Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies.

There were no declarations.

To receive the Order of the Court of Common Council dated 16 July 2020, appointing the Committee and confirming its Terms of Reference.

To elect a Chair in accordance with Standing Order No.29.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order No. 29. Catherine McGuinness, being the only Member expressing willingness to serve, was duly elected for the ensuing year.

Thanking colleagues for their support, the Chair commented that she had hoped to be holding today’s meeting as a hybrid virtual/physical meeting but, unfortunately, new Government guidance had meant that hybrid meetings were no longer appropriate for the time being, given that it was clearly possible to hold these meetings virtually. In light of the City Corporation’s role as an enforcement agency she suggested that this was particularly important to observe and expressed her empathy with other Chairs in a similar position who had also been hoping to hold hybrid meetings in the coming period, advising that it now appeared there would be a need to revert to virtual meetings only for the time being.

The Chair added that the latest Government announcements underlined the need to focus on recovery, noting that it would be important to progress the City’s various internal reviews efficiently so as to allow for focus that recovery. She also commented that there would be a wider piece of work needed to look at the Corporation’s role in relation to place, particularly given the challenges around reduced footfall in the City at present.

To elect the Deputy / Vice Chairs in accordance with Standing Order No. 30.

The Committee proceeded to elect its three Deputy/Vice Chairmen in accordance with Standing Order No. 30.  The following Members expressed a willingness to serve:-

-       Rehana Ameer

-       Deputy Keith Bottomley

-       Marianne Fredericks

-       Sheriff Christopher Hayward

-       Andrew McMurtrie

-       Deputy Tom Sleigh

A ballot was, therefore, conducted in accordance with Standing Order No.30(8). Following the ballot, Deputy Keith Bottomley, Sheriff Christopher Hayward, and Deputy Tom Sleigh were duly appointed for the ensuing year.

To consider minutes as follows:-

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a)        The public minutes of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 9 July 2020 were approved.</AI7>

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b)        The public minutes of the joint meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee and Establishment Committee held on 20 July 2020 were agreed.

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c)         The public minutes of the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee meeting held on 23 July 2020 were noted.</AI9>

d)         The public minutes of the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee meeting held on 7 September 2020 were noted.

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e)      The public minutes of the Projects Sub-Committee meeting held on 30 July 2020 were noted.

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f)       The public minutes of the meeting of the Public Relations and Economic Development Sub Committee held on 16 September 2020 were noted.

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g)      The public summary of the Tackling Racism Taskforce meeting held on 13 July 2020 were noted.

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6.8The public summary of the Tackling Racism Taskforce meeting held on 24 July 2020 were noted.

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i)          The public summary of the Tackling Racism Taskforce meeting held on 4 September 2020 were noted.

To receive a resolution from the Property Investment Board concerning London City Airport.

The Committee considered a resolution from the Property Investment Board requesting that the Policy and Resources Committee in relation to London City Airport, urging that the City of London Corporation reiterate its support for the redevelopment plans and encourage them to work with the relevant authorities to restart the project.

During discussion, several Members expressed the importance of the City Corporation doing what it could to support access to the City for businesses, especially given the demands of the recovery from the impact of COVID, and noted the resolution’s proposal was consistent with the Committee’s previous position. However, some hesitancy was also expressed in view of the desire not to intervene in a commercial decision for City Airport. Following debate, it was agreed that the Policy Chair and Planning Chair should discuss the most appropriate way to express the City’s support, noting the comments made.

RESOLVED: That the Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee and the Chair of the Planning and Transportation Committee be asked to determine a suitable expression of support.

Report of the Town Clerk.

(To be read in conjunction with the confidential appendix at Item X, to follow).

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which contained a scoped and costed Climate Action Strategy for the City of London Corporation.

Introducing the report, the Chair reminded the Committee that this strategy would affect City Fund, City Cash, and Bridge House Estates; consequently, Members would need to mindful of their roles in respect of the City Corporation funds and Trustees of Bridge House Estates when considering the proposals. She also took the opportunity to thank Deputy Keith Bottomley, Alderman Alison Gowman, and Deputy Jamie Ingham Clark for their efforts in ensuring engagement across the Court in producing this strategy.

A Member spoke to relay comments made at the most recent meeting of the Financial Investment Board in relation to this strategy, where Members had been very supportive of the strategy overall but did raise points of caution in relation to navigating the short term and in not moving too quickly into “green-washed” products or radical strategic allocation changes.

In response to a query in relation to governance, it was clarified that reporting in respect of implementation and delivery would continue to be to the Policy and Resources Committee, pending any further decisions made through the Governance Review process. There had been a suggestion that continued Member Briefings and training sessions might also be beneficial too.

Following a further question as to delivery timescales, it was confirmed that delivery could be accelerated as opportunities presented themselves, with it noted that the strategy presented a very detailed set of actions with specific timescales and plans being set annually which would allow individual aspects to be stepped up where possible.

RESOLVED: That:-

1.         The draft strategy, set out at Appendix 1 to the report, together with the action sets at Appendix 2, be approved.

2.         The allocation of additional budget

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning the appointment of the Committee’s sub-committees, working parties and representatives on other committees.

The Town Clerk highlighted an error in respect of the Public Relations and Economic Development Sub-Committee, where it was noted that the Chair of the General Purposes Committee and the Senior Alderman Below the Aldermanic Chair should also be listed under the composition, as per a previous decision of the Committee.

RESOLVED: That the following be approved:-

1.         The appointment, composition and terms of reference of the Committee’s various sub-committees and working parties for the ensuing year, as set out in sections A to M of the appendix to the report.

2.         The Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Projects Sub-Committee to be confirmed under delegated authority, following consultation, after appointments to the Sub-Committee are confirmed.

3.         The eight Members already appointed to serve on the Investment Committee be noted (see Section Q of the Appendix).

4.         The following Members be appointed as listed to represent the Committee on each of the following bodies:-

·      Audit and Risk Management Committee: Marianne Fredericks

·      Barbican Centre Board: Tijs Broeke

·      Freedom Applications Committee: Jeremy Mayhew

·      Local Development Framework Reference Sub (Planning) Committee: Deputy Jamie Ingham Clark

·      Corporate Asset Sub-Committee: Marianne Fredericks, Deputy Edward Lord, Deputy Philip Woodhouse

·      Informal consultation with the Court of Aldermen and the Finance Committee on Mayoralty and Shrievalty Allowances: Deputy Edward Lord

5.            That the various appointments to the following bodies be balloted on electronically and that authority be delegated to Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chair, to approve appointments on the basis of said electronic ballot process:

·      Projects Sub-Committee

·      Public Relations and Economic Development Sub-Committee

·      Resource Allocation Sub-Committee

·      Capital Buildings Committee

·      Education Board

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk in respect of Lord Lisvane’s Review of the City of London Corporation’s Governance.

The Chair noted that extensive Member engagement would be of critical importance in taking this forward and it was agreed that Sheriff Christopher Hayward should be asked to take the lead on Member engagement. Sheriff Hayward agreed to take on this responsibility and advised that a schedule of engagement sessions was being planned to take place over the coming months, with two sessions on each tranche of the Review to allow for every Member to participate. With relation to the proposed timescales within the report, it was felt that it would be prudent to allow for a more considered and longer time period, so as to ensure that the wide engagement sought could be facilitated; however, within this, there would doubtless be a number of areas in which priority areas or “quick wins” could be progressed.

RESOLVED: That:-

1.         Lord Lisvane’s Governance Review report be received.

2.         Sheriff Christopher Hayward be asked to lead on wider Member engagement in taking the report forward.

3.         The Resource Allocation Sub-Committee be re-confirmed as the reference sub-committee for the Governance Review and asked to go through the report in detail.

4.         Formal thanks be placed on record to Lord Lisvane for his efforts in conducting the Review.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer & Director of the City Bridge Trust.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer and Director of City Bridge Trust which presented the proposed final version of the Bridge House Estates (BHE) Strategy: ‘Bridging London, 2020 – 2045’.

RESOLVED: That:-

1.         The proposed final version of the charity’s overarching Strategy be endorsed: ‘Bridging London, 2020-2045’, for onward approval by the Court of Common Council for the City of London Corporation as Trustee of the Charity.

2.         The high-level implementation plan for the Strategy ‘Bridging London, 2020-2045’ be endorsed

Report of the Director of Communications.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Communications which recommended updating and increasing the administration fees levied to production companies, with the new charges being implemented from 1 October 2020.

RESOLVED: That:-

1.         The proposed increases to administration charges levied by the Film Liaison Team, as set out in paragraph 2 to the report, be approved.

2.         Going forward, the Director of Communications be authorised to make future adjustments to these fees when appropriate, following an assessment of comparable fees charged by other central London Borough Film Offices.

Joint report of the City Surveyor and the Director of Markets & Consumer Protection.

The Committee considered a joint report of the City Surveyor and Director of Markets and Consumer Protection in respect of a food school, to be provided as part of the Markets Co-Location Programme.

The Committee also received a resolution of the Markets Committee, which recommended that the terms of reference of that Committee be amended to provide it with responsibility for any food school.

Whilst supportive of the food school proposals, Members felt that the accompanying proposal from the Markets Committee was premature, given that negotiations in respect of the food school were still ongoing.

RESOLVED: That:-

1.         The recent work and solutions recommended by Counterculture be noted.

2.         It be noted that the City of London Corporation (“CoLC”) will provide an education facility as part of the Dagenham Dock co-located market as approved by the Markets Committee on 29 January 2020 and the Policy and Resources on 20 February 2020.

3.         The delivery of an on-site food school at Dagenham Dock to the scope outlined in the report be agreed and become embedded in the requirements for the new market.

4.         It be noted that a new retail food offer in Barking Town Centre is being brought forward by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD) and ‘Be First’, which will complement the market, and will be subject to umbrella governance to ensure that the synergistic activities work together.

5.         The intention for further work on the development of a food school, early delivery of enhanced training, and a food activation programme in collaboration with LBBD and ‘Be First’ be noted, all of which will be the subject of a future report and budget request.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain in respect of how the City Corporation can demonstrate its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In response to a query concerning the application in respect of the City’s investment portfolio, the Chamberlain confirmed that this was being explored as part the new stewardship plan being developed for the Financial Investment Board, particularly within the context of the City’s commitment to the principles.

RESOLVED: That:-

1.         The three themes of action for the City Corporation be approved as set out in the report.

2.         The Chair of Policy and Resources be authorised to make a statement on the City Corporation’s commitment to playing its role in achieving the SDGs by 2030 and commit the organisation to embedding relevant SDGs into strategy development, implementation and reporting.

3.         £10k per annum for three years be released from the Policy Initiative Fund for the membership fee to the UN Global Compact.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain in respect of the re-setting of departmental budgets in 2020/21.

RESOLVED: That:-

1.         The steps already taken by officers to reduce the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic be noted.

2.         The adjusted departmental budgets totalling £15.6m be endorsed, for onward approval by the Court of Common Council.

3.         The proposals to continue working with departments to identify further savings, where possible, be approved.

4.         The continuation recruitment controls aligned to the Target Operating Model (TOM), which may give further savings in the year, be approved.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee received a report of the Chamberlain which compared the revenue outturn for the services overseen by the Committee in 2019/20 with the final budget for the year.

RESOLVED: That the report be received and its content noted.

Report of the Chamberlain.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment in respect of the implementation of temporary traffic management measures on the City’s streets in response to COVID-19.

RESOLVED: That the report be received and its content noted.

Report of the Town Clerk on behalf of the Tackling Racism Task Force.

The Committee considered a report of the Tackling Racism Task Force which presented an interim update on its activities, discussions, and recommendations to date.

The Co-Chair of the Task Force spoke to introduce the item, providing a summary of the workstreams looked at to date and the various recommendations emerging. He advised that the Task Force’s report making recommendations across all seven workstreams was expected to be ready by December.

RESOLVED: That:-

1.         The content of the report and the direction of travel of the Tackling Racism Taskforce be noted.

2.         The report of action taken in relation to the consultative exercise on historic items in the Square Mile be noted.

3.         Subject to the agreement of the Establishment Committee, it be noted that that an increase in departmental training budgets will be required and a more detailed recommendation will be submitted to the Establishment and Policy and Resources Committees in due course.

4.         The content of the guidance for Chairs, Members and Officers, when talking about equality and diversity in relation to race, as outlined in Appendix 2 to the report, be approved.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk advising of several actions taken under urgency powers or delegated authority since the last meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED: That the report be received and its content noted.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.

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 100A(4) 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 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

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

a)     The non-public minutes of the Policy & Resources Committee meeting held on 9 July 2020 were approved.

b)     The non-public minutes of the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee meeting held on 7 September 2020 were noted.

c)     The non-public minutes of the Projects Sub-Committee meeting held on 30 July 2020 were noted.

d)     The non-public minutes of the meeting of the Public Relations and Economic Development Sub Committee held on 16 September 2020 were noted.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee considered and approved a report of the City Surveyor in relation to the redevelopment of Bastion House.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.

a)        The confidential minutes of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 9 July 2020 were approved.</AI41>

b)    The confidential minutes of the joint meeting of the Policy and Resources and Establishment Committees held on 20 July 2020 were approved.   

To be read in conjunction with Item 8 (to follow).

The Committee noted a confidential appendix to Item 8.

Joint report of the City Surveyor and the Director of Markets & Consumer Protection.

The Committee considered and approved a report of the Town Clerk, City Surveyor and the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection in relation to the Market Consolidation Programme.

Report of the Remembrancer.

The Committee considered and approved a report of the City Surveyor and the Remembrancer in relation to the Market Consolidation Programme.

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At 3.45pm Members agreed to extend the business of the agenda beyond two hours, in accordance with Standing Order 40, in order to conclude the business on the agenda.

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Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee received an oral update from the Town Clerk in relation to the Target Operating Model.