Agenda item

At its meeting on 3 March 2011 the Court agreed a number of changes to the City Corporation’s Governance. In approving the new arrangements it was also agreed that a post- implementation review should be undertaken after a year of operation to take stock and to ensure that the revised arrangements were operating effectively. To this end, a Working Party was established by the Court to conduct the post-implementation review.     

A consultation exercise on the revised arrangements was subsequently carried out over the summer recess on behalf of the Working Party with both Members and City Corporation Committees. The Working Party has considered the responses in detail and concluded that overall the new arrangements are operating well but that there were one or two areas that required modification.

Whilst the various conclusions and recommendations of the Post-implementation Review of Governance are set out within the Working  Party’s report, the principal changes recommended are as follows:-

·     An increase from 10 to 15 in the number of elected Members on the Establishment Committee, two of whom shall have less than 5 years’ service on the Court.

·     The Chief Commoner should be elected in October rather than September; should take office at the first Court meeting after the wardmotes and the current arrangement whereby there is an expectation that Aldermen will not vote in the election of that office should be dispensed with.

·     The West Ham element of the Open Spaces, City Gardens and West Ham Park Committee should be reconstituted as a separate committee but with the same Court-elected Members on each committee.

·     The Corporate Asset and Energy and Sustainability Sub Committees be transferred from the Policy and Resources Committee to the Finance Committee and the Planning and Transportation Committee respectively.

·     The Policy & Resources Committee should, in future, elect three deputy chairmen with the “chairman-in-waiting” being electing one year before the expected date of an election for Chairman.

We submit for consideration and recommend approval of, a printed and circulated report containing the various conclusions and recommendations of the Post-implementation Review of Governance Working Party.

(E)          Post-implementation Review of the Governance Arrangements 

At its meeting on 3 March 2011 the Court agreed a number of changes to the City Corporation’s Governance. In approving the new arrangements it was also agreed that a post-implementation review should be undertaken after a year of operation to take stock and to ensure that the revised arrangements were operating effectively. To this end, a Working Party was established by the Court to conduct the post-implementation review. 

A consultation exercise on the revised arrangements was subsequently carried out over the summer recess on behalf of the Working Party with both Members and City Corporation Committees. The Working Party has considered the responses in detail and concluded that overall the new arrangements are operating well but that there were one or two areas that required modification.

 Whilst the various conclusions and recommendations of the Post-implementation Review of Governance are set out within the Working  Party’s report, the principal changes recommended are as follows:-  

·      An increase from 10 to 15 in the number of elected Members on the Establishment Committee, two of whom shall have less than 5 years’ service on the Court.

·      The Chief Commoner should be elected in October rather than September; should take office at the first Court meeting after the wardmotes and the current arrangement whereby there is an expectation that Aldermen will not vote in the election of that office should be dispensed with.

·      The West Ham element of the Open Spaces, City Gardens and West Ham Park Committee should be reconstituted as a separate committee but with the same Court-elected Members on each committee.

·    The Corporate Asset and Energy and Sustainability Sub Committees be transferred from the Policy and Resources Committee to the Finance Committee and the Planning and Transportation Committee respectively.

·      The Policy & Resources Committee should, in future, elect three Deputy Chairmen with the “chairman-in-waiting” being electing one year before the expected date of an election for Chairman.

·  We submit for consideration and recommend approval of, a printed and circulated report containing the various conclusions and recommendations of the Post-implementation Review of Governance Working Party.

Resolved – That the separate sections of the report be put to the Court for consideration separately.

The Chairman introduced the item and introduced a number of the separate sections within the report.

Motion – ‘To agree the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 7 to 9 of the report relating to the Court of Common Council?’

Amendment – ‘That the words ‘dispensed with or’ be deleted from the end of paragraph 8; such that the last part of the recommendation should now read ‘…oral reports should be shortened considerably’?

Upon the Question being put, the Lord Mayor declared the amendment not to be carried.

The original Motion being before the Court again.

Resolved – That the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 7 to 9of the report relating to the Court of Common Council be agreed to.

Motion – ‘To agree the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 10 to 14 of the report relating to the Establishment Committee, the general consideration of Committee terms of reference and the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee?’

Amendment – ‘That recommendation 10, relating to the Establishment Committee, be referred back to the Working Party for further consideration, to allow the Establishment Committee to consider the proposal?’

Upon the Question being put, the Lord Mayor declared the amendment not to be carried.

The original Motion being before the Court again.

Resolved – That the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 10 to 14of the report relating to the Establishment Committee, the general consideration of Committee terms of reference and the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee be agreed to.

Motion – ‘To agree the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 15 and 16 of the report relating to the Office of Chief Commoner?’

Resolved – That the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 15 and 16of the report relating to the Office of Chief Commoner be agreed to.

Motion – ‘To agree the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 17 and 18 of the report relating to the Investment and Audit and Risk Management Committees?’

Resolved – That the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 17 and 18of the report relating to the Investment and Audit and Risk Management Committees be agreed to.

Motion – ‘To agree the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 19 to 25 of the report relating to the Open Spaces Committees?’

Resolved – That the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 19 to 25of the report relating to the Open Spaces Committees be agreed to.

Motion – ‘To agree the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 26 to 37 of the report relating to the Policy and Resources Committee?’

Resolved – That the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 26 to 31 and 33 to 37of the report relating to the Policy and Resources Committee be agreed to.

Motion – ‘To agree the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 38 to 43 of the report relating to the Boards of Governors of the City of London School, the City of London School for Girls and the City of London Freemen’s School, service on Committees and other committee issues?’

Resolved – That the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 38 to 43of the report relating to the Boards of Governors of the City of London School, the City of London School for Girls and the City of London Freemen’s School, service on Committees and other committee issues be agreed to.

Motion – ‘To agree the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 44 to 46 of the report relating to other matters not covered by the governance arrangements agreed in 2011?’

Resolved – That the recommendations set out in Paragraphs 44 to 46of the report relating to other matters not covered by the governance arrangements agreed in 2011be agreed to.

Resolved – That, the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, as amended by the withdrawal of the recommendation under paragraph 32, be agreed.