Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Alderman Sir Charles Bowman and Caroline Haines.

Joanna Abeyie, Alderman Sir Charles Bowman, Caroline Haines, Judith Pleasance, and Deputy Henry Pollard observed the meeting virtually.  

There were no declarations.

To approve the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 22^nd November 2024.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 22^nd November 2024 be approved as an accurate record.

Report of the Chief Strategy Officer.

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Chief Strategy Officer, concerning the approval to publish the City of London Corporation’s Equality Information Report 2024, to meet its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017.

The Sub-Committee raised queries relating to the intersectionality of data, which aligned with the People Strategy’s work on attraction and recruitment, and collecting and analysing the intersectionality of data. Analysis of data had been expanded since the previous year, noting the challenge that if the data became too granular, this would have to be redacted from the Equality Information Report. With the improved data collection over the last year, more analysis of intersectionality of data could be reported in the future.

A Member queried whether there was confidence that the data was an accurate representation of the City Corporation’s workforce. The Sub-Committee heard that, since the publication of the previous years’ Equality Information Report, questions had been amended for clarity and the range of questions expanded, and therefore the data may change in the next years’ report. There was assurance that the data reflected the workforce, however this linked with disclosure rates improving following ongoing communications to staff during 2024. This would enhance data quality, and achieve a higher confidence in the data.

RESOLVED – That Members of the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Sub-Committee:

·       Endorse the Equality Information Report 2024 provided at Appendix 1 for publication on the City Corporation’s external website by 30 March 2025, thereby fulfilling our legislative responsibilities.

·       Note the continued commitment to improving the quality of Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) data employees and service users, and the progress made to date on encouraging employees to share their diversity data.

Report of the Chief Strategy Officer.

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Chief Strategy Officer providing an update on the Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) Review. The report set out activity taken by the consultants, Belonging Pioneers, since November 2024 including their data gathering work and with the Review due to conclude on 1 April 2025, the report set out next steps.

The Sub-Committee received a presentation from Belonging Pioneers, which included its framework; process of methodology; inputs and insights from their stakeholder engagement to date including a document review, the EEDI Review survey, interviews, listening circles and an upcoming workshop with senior leaders; extracts of data providing initial findings; examples of good practice; examples of challenges; emerging themes; and next steps. Members asked questions and made comments throughout the presentation, summarised below.

Members of the Sub-Committee noted and made queries on the response rate to the EEDI Review Survey, with particular interest around the City Corporation’s Institutions. Members heard that the reasons behind low engagement with the survey varied, such as a parallel survey being run during the same period. The survey and engagement with it across the City Corporation had been picked up by the Town Clerk for further discussion with the Senior Leadership Team. Further discussion was held in non-public session.

Members noted emerging observations on the responses from staff in relation to Elected Members, which, generally, appeared to be unfavourable. A point was raised that much of the City Corporation’s workforce would not encounter a Member during their daily work and suggested that future surveys should ask whether the respondents role involved engagement with Members. The Sub-Committee were reminded that although much of the workforce might not engage directly with Members, a perception did exist of Members who made political decisions on enabling functions that did directly affect a respondent’s

Report of the Executive Director of HR and Chief People Officer.

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Chief People Officer and Executive Director of HR, concerning an update on the Employment Rights Bill 2024, and its impact the comprehensive compliance and risk management audit of the City Corporation’s HR policies. It also included an update on the current status of the Employee Handbook.

RESOLVED – That the report be received and its contents noted.

Report of the Executive Director of HR and Chief People Officer.

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Chief People Officer and Executive Director of HR, concerning the bi-annual progress report for the City Corporation’s People Strategy, and an overview of and summary of actions following the City Corporation’s 2024 Staff Survey.

RESOLVED – That the report be received, and its contents noted.

Report of the Head of Profession (Culture).

(Note: Appendices 1 – 4 are Non-Public and can be found at Agenda Item 13).

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Head of Profession (Culture), concerning am update on the Beckford and Cass statue plaques project (‘Revealing the City’s Past), and the defined content and previous of what would be published on the City Corporation’s webpages as part of the ‘Retain and Explain’ approach. The Sub-Committee were receiving the report for discussion and to provide recommendations for onward consideration by the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee.

The Sub-Committee made comments in relation to the length of time the project had taken to implementation. Following a query on the date for the installation of the plaques, the Sub-Committee heard that, not pre-empting a decision from the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, a provisional date had been identified. This was based on ability to gain access to the Great Hall, and to ensure attendance of the contributors. The Sub-Committee urged that, given the long delays, it did not wish to prolong installation any further and emphasised the need to maintain the provisional date. 

RESOLVED – That the report be received, and its contents noted.

There were no public questions.

Diversity Monitoring Form

The Sub-Committee were sighted on a draft proposal for a diversity monitoring form for Members and candidates for the upcoming Court of Common Council elections. Comments were sought from Members of the Sub-Committee, who were also invited to submit their comments separately.

The Sub-Committee commended the positive progress as it has been a long-standing recommendation. The form would be sent electronically and would be voluntary to complete. It would be anonymised for candidates but following the election it would be re-sent to Elected Members, at which point it would not be anonymised.

A Member suggested that given marriage or civil partnership statuses were rarely collected, that this be removed from the form.

Concerns were raised that if the data was anonymised, this would be a detraction from the City Corporation understanding individuals’ requirements (such as access requirements, etc.). The Sub-Committee were reminded that there needed to be secure data governance owing to the granularity of the data, however, even if anonymised, responses would inform the City Corporation of what it needed to provide to candidates.

A Member asked if there would be any measures for success. The response was that this was based on how success was defined – in this instance, it would be that the forms were completed, and not what was statistically significant.

MOTION: That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To approve the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 22^nd November 2024.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the previous meeting held on 22^nd November 2024 be approved as an accurate record.

Non-Public Appendices 1 – 4 of Agenda Item 8.

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Head of Profession (Culture), concerning am update on the Beckford and Cass statue plaques project (‘Revealing the City’s Past), and the defined content and previous of what would be published on the City Corporation’s webpages as part of the ‘Retain and Explain’ approach. The Sub-Committee discussed appendices 1 – 4, which were non-public.

Report of the City Remembrancer.

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Remembrancer, concerning the overview of ongoing venue accessibility enhancements for event spaces.

Non-public questions were raised in relation to the EEDI Review.

There were no non-public items of urgent business.