Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Alex Deane, Stuart Fraser, Christopher Hayward, Hugh Morris, and Alderman Andrew Parmley.

The Chairman declared an interest in item no. 14 as a member of Centre for London Board.

To consider minutes as follows:-

The public minutes of the meeting held on 8 September 2016 were approved.

The draft public minutes of the Projects Sub-Committee meeting held on 7 September 2016 were noted.

To consider the appointment of one Member to serve on the One Safe City Working Party.

The Committee considered the appointment of an additional representative to serve on the One Safe City Programme Working Party.

RESOLVED – that Marianne Fredericks be appointed to serve on the One Safe City Programme Working Party.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk, concerning the Court of Common Council’s amendment of the Committee’s terms of reference giving it oversight of all the City’s Courts and how this should be delivered.

RESOLVED - that:-  

1.   the remit of the new Central Criminal Court Sub-Committee be widened to  give it oversight of all matters relating to the City’s Courts;

2.   the title of the new Sub-Committee be changed to the Courts Sub-Committee and its terms of reference be amended as follows:-

City Courts

To be responsible for oversight of the management of all matters relating to the City’s Courts, so far as they concern the City of London Corporation.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer concerning the interim management of the Central Grants Unit (CGU).

RESOLVED – That:-

1.    the approach of seconding staff from City Bridge Trust to manage the CGP for a 6 month period be endorsed.

2.    approval be given to the CGU recharging up to £41,000 to manage the Unit over a 6 month period; and

3.    it be noted that a follow up report seeking resources for 2017/2018 including the management fee for the CGP would be submitted in March 2017.

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Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning the outcome of investigations into the possibility of widening the City’s Franchise to include people or businesses that occupy serviced and shared office space.

The Chairman advised that altering the current franchise arrangements would require primary legislation. Whilst this was not recommended the City Corporation should seek to communicate and engage with businesses of that nature in other ways.

It was noted that given the outcome of investigations it would no longer be necessary to establish a working party of Members to look at the issue.

RESOLVED – that:-

1.    the report be noted and the view expressed informally by the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee that no action should be taken to seek primary legislation to amend the City’s franchise be endorsed;

2.    a new category of constituent be created, who whilst not eligible to register and vote, should be engaged with; and

3.    subject to agreement to a) and b) above a report on the conclusions be submitted to the Court of Common Council, for information.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk on the progress of the preparations for the Common Council elections in March 2017.

The Chairman referred to the frequently asked questions sheet which had been produced for candidates and thanked Wendy Hyde and Keith Bottomley for their help with its production.

RESOLVED – that the report be noted and that the principle that the number of committee meetings would be minimised for the period after 17 February 2017 (in the lead up to the elections) be endorsed.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning the funding of the Foundation for FutureLondon in support of its London 2012 regeneration project.

RESOLVED – that:-

1.    a sum of £200,000 per annum be included in the City Cash budgets to support the Foundation for FutureLondon in 2018/19 and four subsequent financial years; and

2.   the release of such funding be conditional upon the Foundation for FutureLondon meeting its fundraising target, the recognition criteria set out in paragraph 11 of the report as well as other appropriate milestones, to be agreed with the Town Clerk

Joint report of the Town Clerk and the Remembrancer.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Town Clerk and Remembrancer concerning the Boundary Commission’s review of parliamentary constituency boundaries.

RESOLVED – that:-

1.    the Town Clerk and the Remembrancer be requested to draw up a written representation on the initial proposals of the Boundary Commission, supporting the retention of the constituency link between the City of London and the City of Westminster for the Committee to consider; and

2.    the Town Clerk be asked to take appropriate measures to make local residents, businesses and organisations aware of the proposals and of the consultation process.

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 publication of the City of London Corporation’s Efficiency and Sustainability Plan.

RESOLVED - that the draft Efficiency and Sustainability Plan as set out in the appendix to the report be approved.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

NB: This report has been considered and approved by the Streets & Walkways Sub-Committee and is also due to be considered, the Planning and Transportation Committee and the Cultural Hub Working Party.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment concerning the development of a “look and feel” Strategy for the public realm area covered by the City’s Cultural Hub.

RESOLVED – that the report be noted.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

NB: This report has been considered by the Streets & Walkways Sub-Committee and is due to considered by the Planning and Transportation Committee.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment concerning the high volume of activities taking place in the square mile which had resulted in an increase in demand on the City’s highway network.

RESOLVED – that the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Economic Development concerning the sponsorship of the Centre for London’s 2016 London Conference.

RESOLVED – that approval be given to the provision of £22,000 from the 2016/17 Policy Initiatives Fund for the City Corporation to be a headline sponsor of the 2016 London Conference, in partnership with the Centre For London, categorised under ‘Events’ and charged to ‘City’s Cash’.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Economic Development concerning the sponsorship of the Institute of Public Policy Research’s Commission on Economic Justice.

RESOLVED – that approval be given to the provision  of £185,000 (£85,000 in 2016/17 and £100,00 in 2017/18) from the Policy Initiatives Fund in support of IPPR’s the Commission on Economic Justice, categorised under ‘promoting the City’ and charged to ‘City’s Cash’.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Economic Development proposing that the City Corporation makes a contribution towards the European Financial Services Chairmen’s Advisory Committee (EFSCAC).

RESOLVED – that approval be given to the provision  of £20,000 from the 2016/17 the Policy Initiatives Fund towards the EFSCAC, categorised under ‘promoting the City’ and charged to ‘City’s Cash’.

Report the Remembrancer.

The Committee considered a report of the Remembrance on the progress of the activities contained in the Remembrancer’s office business plan.

RESOLVED – that the report be noted.

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

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services on the progress of the commitment to increase the supply of homes on the City Corporation’s social housing estates.

Reference was made to the adverse impact of the planning system on developments and to the current system appearing to give more weight to those who oppose applications.

RESOLVED – that the report be noted.

The Committee considered an annual monitoring report of the Town Clerk relating to the projects funded from either, the Police Initiatives Fund or the Committee’s contingency in the last year.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee considered a statement of the Chamberlain on the use of the Policy Initiatives Fund and Committee Contingency for 2016/17.

RESOLVED – That the statement be noted.

There were no questions.

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 - 27                                                                                     3

Part 2 – Non-Public Agenda

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

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 8 September 2016 were approved.

The draft non-public minutes of the Projects Sub-Committee meeting held on 7 September 2016 were noted.

The draft non-public minutes of the Ceremonial Protocols Working Party meeting held on 8 September 2016 were considered.

The Chairman drew attention to the work being undertaken on the seating of Chairmen at the Court of Common Council.

RESOLVED – that the draft non-public minutes be noted.

The draft non-public minutes of the Hospitality Working Party meeting held on 14 September 2016 were considered.

A Member queried an event associated with the Lord Mayor’s Show.

RESOLVED – That the draft non-public minutes be noted.

Report of the Chamberlain.

NB: This report will also be considered by the Efficiency and Performance Sub-Committee on XXX.

The Committee considered and agreed a report of the Chamberlain concerning the savings targets applicable to the Barbican Centre and the Guildhall School.

Report of the City Surveyor.

NB: This report is also being considered by your Resource Allocation Sub-Committee earlier this day.

The Committee considered and agreed a report of the City Surveyor outlining the progress of the Operation Property Review.

Report of the City Surveyor

The Committee considered an update report of the City Surveyor on the progress of Project 3000 i.e. the delivery of 3,000 new homes across London by 2025.

RESOLVED – That the reported be noted and that a further progress report on the project be submitted in one year’s time.

Report of the City Surveyor (TO FOLLOW).

The Committee considered and agreed a report of the City Surveyor concerning repairs and maintenance of the Poultry Market.

There were no questions.

There were no items of urgent business.