic years 2018/19 and 2019/20), in consultation with the Chamberlain, subject to satisfactory delivery of the 2015/16 – 2017/18 contract, at a cost of up to £180,000 to be met from the Economic Development Office’s local risk budget.

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

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of Economic Development and the Director of Public Relations proposing continued support for the Chairman’s contact programme by providing funding to cover additional events and the Topical Issues Programme.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the following:-

1.    the continuation of additional events and the topical issues programme to support the Chairman’s contact programme at a cost of £55,000 funded from the Committee’s Policy Initiatives Fund 2015/16, categorised under the “Promoting the City” section of the Fund and charged to City’s Cash; and

2.    the approval of expenditure on individual events or topical issues paper be delegated to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman and a Deputy Chairman.

Report of the Director of Public Relations.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Public Relations proposing the City Corporation’s sponsorship of annual Ditchley Park Conference organised by the Centre for European Reform (CER).

RESLOVED – That support for CER’s annual conference which this year is entitled Has the euro been a failure? be approved at a total cost of £20,000 to be met from the Committee’s Policy Initiatives Fund 2015/16 categorised under the Events section and charged to City’s Cash.

Report of the Director of Public Relations.

The Committee considered an annual report of the Director of Public Relations concerning the renewal of the City of London Corporation’s think tank subscriptions for 2015-16.

The Chairman was heard in support of the report and advised that it did not cover the totality of think tanks the City Corporation engaged with only those which required a subscription. A Member referred to the importance of covering the political spectrum and suggested that to ensure that an appropriate balance was maintained the matter should be referred to the Public Relations and Economic Development Sub-Committee to look at in its totality.

The Committee supported this suggestion and also noted that the City Corporation would cease to subscribe to CentreForum and Demos.

RESOLVED – that:-

1.    approval be given to the renewal of the City of London Corporation’s corporate membership of the following eight think tanks a total cost of £77,000 to be met from the Committee’s Policy Initiatives Fund 2015/16, categorised under the Events section of the Fund and charged to City’s Cash:-

Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation

Chatham House

European Policy Forum

Foreign Policy Centre

Institute for Public Policy Research

Local Government Information Unit

New Local Government Network

Reform

2.    the Director of Public Relations be requested to submit a report to the Public Relations and Economic Development Sub-Committee on the City Corporation’s engagement with think tanks to ensure that there was sufficient balance across the political spectrum.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning the work of the Local Government Association (LGA) and the City Corporation’s involvement with it.

A Member pointed out that the City Corporation was able to nominate a representative with voting rights to attend the LGA’s Annual General Assembly and that it was important for the representative to be formally appointed. He believed this to be the case in other local authorities. He therefore suggested that current informal arrangement be looked at with a view to the City Corporation appointing a formal LGA representative. Members supported this suggestion.

RESOLVED – that the content of the report be noted and that the current informal arrangement be reviewed with a view to appointing a formal City Corporation representative to participate in the LGA’s activities.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Economic Development setting out the recent activities of the Economic Development Office.

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

Report of the Chamberlain.

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

The Finance Director advised that the balance of the PIF was currently £187,300 and not £162,300 as specified. The figure had been adjusted to take into account the £10,000 for the Aviation Policy agreed earlier this day and the fact that funding previously proposed for the Commonwealth Local Government Forum and the REMIX Summit was no longer required.

RESOLVED: that the content of the report be noted, including the revised balance of £187,300 for the PIF.

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.

Members noted that the funding approved for the REMIX Summit was longer required and would be returned to the Policy Initiatives Fund.

RESOLVED – That the content of the report be noted and that approval was given to the following:-

1.    the transfer of the balance of funds totalling £173,928.08 to Crossrail Ltd and the Crossrail Arts Foundation; and

2.    Alderman Sir Roger Gifford and the City Corporation’s Senior European Officer accompanying the Chairman on a visit to Lithuania.

There were no questions.

The following items of urgent business were considered.

London Councils:  London LGPS CIV Ltd – Funding

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain progress made to date on the establishment of a London Local Government Pensions Scheme Collective Investment Vehicle (CIV) and the City Corporation’s participation in the Scheme, including the adoption the new Articles of Association, entering into the shareholder agreement, and contributing to the capital required for the CIV.

A Member expressed concern about future funding being left open ended and suggested that at this stage the regulatory capital cost of £150,000 only should be recommended to the Financial Investment Board and that any further funding should be the subject of a further report to the Committee. The Committee supported this.

RESOLVED – that the content of the report be noted and that approval be given to the following:-

1.   the City Corporation, as a shareholder in the London LGPS CIV Limited, adopting the new Articles of Association and supporting every issued ordinary share being reclassified as an A ordinary share;

2.   the City Corporation, as a shareholder in the London LGPS CIV Limited, entering into the shareholder agreement;

3.   the Comptroller & City Solicitor being authorised to sign both the Written Resolution to indicate the City’s approval of the actions under (2) above, and to execute the Shareholders’ Agreement for the London LGPS CIV Limited;

4    recommending that the Financial Investment Board meet the cost of the regulatory capital of £150,000 by way of a subscription for B shares for the London LGPS CIV Limited from the Pension Fund; and

5.   any subsequent costs such as the annual service charge and additional regulatory capital be the subject of a further report for consideration by the Committee.

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 – 25                                                         3

Part 2 – Non-Public Agenda

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

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2015 were approved.

NB: With the exception of the Barbican Centre and Guildhall School Capital Cap Replacement, the remaining recommendations were considered and approved under the urgency procedures.

The draft non-public minutes of the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee meeting held on 16 July 2015 were noted and the funding in relation to the feasibility study for investing in the Barbican Centre and the Superfast City Broadband project supported.

The draft non-public minutes of the Projects Sub-Committee meeting held on 21 July 2015 were noted

Report of the Town Clerk together with a report of the Chamberlain.

NB: This has been considered by the Barbican Centre Board, the Board of Governors of the Guildhall School and the Corporate Asset and Resource Allocation Sub-Committees.

The Committee considered and agreed a report of the Town Clerk, attaching a report of the Chamberlain concerning the replacement of the Capital Cap for the Barbican Centre and Guildhall School.

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. The action taken with regard to the following was noted:-

·           Smithfield General Market and Annexe

·           East and West trading areas of the London Central Markets

·           Action and know Fraud Centre

·           Allocation of Funding for Various Projects

·           Police Accommodation Project

Signed Minutes

The Chairman questioned whether it was still necessary for the minutes of Committee meetings to be signed rather than simply being agreed. The Assistant Town Clerk undertook to look into the matter and report back to the Chairman.

There were no items of urgent business.