Agenda item

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 8 July 2016.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 8 July 2016 were considered and approved as a correct record.

MATTERS ARISING

Freemasonry (page 1) – In response to a query raised at the last meeting, the Town Clerk reported that she had made enquiries with the Remembrancer’s Office to ascertain whether lodges were unique in receiving free use of the Guildhall Crypts three times per year. The Town Clerk reported that she had been informed that this arrangement was unique to the 4 lodges associated with the City of London. In response to further questions, the Town Clerk stated that it was her understanding that this was a matter of custom and practice and was a historical arrangement overseen by the Remembrancer.

The Chief Commoner reported that the Remembrancer reported to the Hospitality Working Party on such matters. The Deputy Chairman stated that he suspected that, historically, this arrangement had been agreed by the Chief Commoner. The Town Clerk undertook to make further enquiries on behalf of the Committee and to ask the Remembrancer on what grounds masonic lodges received preferential rates for use of Guildhall Crypt.

A Member highlighted that the Finance Committee had recently been looking at all non-pecuniary gifts/benefits and suggested that this should also feature here.

Co-opted Member Vacancy (page 3) – The Town Clerk reported that, following the Committee’s instructions to proceed with recruiting to the recently created co-opted Member vacancy, it was hoped that the advertisement would ‘go live’ later this month following final sign-off from the Chairman and Deputy Chairman.

The Town Clerk outlined a draft timetable for recruitment, highlighting that final interviews were likely to take place early in the New Year.

The Town Clerk undertook to notify all Members of the Standards Committee once the advertisement had ‘gone live’ so that they could look to encourage any suitable candidates they might know to apply.

Complaint to the Chairman of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen (page 4) – The Chairman reported that he was still awaiting a response to the formal complaint he had filed with the Chairman of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen regarding unacceptable comments made by an Alderman at the Court of Common Council meeting at which the Annual Report of the Standards Committee had first been considered.