Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Simon Duckworth, Hugh Morris, Alderman Sir Michael Bear, Alderman Charles Bowman, Henry Colthurst, Deputy Alex Deane, Alderman The Lord Mountevans, The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor Dr Andrew Parmley, Alderman Baroness Scotland and Tom Sleigh.

The following Members declared non-pecuniary interests: Deputy Doug Barrow, Item 25 (Museum of London); Chris Hayward, Item 27 (King Edward’s School Witley); Vivienne Littlechild, Item 11 (Project Funding Update) ; Marianne Fredericks, Item 27 (Christ’s Hospital); Deputy Catherine McGuinness, Item 27 (Christ’s Hospital); Deputy Joyce Nash, Item 11 (Project Funding Update); Deputy John Tomlinson, Item 11 (Project Funding Update); Alderman Sir David Wootton, Item 27 (King Edward’s School Witley).

To consider minutes as follows:-

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 November 2016 were approved as a correct record.

The minutes of the One Safer City Working Party meeting held on 28 October 2016 were received.

The minutes of the Projects Sub Committee meeting held on 23 November 2016 were received.

The minutes of the Courts Sub Committee meeting held on 2 December 2016 were received.

Matters Arising

Terms of Reference

The Town Clerk noted that the Sub Committee’s resolution regarding its terms of reference would be the subject of a report at a future meeting. A Member added that it was the wish of the Sub Committee that its terms of reference be amended back to their original iteration.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

This report has been considered by the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee, the Planning and Transportation Committee, the Projects Sub Committee, and the Resource Allocation Sub Committee.

Members agreed to vary the order of items on the agenda so that the report on Bank Junction Improvements was considered first. The Assistant Director (Local Transportation) briefed the Committee on the background to the Bank Junction proposal, noting that Bank Junction was one of the busiest road junctions in London that was the subject of significant pressure in terms of road traffic and pedestrians.

At the invitation of the Chairman, five persons addressed the Committee from the public gallery: Richard Massett (Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association), Peter Murray (Construction Industry Cycling Commission), Vincent Stops (London TravelWatch), Tom Bogdanowicz (London Cycling Campaign) and Jeremy Leach (London Living Streets) were heard.

The Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee noted that the experimental scheme offered several benefits, but at this early stage the primary benefit was public safety. Without doubt Bank Junction was one of the most dangerous in London and was one of only three corporate red risks facing the City of London Corporation – the proposal before the Committee was therefore a critical mitigation measure. The proposal had been considered and approved by both the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee and the Planning and Transportation Committee. Transport for London had examined the City Corporation’s proposal in detail and had agreed it was technically the best potential solution to issues at Bank Junction. The proposal had the support of local businesses, and it offered real improvements to bus journey times through the junction. He further noted that he had sympathy for black cabs and had met with their representatives to explore alternative solutions, which had been modelled. Nevertheless the proposal before the Committee remained the best possible solution. He concluded by emphasising that the proposed scheme was experimental and gave the assurance in his capacity as Chairman of the Planning and

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members considered and approved a report of the Town Clerk on the terms of reference of the Outside Bodies Sub Committee.

RESOLVED, that the proposed changes to the terms of reference be approved.

To consider a resolution of the Local Government Pensions Board.

Members considered and approved a resolution of the Local Government Pensions Board.

RESOLVED, that Members recommend to the Court of Common Council the addition of the Local Government Pensions Board to the list of Grand Committees set out in Standing Order 29(3) of which a Member is eligible to serve as Chairman, in addition to serving as a Member of another Grand Committee.

To consider a resolution of the Finance Committee.

Members considered and approved a resolution of the Finance Committee dated 19 July 2016 regarding the role of the Corporate Asset Sub (Finance) Committee in the City of London Corporation’s Projects Procedure.

To consider a resolution of the Projects Sub (Policy and Resources) Committee.

Members considered and approved a resolution of the Projects Sub Committee dated 23 November 2016.

RESOLVED, that Members

• Approve an amendment to the City of London Corporation Projects Procedure to provide the Corporate Asset Sub Committee with a strategic role in the Projects Procedure for operational property projects, subject to the amendment making clear that the Sub Committee’s role is limited to the strategic prioritisation of projects and no role being created for the Sub Committee within the Gateway approval process or any other aspect of the project procedure, and the fulfilment of the Sub Committee’s role not causing any delays to the current Project Procedure.

Report of the Town Clerk and the Comptroller & City Solicitor.

Members considered and approved a report of the Town Clerk and Comptroller and City Solicitor regarding the appointment of Sub Committee Chairmen.

RESOLVED, that Members

·         Agree that when a Chairman does not wish to exercise his right to be the Chairman of a Sub Committee and wishes a specific member to be appointed, Committees adopt a convention whereby the Chairman submits his nomination for Chairman and/or Deputy Chairman to the Committee for approval.

·         Agree that a resolution to this effect be circulated to all relevant Committees to endorse this convention.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

Members considered and approved a report of the Director of the Built Environment regarding guidelines for determining nominations for Assets of Community Value, subject to the number of criteria required for listing being specified.

RESOLVED, that the guidelines for the determination of nominations of Assets of Community Value be approved subject to the comments made by the Committee.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

This report has been considered by the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, which approved Option 2(a), and the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee.

Members considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment regarding Special Events on the Highway in March 2018, noting that the report had been considered by the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee and the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee, both of which had recommended Option 2a within the report.

Several Members were heard in support of the proposal for a London Half Marathon by Tommy’s. It was felt that Option 2a alone did not reflect the positive support that the City wished to afford the Tommy’s proposal and therefore Members should adopt both Options 1 and 2a.

RESOLVED, that Members

·         Approve the Tommy’s event (Option 1)

·         Recommend to TfL that they reject London Marathon’s application.

Report of the Chamberlain.

This report has been considered by the Resource Allocation Sub Committee this day.

Members considered and approved a report of the Chamberlain regarding Project Funding.

RESOLVED, that Members,

• Agree the recommendation of the Resource Allocation Sub Committee that the report be approved.

·         Agree to the following requests for funding totaling £799k from the 2016/17 City Fund provision for new schemes, all subject to the requisite approvals by other committees.

·         Relocation of Adult Skills and Education Services to Guildhall Business Library – a contribution of up to £71k, dependent on the project sum approved at Gateway 5 by the Chief Officer after procurement;

·         Barbican Estate New Baggage Stores (SBR proposal) – a provision of up to £610k, (including £19k to progress to the next gateway) with the remainder of £591k dependent on the project sum approved at Gateway 5 by the Chief Officer after procurement;

·         Top-up loan funding for two Barbican Centre SBR proposals to cover cost increases:

o   Frobisher Crescent Level 4 - £52k

o   New Retail Unit - £66k.

Report of the Town Clerk, the Chamberlain and the Remembrancer.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk, Chamberlain and Remembrancer regarding Revenue and Capital Budgets 2017/18. In response to a question the Chamberlain confirmed that the figures included an allowance for the proposed Special Representative for Asia.

RESOLVED, that Members

·           note the latest 2016/17 revenue budget;

·           approve the budget for submission to the Finance Committee;

·           authorise the Chamberlain to revise these budgets to allow for further

implications arising from the Service Based Reviews and other corporate

efficiency projects;

·           note the draft capital and supplementary revenue budget.

Report of the Chamberlain and the City of London Police Commissioner.

This report has been considered by the Police Committee this day, and will be considered by the Court of Common Council.

Members considered a report of the Chamberlain and the Commissioner of City Police regarding the draft City of London Police Medium Term Financial Plan up to 2019/20. Members noted that the report had been approved by the Police Committee earlier that day. It was noted that the core grant of the City Police had been reduced by £700,000 and that it was proposed to involve external consultants in addressing the emerging budget deficit.

In response to concerns from a Member that the adoption of external assistance was proving slower than anticipated, the Chairman of the Police Committee gave the assurance that this would be addressed as soon as possible.

In response to further questions from Members, the Chairman of Police replied that frontline policing, including in areas such as Bank Junction, would remain effective, and that officers continued to liaise with colleagues in the British Transport Police to ensure safety on the transport network in the City.

RESOLVED, that Members

• note the latest forecast outturn for 2016/17 of a deficit of £2.6m, funded by a drawdown in the Reserve to £1.5m;
• note the forecast budget deficit varying from £3.1m in 2017/18 to £5.9m in 2018/19 and £3.1m 2019/20 before mitigation;
• recommend to  the Court of Common Council the  relaxation of the reserve threshold of £4m and approve the use of reserves in 2016/17 totalling £2.6m and 2017/18 totalling £1.5m;
• agree that the City Corporation should meet the revenue contribution to fund capital schemes already budgeted for in 2017/18 and 2018/19 of £1.4m and £1m respectively and that the additional headroom on business rate premium is applied to help meet the increased  budget pressures;
• agree in principle  the use of City capital resources to finance the Police capital programme in future, subject to a further report;
• agree the revision of

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

Members considered and approved a report of the Director of Economic Development regarding a funding request for a Franco-British Young Leaders’ Programme Gala Dinner.

RESOLVED, that Members

·         agree that the City of London Corporation provides the Guildhall as a dinner venue and cover catering costs for the event totalling not more than £17,000; these costs are to be met from the Committee’s Policy Initiatives’ Fund for 2017/18, categorised under the Events section of the Fund and charged to City’s Cash. 

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

Members considered and approved a report of the Director of Economic Development regarding sponsorship of a Brexit-related series convened by the Institute for Government.

RESOLVED, that Members

·         Agree to sponsor a series of Brexit-related events in partnership with the IfG at a cost of £18,000 to be met from your Committee’s Policy Initiatives Fund for 2016/17, categorised under Events and charged to City’s Cash.

Report of the Chamberlain.

Members received a report of the Chamberlain on the Policy Initiatives Fund and Committee Contingency.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

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

This report has been considered by the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee, the Community and Children’s Services Committee and the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding Integrated Commissioning for Health and Social Care. A Member commented that the partnership with Hackney would be of benefit for the City.

RESOLVED, that Members agree that Officers,

·           explore development of a single integrated health and social care commissioning model for the City of London with City and Hackney CCG, subject to further detail and due diligence;

·           explore entering into a pooled budget with City and Hackney CCG;

·           receive a further, more detailed report and make a final decision on the proposed arrangements in early 2017.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

Members considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment regarding an application for the designation of Asset of Community Value (ACV) Status for the Still & Star Public House. The Town Clerk noted that a letter for representation had been received from the owner of the premises and circulated to Members outside of the meeting, alongside a representation from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). Furthermore, appendix one of the report, which had been omitted from the agenda, had likewise been circulated outside of the meeting. All relevant documents were provided in hardcopy to Members at the meeting.

Members noted that the application met many of the City’s ACV guidelines and therefore a vote was held on the motion that the Still & Star be awarded ACV status. The motion was carried by 13 votes to 4.

RESOLVED, that the Still & Star Public House be designated as an Asset of Community Value.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

Members received a report of the Director of Economic Development regarding the Policy Chairman’s recent visit to the United States.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

There were no questions.

There was no 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.

RESOLVED, 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 Schedule 12A of the Act.

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

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 17 November 2016 were approved.

The draft minutes of the Ceremonial Protcols Working Party meeting held on 10 November 2016 were received.  

The non-public minutes of the Projects Sub Committee meeting held on 24 November 2016 were received.

The non-public minutes of the Courts Sub Committee meeting held on 2 December 2016 were received.

Members received the non-public appendix for the item on Project Funding.

RESOLVED, that the non-public appendix be noted.

Report of the City Surveyor.

This report has been considered by the Property Investment Board.

Members considered a report of the City Surveyor regarding the Museum of London proposed relocation Heads of Terms update.

Report of the Managing Director, Barbican Centre.

This report will be considered by the Property Investment Board.

Members considered and approved a report of the Managing Director of the Barbican Centre regarding the Centre for Music Project.

Members considered a resolution of the Education Board and a report of the Town Clerk regarding grant funding for Christ’s Hospital and King Edward’s School Witley.

At this point of the meeting Members agreed to extend the meeting beyond two hours in line with Standing Order 40.

To consider a resolution of the Education Board regarding grant funding for Christ’s Hospital and King Edward’s School Witley.

Members considered a resolution of the Education Board and agreed in principle to a joint working party to consider education grant funding. Members noted that they would deal with the issue of grant funding when considering the following report.

Report of the Town Clerk.

This report has been considered by the Education Board and the Resource Allocation Sub Committee.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk regarding grant funding for Christ’s Hospital and King Edward’s School Witley. The Chairman noted that the two issues had been considered by the Resource Allocation Sub Committee that day and put forward the recommendation that Christ’s Hospital be awarded £80,000 for one pupil per year, subject to further information from the School on the increase in funding requested; and that King Edward School’s annual funding be capped at £500,000 per year. In both cases authority should be delegated to the Town Clerk to consider an appropriate review period and finalise the details of each grant.

A Member noted that Christ’s Hospital had provided the City of London Corporation with the option to educate two pupils per year for the discounted amount of £120,000. A motion was proposed and seconded to adopt this option, which was lost 9 votes to 10.

Members noted the disparity in funding between Christ’s Hospital and King Edward’s School Witley and expressed dissatisfaction with the process at which the grant funding allocations had been arrived at, and suggested that the proposed joint working party look at the how the City could best allocate grant funding to its Family of City Schools objectively.

RESOLVED, that Members

·         Approve a grant funding amount of £80,000 per year to present one pupil to Christ’s Hospital, subject to further detail being provided by the School on the reasons for the increase in costs in education;

·         Cap grant funding to King Edward’s School Witley at £500,000 per year;

·         Delegate authority to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman and a Deputy Chairman, to finalise the details of each grant and an appropriate review period;

·         Request that education grant funding across the City Family of Schools be the subject of a report at

Report of the Chamberlain and the Remembrancer.

This report has been considered by the Hospitality Working Party.

Members considered and approved a report of the Chamberlain and the Remembrancer regarding the Guildhall Charging Review.

Report of the Town Clerk.

This report was considered by the Courts Sub Committee.

Members considered and approved a report of the Town Clerk regarding the modernisation of the City’s Courts.

Report of the Town Clerk and Chamberlain.

This report has been considered by the Board of Governors of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Efficiency and Performance Sub Committee, and the Finance Committee.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk and Chamberlain regarding the Guildhall School Sustainability Operating Model Review.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk detailing a decision taken under delegated procedure since the last meeting regarding the Poultry Market Major Repairs Project.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

There were no questions.

Request for Delegated Authority – Police Accommodation Project

Members considered and approved a delegated authority request from the City Surveyor to deal with three reports concerning the Police Accommodation Project outside of the meeting.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk considering a proposed reorganisation of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Department.

Report of the Remembrancer.

Members considered a report of the Remembrancer regarding a City of London Chorister at the Chapel Royal. </AI47>

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