Agenda item

Report of the Secondary and Under Sheriff.

The Committee received a report of the Secondary of London updating Members on the arrangements that had now been implemented for the Sheriffs’ declarations of gifts and hospitality.

The Chairman reported that, whilst one of the City’s Sheriffs was, typically, not a Common Councilman or Alderman, they were still ‘caught’ by the Code of Conduct as ex-officio members of a number of City of London Corporation committees.

The Secondary reported that the Old Bailey had followed the example set by Mansion House in terms of the registering of gifts and hospitality and he hoped that this was to the Committee’s satisfaction. He went on to report that, unlike the Lord Mayor, the Sheriffs did not tend to be the recipients of very expensive gifts.

The Committee were informed that the new arrangements around registering gifts and hospitality had been in place since the beginning of the new Shrievalty in September 2015 and that the Secondary would continue to provide similar public reports on this matter to the Committee on a quarterly basis.

A Member suggested that the assumption that one of the Sheriffs was always an Alderman be removed. It was also noted that the value of gifts was very much a guesstimate and that it was therefore unnecessary to include this information in future reports.

In response to a question regarding the policy around the retention of gifts, the Secondary repeated that the gifts given to the Sheriffs tended to be small, personal items but that, if a gift of great significance/value were to be received he would seek advice on the retention of such a gift.

Members asked that future reports record whether either Sheriff were accompanied by their escort at events.

Finally, Members informed the Secondary that it was not necessary to list invitations to events from the Queen in future reports.

The Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, thanked the Secondary for his efforts in this area and for his comprehensive report and log.

RECEIVED.