Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from John Bennett, Charles Bowman, Peter Estlin, George Gillon, Christopher Hayward and Hugh Morris.

The Chairman declared an interest in item no. 10 by virtue of being a member of the Advisory Board of the European Policy Forum, in item no. 12 by virtue of being a member of the Advisory Board of the International Business and Diplomatic Exchange Board and in item no. 14 as Chairman of London Councils Pensions CIV Sectoral Joint Committee.

To consider minutes as follows:-

The public minutes of the meeting held on 16 February 2017 were agreed.

The draft minutes of the Public Relations and Economic Development Sub-Committee meeting held on 16 February 2017 were noted.

The draft public minutes of the Projects Sub-Committee meeting held on 17 February 2017 were noted.

The draft public minutes of the Courts Sub-Committee meeting held on 9 February 2017  were noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning the process for appointing chairmen of sub-committees.

The Chairman stated that the purpose of a sub-committee was to deal with matters referred to it by its parent committee. It was noted that whilst the Policy and Resources Committee was responsible for governance, without a change to standing orders, its recommendation regarding the appointment of chairmen of sub-committees was on the basis of the adoption of a convention only. Detailed discussion ensued during which the following comments were made:-

·          The Chairman advised that the resolution to committees from the December meeting aimed to set a convention which enabled the Chairman of a grand committee who did not wish to chair a sub-committee to identify and nominate for the role another Member with the necessary experience and qualities, for approval of that Committee.  In the interests of clarity the initial resolution would have benefited from being circulated with the substantive report.

·          Members questioned the need for the convention particularly given the different nature of some committees, for example some were quasi-judicial and therefore required a different approach.

·          As the intention of the convention was to clarify the process it might be better for grand committees to set out its approach to appointments in its terms of reference.

·          Rather than seeking the adoption of a convention, Committees should be provided with some general guidance instead. Without being too prescriptive, could also include reference to the length of time a chairman could serve. Several Members supported this.

RESOLVED: that the following guidance be given to all Grand Committees:

1.       in the event of a Grand Committee having no prior arrangement or custom in place for the way in which the chairmen of its sub-committees were selected, it should be usual practice for the Chairman

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk proposing a number of changes to committee terms of reference and composition.

RESOLVED – That the following be approved and included in the annual report to the Court of Common Council:-

1.    amendments to the terms of reference of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, Establishment Committee and the Local Government Pensions Board as set out in the appendices to the report;

2.    with regard to the Chairmanship of Local Government Pensions Board the constitution state that either the Chairman or Deputy Chairman must be a Member of the Court of Common Council, rather than stating that they must be a Common Councilman and its quorum be increased to three, to include at least one Employer representative and one Member representative;

3.    the introduction of a three year term for Members of the Court of Common Council serving on the Audit and Risk Management Committee, up to a maximum of no more than nine years’ service (such term limit should not apply to the Chairman, Deputy Chairman or ex-officio Members); and

4.    the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee be consulted on the future appointment of the Directors of Open Spaces and Community and Children’s Services and on the Assistant Town Clerk and Cultural Hub Director.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk listing a schedule of recognised events that may be attended by Members and Officers for inclusion in the business travel scheme.

Reference was made to the appendix listing the recognised events. Members were advised that the annual conference of standards committees no longer existed and should be deleted.

A Member referred to the Association of Charitable Foundations Conference and advised that the City Bridge Trust had agreed to widen attendance by enabling other Trustees to attend.  The Chairman pointed out that committees were able to make changes and therefore it did not need to be mentioned in the schedule.

Another Member also questioned whether a suitable Academies conference should be included given the City Corporation’s decision to expand activities in that area.

RESOLVED - the schedule of recognised events that may be attended by Members and Officers set out at Appendix A be approved for inclusion within the Business Travel Scheme subject to the deletion of the Annual Conference of Standards Committees.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain concerning the Policy Initiatives Fund and the Committee Contingency.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and that the unused provision in 2016/17 Policy Initiatives Fund (£81,600) and Committee Contingency (£152,200) be carried forward to 2017/18.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer concerning the resources and staffing required to deliver the Central Grants programme for 2017/18.

RESOLVED – that:-

1.           Staff continue to be seconded from the City Bridge Trust to manage the Central Grants programme, for a one year period (April 2017 – March 2018);

2.           Approval be given to the Central Grants Unit (CGU) recharging up to £60,000 to manage the CGU over this 12 month period; and.

3.           It be noted that an evaluation report of the CGU pilot would be submitted to the Committee in December 2017 to agree the 2018/2019 delivery approach.

Report of the Director of Communications.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Communications concerning the options for hosting a dinner event at the Conservative Party Conference.

RESOLVED – that option 3 i.e. a larger Dinner event be arranged for the 2017 Conservative Party Conference.

Report of the Director of Communications.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Communications reviewing the City Corporation’s membership of think tanks for 2017-18.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the following:-

1.       the updated approach to working with think tanks i.e. based on proactively searching out opportunities aligned to the City Corporation's priorities;

2.       the City of London Corporation becoming a corporate member of the nine think tanks listed below at a total cost of £78,800, to be met from 2017/18 Policy Initiatives Fund 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

·        Institute for Public Policy Research

·        Local Government Information Unit

·        The New Local Government Network

·        Reform

·        Whitehall and Industry Group

·        Legatum Institute (this will be a new membership)

3.    corporate membership of the Foreign Policy Centre be discontinued; and

4.    it be noted that a think tank grid which summarised the think tanks the City Corporation was currently a member of, those with whom it worked with on an ad hoc basis and those it could work with in the future  was available on request. 

Report of the Director of Communications.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Communications proposing the sponsorship of the 2017 Battle of Ideas festival taking place on 28-29 October 2017.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the sponsorship of 2017 Battle of Ideas festival at a cost of £25,000 from the 2017/18Policy Initiatives Fund, 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 proposing that the City Corporation partner with the International Business and Diplomatic Exchange to develop of a programme of activity.

RESOLVED – That £72,000 be provided to enable the City Corporation to partner with the International Business and Diplomatic Exchange (£50,000 to fund a two year partnership plus a maximum budget of £22,000 for hosting a total of 8 events to take place over two years at the Guildhall) the cost of which would be met from the 2017/18 Policy Initiatives Fund, categorised under ‘Events’ and charged to City’s Cash.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered the Town Clerk’s high level departmental business plan.

RESOVED - that the report and the Plan be noted.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain concerning the 2017/18 budget for the London Local Government Pension Scheme CIV Ltd and its medium term strategy up to 2022.

RESOLVED – that the annual service charge of £25,000 per annum and Development Funding costs of £75,000 per annum (per authority - declining year on year to £10,000 in 2021/22) be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk reporting action taken since its last meeting.

Attention was drawn to the Listing Review Procedure for Assets of Community Value (ACV) particularly the fact that under the statutory provisions Members were not able to participate in the review process. It was agreed that the Chairman should write to the relevant Government Department at an appropriate time to advise it of the City Corporation’s concerns about a process which enabled officers to overturn a decision of elected Members.

RESOLVED – that

1.    with regard to Listing Review Procedure for AVCs, the Chairman be authorised to write to the relevant office expressing the City Corporation’s concerns about a process which enabled officers to overturn a decision of elected Members  and that in the meantime it be noted that approval was given to:-

·     the draft Listing Review Procedure previously submitted to the Committee in February;

·     the Chamberlain being designated as the Reviewing Officer; and

·     the Town Clerk being given responsibility for the designation of any other appropriate officer to undertake listing reviews as well as nominating the office to provide administrative and policy support to the Chamberlain as reviewing officer.

2.    It also be noted that approval was given to the following:-

a.    the 2017/18 Pay Policy Statement;

b.    the membership of the four think tanks as set out below being renewed for 2017 as follows:-

·      EPF – £7,500

·      IPPR - £6,300

·      Reform – £9,000

·      LGIU - £9,995

The cost of which was to be met from the 2016/17 Policy Initiative Fund, categorised under the events section of the Fund and charged to City’s Cash.

c.    in connection with the City Corporation becoming the Accountable Body for the Central London sub-region of the London Work and Health Programme (WHP) it:-

·         undertaking the procurement of

The following matters were raised:-

A Member questioned whether a mechanism for managing requests for financial assistance towards projects from external sources could be developed to avoid several approaches being made to the same source. The Chairman advised that arrangements were in place for approaches to the National Heritage Lottery Fund but not for those made in other areas. The issue had been raised at the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee earlier and officers have been asked to look into the matter with the intention of one officer having oversight and avoiding one project being jeopardised by another. This would be for large bids only.

In answer to a question on whether the City Corporation was satisfied with its current safeguarding procedures, the Town Clerk confirmed that he was. A further review would nevertheless be undertaken once the new Director of Community and Children’s Services arrived. The Town Clerk reminded Members that various elements of the City Corporation’s safeguarding activities had been Ofsted tested and that one area of activity in particular, the City and Hackney Safeguarding Board, was the only outstanding Board in the Country.

The Committee considered the following items of urgent business:-

Crossrail

Members were reminded of the City Corporation’s deal regarding the funding of Crossrail and advised that its £200m contribution towards the project was now due to be paid.

2018 Boundary Review

It was noted that following consultation and representations being made to the Boundary Commission the City Corporation’s desire to have its link with the City of Westminster was being supported by other consultees at this stage and that a further response would be submitted by the Remembrancer.

Thanks to Members

The Chairman advised that Roger Chadwick, Vivienne Littlechild and Michael Welbank were attending their final meeting as ex-officio Members of the Committee and thanked them for the contribution they had mad to its work. He reiterated his thanks to George Gillon who had decided not to stand as a Common Councilman. A Member added that notwithstanding the formal vote of thanks that would be conveyed to the Chairman at the next meeting of the Committee, she would like to thank the Chairman for the contribution he had made over the last five years.

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 the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

Item Nos.                                                           Paragraph(s) in Schedule 12A

19 - 26                                                                                     1, 3 and 7

Part 2 – Non-Public Agenda

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

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 16 February 2017 were agreed.

The draft non-public minutes of the Courts Sub-Committee meeting held on 9 February 2017 were noted.

The draft non-public minutes of the Projects Sub-Committee meeting held on 17 February 2017 were noted.

The draft non-public minutes of the Hospitality Working Party meeting held on 16 February 2017 were noted.

The draft non-public minutes of the Cultural Hub Working Party meeting held on 1 February 2017 were noted.

Joint report of the Town Clerk and the Commissioner of the City of London Police.

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

The Committee considered and agreed a joint report of the Town Clerk and the Commissioner of the City of London Police concerning the funding of the One Safe City Programme.

Report of the Chamberlain.

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

The Committee considered and agreed a project funding update report of the Chamberlain which covered a number of projects.

Joint report of the Town Clerk, City Surveyor and the Managing Director of the Barbican Centre.

NB: This report is also due to be considered by the Streets and Walkways and the Corporate Asset Sub-Committees and the Property Investment and Barbican Centre Boards.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Town Clerk, City Surveyor and the Managing Director of the Barbican Centre concerning the future use of property in Beech Street.

Report of the Director of Communications.

The Committee considered and agreed a report of the Director of Communications concerning advertising in City AM and in City Matters.

Joint report of the Managing Director of the Barbican Centre and the City Surveyor.

The Committee considered and agreed a progress joint report of the City Surveyor and the Managing Director of the Barbican Centre concerning the Centre for Music.

There were no questions.

The Committee considered the following item of urgent business:-

Academy Expansion Programme – Highbury Grove

The Committee considered and agreed a report of the Town Clerk concerning the Academy Expansion Programme.

To consider the confidential minutes as follows:-

The confidential minutes of the meeting held on 16 February 2017 were agreed.

The draft confidential of the Courts Sub-Committee meeting held on 9 February 2017 were noted.