Agenda item

Circulation of Committee Minutes

The Deputy Chairman referred to the policy for the circulation of committee minutes i.e. within a period of seven working days after the meeting and questioned whether it was being adhered to consistently. He suggested that the policy be firmed up to ensure that the seven-day rule was met and therefore comments from officers and chairmen on the content of the minutes needed to be received within a day of receiving the draft to enable this requirement to be met. A Member stated that whilst he supported the rule, an element of pragmatism should be applied to accommodate busy schedules noting that a Chairman might need more than a day to comment.

RESOLVED – that the policy for the circulation of committee minutes i.e. within seven working days after a committee/sub-committee meeting be reconfirmed and that Chairmen and Officers be reminded of the requirement and that comments on draft minutes needed to be received in a timely manner.

Employability and Education Strategies

The Deputy Chairman referred to the City Corporation’s employability and education strategies and to the recent presentation he attended on the matter. He understood that 100 hours of work-related learning had been undertaken. He felt that this could be improved and suggested that consideration be given to the creation of a centrally co-ordinated programme, targeted at students in the City’s academies and a select number of academies in outer London boroughs, which included work experience, paid internships and mentoring.

The Director of Human Resources (HR) advised that the City Corporation already had an overarching programme for attracting talent which included work-related engagement young people. She pointed out that approximately 3000 hours of work experience had taken place in the last year and that a further 300 hours was planned for June. The City Corporation’s Education Strategy included the ambition to provide a 100 hours of work-related learning for each pupil throughout their early school life i.e. from the age 7-16. The Director also advised that in addition, to offering work experience the City Corporation assisted its schools and academies with their assessment centre and mock interview activities.

The comments of the Director were noted and it was suggested that the programme should also capture children in care and that a report on the full range of activities associated with the attracting talent initiative be submitted to a future meeting of Committee for information.

RESOLVED – that the comments be noted and that the Director of HR be requested to present a report to a future meeting of the Committee on the City Corporation’s project for attracting talent.

Provision of Magistrates Courts

A Member referred to the resolution from Magistracy and Livery Sub-Committee which been considered earlier in the meeting. He pointed out that the number of courts to be provided as part of the project had also been raised at the Courts Sub-Committee. He questioned whether the issue should now be raised with the Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). The Chairman advised that whilst the matter would be raised with HMCTS, ultimately the number of magistrates’ courts to be provided would be a matter for that office. More detailed discussion ensued and it was agreed that it should continue in the non-public session of the meeting.