Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Alex Deane, Dhruv Patel and Dr Giles Shilson.

The Chairman declared a personal interest in Item 9 as a member of the Board of London & Partners.  

To consider minutes as follows:-

The public minutes of the meeting held on 24^th September 2015 were approved.

The draft public minutes of the Projects Sub-Committee held on 8^th September 2015 were noted.  

The draft public minutes of the Members’ Privileges Sub-Committee held on 24^th September 2015 were noted.

To consider the appointment of two Members of the Committee to serve on the Working Party.

The Chairman referred to the four places on the Ceremonial Working Party filled recently by the Court and reminded the Committee that there were two places left to be filled. It was agreed that the two remaining places should be filled from amongst the membership of the Committee.

The Chairman advised that Simon Duckworth, Jeremy Simons, Deputy John Bennett and Roger Chadwick had expressed in interest in serving on the Working Party and therefore a ballot would be required for the two available places. A ballot was cast.

RESOLVED – That Simon Duckworth and Roger Chadwick be appointed to serve on the Ceremonial Working Party.

Report of Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning the formal appointment of the City Corporation’s representative on the General Assembly of the Local Government Association (LGA).

Members expressed support for the appointment of the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, for the time being, or his or her representative.

It was also suggested that as the City Corporation was able to cast two votes at the General Assembly a second representative should be appointed. A Member proposed that Alderman Sir David Wootton be appointed as the second representative given his long standing involvement with the LGA. Members supported the suggestions and, in line with the practice elsewhere, agreed to the appointments being endorsed by the Court of Common Council.

RESOLVED – That it be recommended to the Court of Common Council that the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee (for the time being) or his or her representative and Alderman Sir David Wootton to be appointed to serve as the City Corporation’s representatives on the LGA’s General Assembly.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning the progress of the ‘Coexist House’ initiative and a request for funding to support the implementation of the project.

A Member pointed out that Coexist House did not meet the criteria for funding from the Policy Initiatives Fund (PIF). Concern was also expressed about the high level of funding requested and the remaining balance of the Fund should the initiative be supported. It was suggested that the request be referred to the Chief Grants Officer to see if it met the criteria for funding from the City Bridge Trust and, if not, that consideration be given to a more modest one-off payment. Members supported the suggestion.

RESOLVED – That the request for be referred to the Chief Grants Officer to see if it met the criteria for funding from the City Bridge Trust and, if not, that consideration be given to a more modest one-off payment.

Report of the Chamberlain.

NB: To be read in conjunction with the separately bound non-public appendices (circulated electronically only). This report will also have been considered by your Resource Allocation Sub-Committee earlier this day.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain concerning the funding of three projects.

RESOLVED – That:-

1.    approval be given to the allocation of £1.925m from the 2015/16 City Fund provision for new schemes to provide funding for the following projects, subject to the agreement of the relevant gateway reports and other approvals as appropriate:-

·      £0.850m to meet the shortfall in funding towards the £5.2m total cost of the Sir John Cass School extension scheme;

·      £0.486m towards the £0.650m total cost of the Frobisher Crescent Level 4 meeting and conference facilities scheme at the Barbican Centre; and

·      £0.589m to fund the provision of a new retail unit within the Barbican Centre.

2.    it be noted that, in the event that future anticipated requests for funding materialises which resulted in the available provision being exceeded, a bid for an additional draw down from the City Fund reserves might be made in support of the SBR income generating proposals.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

NB: This report has been considered and agreed by the Planning and Transportation Committee.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Built Environment concerning the adoption of the Barbican and Golden Lane Area Strategy.

Members noted that the Strategy had been approved by the Planning and Transportation Committee. It was also noted that a number of detailed points had been raised by residents during the consultation period and that these would be looked at as part of project approvals process in the usual manner.

RESOLVED – That the Barbican and Golden Lane Area Strategy be adopted subject to the changes set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

NB: This report has been considered and agreed by the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries proposing a budget uplift to fund the City Corporation’s Platinum Membership of London and Partners.

RESOLVED – That a permanent budget uplift of £20,000 from 2016/17 be approved to cover the Cultural, Heritage and Libraries Department’s, cultural and visitor development activities, for the specific purpose of retaining the City of London’s Platinum Membership of London and Partners.

Report of the Director of Public Relations.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Public Relations concerning the sponsorship of a research project being undertaken by Bright Blue and Localis on the ‘Future of London’.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the City Corporation’s sponsorship of the ‘Future of London’ essay collection by Bright Blue and Localis at a cost of £20,000, to be met from the Committee’s Policy Initiatives Fund for 2015/16, categorised under the Research section of the Fund and charged to City’s Cash.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Economic Development concerning the Chairman’s visit to India and Singapore in August 2015.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Economic Development concerning the Chairman’s visit to Washington DC in September 2015.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Economic Development concerning the Renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Shanghai Municipal Government.

RESOLVED –That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Public Relations.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Public Relations setting out the activities of the Public Relations Office between July and September 2015.

The Chairman drew attention to the paragraph explaining that the work of the Public Relations Office would be reconfigured in the Town Clerk’s Department following the retirement of the Director.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk on the progress of his departmental business plan.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a monitoring report of the Town Clerk concerning the status of Town Clerk’s Departmental risks.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Remembrancer.

The Committee considered a report of the Remembrancer on the progress of his departmental business plan.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Chamberlain.

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

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

There were no questions.

The Director of Public Relations – Tony Halmos

The Chairman advised that having served as the City Corporation’s Director of Public Relations for over 20 years, this was Tony Halmos’s last meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee before he retired from the organisation. The Director had played a major part in ensuring that the City Corporation’s public affairs were reflected positively. The Chairman thanked the Director on behalf of the Committee for his dedication and hard work over the years and wished him well in his future endeavours. This was warmly endorsed by Members.

The Director responded in similar terms highlighting that he had worked alongside five Chairmen during his tenure and the variety of issues which had been progressed during that time.

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

                 22a - e                                                     3

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

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2015 were approved.

The draft non-public minutes of the Projects Sub-Committee meeting held on 8 September 2015 were noted.

The draft non-public minutes of the Members’ Privileges Sub-Committee meeting to held on 24 September 2015 were considered in the public part of the meeting and were noted.

The draft non-public minutes of the Hospitality Working Party meeting held on 16 September 2015 were noted.

The draft non-public minutes of the Cultural Hub Working Party meeting held on 1 October 2015 were noted.

There were no items of urgent business.