Agenda item

Report of the Chief Grants Officer and Director of City Bridge Trust (CGO)

The Committee considered the regular progress report of the CGO and discussed the updates and recommendations provided.

Black Training & Enterprise Group (BTEG)

The Committee welcomed Jeremy Crook, CEO of Black Training & Enterprise Group (BTEG), to speak to Members about Moving on Up (MoU), a joint initiative of BTEG, Trust for London and City Bridge Trust which aimed to reduce the major disparity in employment rates between young Black men and their White counterparts.

The Moving on Up initiative started in 2014, with the aim of seeing all young Londoners reach their full potential and secure employment with good progression opportunities. MoU sought to address issues such as high unemployment, underrepresentation in key sectors, and lower take-up of training amongst young Black males. During the first phase of the initiative, different models for supporting young Black men into jobs were tested, with nearly 300 securing jobs as a result. The initiative then moved into a second phase in 2018, featuring components such as a GLA Workforce Integration Network, Employer Champions Groups, MoU Collective Impact Partnerships, an Inclusive Employers toolkit, Email message testing and MoU ambassadors.

Moving on Up was currently the only initiative targeting young Black males in the UK, and had now reached a stage where they wanted to share their learning and open up to other groups. In response to questions from Members, the Committee was advised that Moving on Up supported and contributed to a number of other initiatives with a focus on BAME communities. The initiative had made progress in getting employers on board, having experienced a slow start, but there was still some progress to be made in increasing and improving the dialogue amongst employers. Employers occasionally contacted Moving on Up asking for help or reaching out, and there was a will to improve recruitment processes, for which the Inclusive Employers toolkit was useful.

In response to a question from the Chair, the CGO advised that the Inclusive Employers Toolkit was a useful resource for the finance sector, addressing common concerns that employers had. The CGO then advised of several ways CBT could connect with BTEG on the initiative going forward.

The Committee then thanked Jeremy Crook for his excellent presentation.

Race Action Plan

The CGO introduced the update before handing over to Dinah Cox to present the updated Race Action Plan (RAP). The RAP had been populated following discussions at the previous meeting and the Committee’s strategic away half-day and the timescales for delivering actions were under consideration. The priorities would be working with colleagues across the organisation to deliver the positive outcomes and meet the needs of CBT to express its values. The Committee was also keen to use CBT’s ambassadorial role, which would be key in meeting the aims of levelling the playing field.

The Committee was advised that the presentation from BTEG was indicative of issues prevalent across society and it was important for CBT to continue to support racial justice work elsewhere. Some elements of the RAP had already been delivered, such as the collection of data on Member diversity, and CBT staff had started work in other areas, including strategic initiatives. Members were encouraged to continue to provide feedback and input on the priorities of the RAP.

The Chair then thanked Dinah Cox for her session at the strategic away half-day before seeking comments on priorities and delivery of the RAP. A Member stressed the importance of Members championing the plan and assisting delivery where there were issues that they could help resolve. Dinah Cox advised that buy-in across the organisation between both staff and Members had been very good, and there had been no barriers to delivery as yet, which was positive. However, there was plenty of work remaining and focus was now on planning the way ahead.

COVID-19 Response

The CGO gave the Committee an update on CBT’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 crisis. The Committee was advised that the November lockdown had impacted on collaborative funding plans, and a pivot in Wave 4 of the London Community Response Fund (LCRF) towards the impact of the lockdown. As a result, consideration of more strategic funding would be moved to Wave 5, but work on this was underway. The CGO advised that it was imperative to ensure funding was available and as the situation was still rapidly developing, it may be necessary to engage between Committee meetings. The Chair drew the Committee’s attention to the delegated authority request set out in the recommendations, and advised that any proposals could be circulated to the Committee for comment before progressing a decision.

Prince’s Trust

The CGO gave the Committee an update on the long-term CBT grant to Prince’s Trust, currently in its sixth year, and the activities of the Prince’s Trust. The CGO updated the Committee on the activities of the Prince’s Trust, including the Trust’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst this had been a difficult period of significant change, the Trust had reported an increase in the number of young people across the UK being supported by them, through their hybrid delivery model. The Committee noted that a more detailed report would be submitted to the March 2021. The Chair advised that the Prince’s Trust could be asked to present to the Committee ahead of that meeting and asked officers to follow this up.

In response to a question from a Member, the CGO advised that the broad framework of CBT contributions to LCRF work was unchanged, but the rhythm

Was slightly different, with less face-to-face engagement. Officers continued to engage in both immediate response and recovery work. The CGO added that the work linked closely with the Bridging Divides and Philanthropy strategies.

RESOLVED – That the City Bridge Trust Committee:

a)    Note the updated Race Action Plan at Appendix 1;

b)    Provide thoughts and comments as set out above on prioritisation in regard to delivery of the actions outlined in the Race Action Plan;

c)    Agree to work with the CBT team, with appropriate support, to deliver the Race Action Plan, being mindful of CBT’s values, responsibility as London’s largest independent funder and the work of BHE’s trustee, the City of London Corporation (CoLC); and

d)      Agree to delegate authority to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chair, to consider any proposals for CBT contributions to Wave 5 LCRF funding if a decision is required ahead of the next CBT Committee in January 2021.