Agenda item

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which set out outstanding actions from previous meetings of the Committee.

Mansion House

Officers confirmed that they had been in discussions with the Chairman of the Finance Committee about him presenting an update to Members at December’s Court of Common Council. Officers added that conservationists had suggested the frequency of stone cleaning at Mansion House should be undertaken every 30 plus years.

Business Plans

The Town Clerk provided an update on the business planning process; to provide opportunities for Members to scrutinise the thinking put into the drafting of departmental Business Plans and to ensure good links between strategy and the allocation of resources, several meetings are being arranged.

The plan is, firstly, to have a pre-Court of Common Council ‘Business Plan Surgery’ where Members can ask questions to inform discussions with their Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen. Next, Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of the relevant Committees will be invited to attend meetings to discuss four clusters of Business Plans – Corporate, Services, Culture and City. Finally, a themed summary of the four cluster discussions will be sent to Chief Officers, Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen to help shape a useful discussion at Committees in February and March where Business Plans will be presented for approval.

Contingency Funding Strategy

The Chairman expressed his disappointment that the Report had yet to reach to Members and stressed that he would like to see the draft of the Report, before it is submitted to December Finance Committee.

Reporting schedule

In response to concerns about the format of this Report, the Chairman and Deputy Chairman requested that officers should mirror the forward plan that goes to Efficiency and Performance Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the report.