Agenda item

Report of the Chief Grants Officer & Director of City Bridge Trust.

The Committee received a Report of the Chief Grants Officer & Director of City Bridge Trust (CBT).

In response to a request to set out a financial envelope for the cost of the Review, the Chief Grants Officer responded that the cost would be between £100,000 – £150,000; Members approved that envelope. 

A Member asked the Chief Grants Officer to confirm which charities were in scope, as there were “lots of random ones” and we should “seek alignment with the corporate plan”. The Chairman asked that, outside of the usual discussions at the Finance Grants Oversight and Performance Sub-Committee, Ian Seaton be kept updated and effectively made Finance Committee’s point man on this specific area.

RESOLVED – that the Committee approved the following:

1. that a comprehensive Charities Review should be undertaken and implemented: led by the CGO and overseen by an appropriate cross-departmental officer working group, with Members being regularly updated and their input sought at relevant committees/charity boards during the course of the Review; and

2. to delegate authority to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Finance Committee, to take the decision as to the allocation of resources for the Review through a request by the CGO to the Finance Committee Contingency Fund held within City’s Cash.