Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Alderwoman Langley, Alderman Christopher Makin and Alderman Bronek Masojada.

There were no declarations.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen held on 5 July 2022.

The Committee considered the minutes of the last meeting of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen held on 5 July 2022.

RESOLVED: - That the minutes of the last meeting of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen held on 5 July 2022 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting.

The Chairman to be heard.

The Chairman took the opportunity to update the Committee on various changes to Aldermanic Appointments since their last meeting.

It was reported that Alderwoman Newman would be appointed to the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee in the room of Alderman David Graves. Alderman Christopher Makin was to be appointed to the Committee of Aldermen to administer the Sir William Coxen Trust Fund in the room of Alderman John Garbutt and Alderman Vincent Keaveny was to be appointed to Gresham (City Side) Committee in the room of Alderman John Garbutt.

It was reported that there was still an Aldermanic vacancy to be appointed to in the room of Alderwoman Susan Langley on the Port Health and Environmental Services Committee and also a vacancy for Emanuel School in the room of Alderman David Graves. These would be reconsidered following the results of the two forthcoming September Aldermanic elections.

Report of the Director of Corporate HR.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief People Officer outlining the proposed process for the recruitment to the Town Clerk & Chief Executive post.

The Chief People Officer highlighted that the report contained a schedule for the recruitment timetable as well as details of an Assessment Centre process and the Interview Panel composition. It was reported that the Job Description and Person Specification had been revised in consultation with Members with the report requesting that any further, minor changes that may be required be delegated to Officers. It was confirmed that the advert for this position was now live and had been advertised across a number of different medium including print media and also online. It was reported that the advert had already generated a lot of interest to date.

An Alderman questioned the make up of the proposed Interview Panel and the diversity of this. The Chief People Officer commented that the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Sub-Committee representative was still yet to be appointed but was of the view that the Panel was diverse in terms of gender and ethnicity. She highlighted that she would also be in attendance at these interviews. The Alderman questioned whether those Chairman on the Panel were able to appoint a representative from their respective Committees to further diversify the Panel make up. The Chief People Officer stated that she would be happy to take this forward as a suggestion but that the decision would be at the Chairmens’ discretion.

Another Aldermen recognised that the report set out the disadvantages of not having a final decision taken on the appointment until the Court of Common Council meeting in December 2022. He highlighted that there was a date in diaries for an informal meeting of the Court in November and questioned whether a formal

To note the outstanding actions in respect of the General Purposes Committee of Alderman’s work programme.

The Committee considered the Outstanding Actions List which had been updated since the last meeting on 5 July 2022.

The Chairman highlighted that the list would need to be revised further in due course in light of today’s Strategy Morning. He requested that the Executive Director and Private Secretary to the Lord Mayor provide the Committee with an update on Aldermanic clothing allowance at their next meeting.

RESOLVED: - That –

(i)      the Outstanding Actions List be noted; and

(ii)     that completed items be removed from the list.

Access to Wardmotes

The Chairman noted that the Comptroller and City Solicitor had circulated a note to all on this matter after a question on it had been raised by one of the Aldermen. The Comptroller and City Solicitor remarked that there was a tenson here between transparency and what the actual purpose of these Wardmote meetings was. He added that, if they were to be opened up further then there were certain risks and other factors such as the amount of space available at certain venues and access/security arrangements that would also need to be taken into account. He added that this had not tended to be an issue previously and that people were generally granted access to Wardmotes in a proportionate and controlled way.

Honorary Bencher

In keeping with the previous Chairman’s practice of acknowledging new positions and accolades, the Chairman to congratulated Alderman Michael Mainelli on the unanimous decision of the benchers of the Middle Temple to elect him as an Honorary Bencher of the Inn.

The Chairman asked all Aldermen to keep him informed of any new  positions/accolades of their own so that they might also be brought to the attention of the Committee going forward.

There were no additional, urgent items of business for consideration.

MOTION - That, in accordance with the Court of Aldermen’s Disclosure Arrangement (Standing Order 25), the public shall be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen have determined, having had due regard to the Disclosure Arrangement, that disclosure should not be permitted.

RESOLVED - That, in accordance with the Court of Aldermen’s Disclosure Arrangement (Standing Order 25), the public shall be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen have determined, having had due regard to the Disclosure Arrangement, that disclosure should not be permitted.

To approve the non-public minutes of the last meeting of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen held on 5 July 2022.

The Committee considered the non-public minutes of the last meeting of the General

Purposes Committee of Aldermen held on 5^th July 2022.

RESOLVED: - That the non-public minutes of the last meeting of the General Purposes

Committee of Aldermen held on 5^th July 2022 be approved as an

accurate record of the meeting.

Report of the Comptroller and City Solicitor.

The Committee considered and approved a report of the Comptroller and City Solicitor setting out a proposal for the introduction of checks in relation to Aldermanic qualifications as requested by the Committee at its meeting on 5th July 2022.

Report of the Comptroller and City Solicitor.

The Committee considered a report of the Comptroller and City Solicitor setting out options and issues in relation to the risk of an Alderman with a relevant foreign conviction being elected.

There were no questions received in the non-public sessions.

The Committee discussed the Aldermanic Mess Fund.