Agenda item

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Deputy Town Clerk which provided Members with an opportunity to review the Committee reporting arrangements for the Central Criminal Court (CCC). The report advised that the CCC currently reported to the Corporate Asset Sub (Finance) Committee (CASC). The report explained that the CCC did not currently fit naturally within the existing workload of CASC or any other existing Committee, and therefore proposed that a new Committee be created to oversee all aspects of the CCC, for a period of five years. The report advised that this was a particularly important time for the CCC and would, therefore, be an area that would benefit from greater coordination and dedicated attention in terms of Member support and oversight.

The Chairman commented that he agreed that CASC was not appropriate as the main Service Committee for the CCC, and commented that he agreed that there was not currently an entirely relevant Committee to oversee the operations of the CCC. The Committee agreed that this was the case.

The Chairman commented that CASC would continue to have a role in relation to the CCC in scrutinising repairs and maintenance projects, similar to that which CASC currently played for departments such as the Barbican Centre, Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the City of London Police.

The Chairman also commented that he believed that it was not appropriate for the new Committee to be a Grand Committee, and that it would be more appropriately formed as a Sub-Committee of the Policy and Resources Committee or the Finance Committee. Members agreed that this would be an appropriate approach, and agreed that this should be suggested to the Policy and Resources Committee.

RESOLVED – That the Committee:

a)    Notes the report;

b)    Endorses the proposal for the establishment of a new stand-alone Committee for a period of five years, with the composition set out within the report, and asks the Policy Committee to consider whether this Committee should be a Sub-Committee of either Policy and Resources Committee or Finance Committee.