Agenda item

To receive a report advising of two actions taken under urgency procedures in relation to the COVID-19 response.

(Dhruv Patel, OBE)

7 April 2020

Report of Urgent Actions Taken: COVID-19 Response

Following the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in the United Kingdom, the City Bridge Trust Committee had proposed two actions be taken which required the approval of the Court of Common Council, in accordance with the City Corporation’s urgency procedures. These actions were intended to assist with the immediate response to the crisis and were as follows:

i)    Covid-19 Response: Grant to London Funders

London Funders, the umbrella body for any corporate, independent or governmental organisations who fund civil society in London, had determined to co-ordinate a response to the COVID-19 crisis for London’s funding community.

A proposal for a pooled fund to provide support to civil society organisations in need of additional resources was subsequently devised, with it further proposed that the City Bridge Trust allocate £1 million (out of its agreed ‘Bridging Divides’ grants budgets) towards this pooled fund, with the City of London Corporation (acting as trustee of the Bridge House Estates charity) administering the fund through City Bridge Trust.

Approval was subsequently granted under urgency procedures in respect of the allocation of £1 million towards a pooled fund, this pooled fund to be held by the City of London Corporation (as trustee to the Bridge House Estates charity), administered by CBT working with London Funders and its members. Approval was also granted for the City of London Corporation, as trustee of Bridge House Estates, establishing the London Community Response Fund, a separate trust fund within the ancillary object of Bridge House Estates.

Resolved – That the action taken under urgency procedures be noted.

ii)    Temporary amendments to thresholds for grant approvals under delegated powers and the Scheme of Delegation to Officers (Chief Grants Officer)

Following the establishment of the London Community Response Fund outlined above, decisions on the first wave of applications were due during the week commencing 6 April 2020.

Ordinarily, the Chief Grants Officer & Director of City Bridge Trust (CGO) would consider and approve grants up to a certain threshold. However, the CGO was seconded full-time to the London-wide COVID-19 response and the ordinary tempo of decision making by Committee was disrupted by the cancellation of meetings and the redeployment of staff who would ordinarily support the decision-making process. Therefore, it was proposed to both amend the threshold of delegation to allow the Deputy Director of City Bridge Trust (DCGO) to act in the CGO’s absence and increase the threshold at which the CGO or DCGO can approve grants, without recourse to the City Bridge Trust Committee or the Town Clerk.

The proposed amendments would be subject to review after three months of operation. Moreover, a report for information would be submitted to The City Bridge Trust Committee summarising grant making made under these arrangements. The CGO and the Comptroller & City Solicitor were content with the proposals following consultation. The relevant approvals were obtained under urgency procedures in accordance with Standing Order No.19.

Resolved – That the action taken under urgency procedures be noted.