Agenda item

QUESTIONS ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE

Minutes:

There were two questions:

 

 

Electoral Registration

In view of the deferral of Common Council elections until 2022, it was asked what steps were being put in place to improve electoral registration and engagement across both residential and business voters. In particular, updates on digital registration and contact, as well as engagement with CEOs, was sought.

 

In response, the Town Clerk advised that a report was due to be submitted to the November meeting of the Committee addressing these topics, including promotional activities and associated funding requirements.

 

Several Members spoke to echo the importance of this issue, noting that there had been a long-standing deficit in this area and that new and innovative approaches would be needed to make a tangible difference, with an intelligent engagement strategy. It was also suggested that clear timelines and KPIs for activity would be beneficial.

 

In response to a supplementary question relating to steps to increase the diversity of candidates, the Assistant Town Clerk made reference to a number of planned activities as part of this work and confirmed that she was very mindful of this need in taking proposals forward.

 

With reference to further questions around voter registration, it was advised that there had been a delay in registration forms being circulated due to an issue with a new bespoke software system but that this had now been addressed. She also noted the importance of reminding businesses of the need to nominate voters from across the full spectrum of their workforce.

 

Free School Meal Vouchers

Following the recent decision by the Co-operative Group to fund free school mal vouchers for its pupils through to Spring 2021, it was asked whether the potential for the City Corporation to act similarly could be explored as a matter of urgency.

 

The Chair agreed to ask officers to explore this issue, although she could not guarantee this would be necessarily include the October half-term, given the imminent proximity of that particular break. She also noted the importance of a holistic approach, considering whole family support rather than necessarily individual pupils.

 

A Member took the opportunity to suggest a correlation between the curtailing of free school meals and increased levels of childhood obesity and other health issues over recent decades, stressing the importance of good nutrition at a young age to prevent future long-term health issues. The Member urged that the case should be made to Government to reintroduce free school meals regardless of background across the nation on this basis.

 

The Chair undertook to raise the issue at the next London Councils Leaders’ meeting, noting the importance of a coherent approach.