Agenda item

Review of the Vetting Procedure for Applicants to the City Freedom by Redemption without the Intervention of a Livery Company

Report of the Chamberlain and the Town Clerk

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Chamberlain and the Town Clerk presenting the current arrangements for the vetting of candidates applying for the Freedom, for discussion. The Chairman introduced the item and outlined the context of the review before the Clerk of the Chamberlain’s Court introduced the report.

 

Members noted that the vast nomination of cases carried very little risk and even where there was some indication of risk, this would not necessarily have an adverse impact for the City of London Corporation. However, the vetting process provided an important safety valve. The Committee noted that the Chamberlain’s Court could only vet non-Livery applications, which made up a third of the total. The burden of expectation was on each Livery Company to vet applications made through them, and Livery Companies often maintained stronger processes such as Membership Committees. Members noted that the City of London Corporation could not always apply the standards of the Livery, and that there were some factors beyond the Court of Common Council’s control, such as Ward List applications.

 

The Committee agreed that a vetting process should be maintained, and that the current arrangements were satisfactory, noting the effectiveness of the process used so far.

 

RESOLVED – That the Freedom Applications Committee endorse the current vetting procedure and agree that it should continue as set out.

Supporting documents: