Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Joanna Abeyie (Deputy Chair), Alderman Sir Charles Bowman, Caroline Haines, Gregory Lawrence, and Deputy Ann Holmes.

Caroline Haines observed the meeting virtually.

There were no declarations.

To approve the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 21 March 2024.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the previous meeting held on 21 March 2024 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Chief Strategy Officer.

The Sub Committee received a report of the Chief Strategy Officer, concerning an overview of the current priorities and work that had taken place to stabilise the Equity, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EEDI) function.

Members were informed that there had been over 400 applications for the position of the Equalities Director. Members stressed the need to be clear and open with the successful candidate on the challenges within the role, and that there would be much work required with regards to leadership across the organisation. However, the candidate should also understand that they would be supported internally and from Members.

The Chair queried what the outline was for the review into EEDI, including what budget was in place. The response was that the outline would be based on an articulated ambition for EEDI for the Corporation, and the aspects that were desired to be driven internally. The scope would also have to be cognisant of other workstreams, such as the work with the LGA with Members. It was further noted that there may be EEDI leads across the Corporation’s institutions who may have different approaches and priorities to EEDI due to several factors including evidence, data and their starting base. There needed to be coalition with the agreed priorities, but with a clear evidence base to demonstrate why some institutions worked differently. Further, the review would need to articulate how EEDI would work in practice, and all underpinned by qualitive and quantitate measures.

On the budget for the review, this would be based on the business case for the investment in the portfolio. The budget was being reviewed by the Chamberlain under the policies budget allocation, as it would be a re-allocation of money rather than new funds. This would also include an uplift for 2024/25. The Chamberlain had been

Executive Director of Corporate Communications and External Affairs to be heard.

Note: Following consultation with the Chair, this item was withdrawn from the agenda and deferred until the next meeting.

Report of the Chief Strategy Officer.

The Sub Committee received a report of the Chief Strategy Officer, concerning the submission of the City Corporation’s 2024 Social Mobility Employer Index to the Social Mobility Foundation.

It was noted that the field for the Social Mobility Employer Index was more competitive than it had been since its origins in 2017. However, this provided the opportunity to learn from different employers. The City Corporation had a unique advantage on the scale and breadth of its responsibilities, meaning that it could cover many different areas and reach out to lots of different communities. It was hoped that there had been improvements within some areas which would provide more meaningful feedback. Members understood that there was still much work to be done, yet the feedback would provide recommendations for which the Corporation could use to improve its ranking.

It was confirmed that the Index was UK wide, but it focused on regional areas. The Index took into consideration geography and types of organisations, and what sections were completed (for instance, the Corporation could only allude to university outreach due to its connection to schools) and were weighted accordingly to determine the ranking.

It was noted that equality (and other associated) data was not routinely collected on Members, and it was up to Members whether this was collected. Members recalled that there had been a previous survey on protected characteristics, but this had not included social mobility. It was suggested that this data be collected to understand a baseline for the current elected membership.

The Sub Committee agreed that if data was collected, this should occur ahead of the Corporation’s elections in 2025, suggesting that any proposed draft of the survey be sighted by the Sub Committee. Officers agreed to take this action away, to investigate options in consultation with the Town

Report of the Executive Director of Human Resources and Chief People Officer.

The Sub Committee received a report of the Executive Director of Human Resources and Chief People Officer, concerning the City Corporation’s Gender, Ethnicity, and Disability Pay Gaps as of March 2023.

Members noted that the Ethnicity Pay Gap was larger than the Gender Pay Gap, and these were reported differently – for instance, the Ethnicity Pay Gap had been broken down into aggregated categories. Officers now wanted to use this data to look at methods with which to reduce the pay gaps – for example, using the job families approach under Ambition 25 to see how workers could progress through their careers.

It was queried whether it was possible to see trends within the data. Officers cautioned that whilst regular reporting on Pay Gaps had been occurring regularly for many years, it had not been reported this comprehensively, with some data not collected until more recent years. However, as there had more been comprehensive tracking in recent years, some progress or trends could be identified and could be incorporated into the report for the next year.

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

There were no public questions.

A Member of the Sub-Committee raised that there was a new Chaplain to the Corporation, who had described that there was no formal structure in place for this role. The Member noted that comparative organisations co-ordinated with other religious leaders within the local communities, noting the diversity of faith within the City of London. Given the role of the Sub Committee, the Member read out the following statement that they would refer to the Corporate Services Committee and Civic Affairs Sub Committee:

“The Town Clerk be invited to review the historic, contemporary, and potential future role of the Guild Church of St Lawrence Jewry and its Guild Vicar as Chapel and Chaplain to the Corporation supporting staff and member welfare and pastoral engagement.

In undertaking the review, Officers be invited to consider options for additional chaplaincy provision supplementing the work of the Guild Vicar as Senior Chaplain, potentially establishing a multi-faith and humanist chaplaincy team (most likely of volunteers drawn from local faith groups) led by the Guild Vicar.

The review should also bear in mind the civic and ceremonial role of St Lawrence Jewry as our official church in the life of the Corporation, noting the Corporation’s freehold ownership of the Church, the contribution to its recent refurbishment, and the annual grant which covers the cost of the stipend and accommodation for the Guild Vicar and maintenance costs.

That this resolution be referred to the Corporate Services Committee and Civic Affairs Sub-Committee for their endorsement.”

Members of the Committee made comments on the wording of this resolution. Officers agreed that this resolution would be taken away to understand its component parts, and that it could be reported back on alongside the other Committees referred to in the resolution.

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.

There were no non-public questions.

There were no non-public items of urgent business.

To approve the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2024.

RESOLVED – That the confidential minutes of the previous meeting held on 21 March 2024 be approved as a correct record.