Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Roly Keating, Vivienne Littlechild and Michael Welbank.

There were none.

To approve the public minutes and summary of the Barbican Centre Board meeting held on 20 January 2016.

The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 20 January 2016 were approved as a correct record.

To receive the draft public minutes and summary of the Risk Committee of the Barbican Centre Board held on 20 January 2016.

The draft public minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2016 were received.

To receive the draft public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 11 February 2016.

The draft public minutes of the meeting held on 14 February 2016 were received.

To receive the draft public minutes and summary of the Finance Committee of the Barbican Centre Board meeting held on 1 March 2016.

The draft public minutes of the meeting held on 1 April 2016 were received.

Report of the Town Clerk

The Board received a report of the Town Clerk setting out the outstanding actions list and noted the various updates and additions. The forthcoming workplan for Board meetings in 2016 was also noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Board considered a report of the Town Clerk setting out a proposed role specification to be used when advertising of vacancies on the Board to prospective Board Members.

RESOLVED: That authority be delegated to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman to finalise the role specification, taking into account any comments received by Members.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Board considered a report of the Chamberlain concerning a cross-cutting review of opportunities for income generation.

RESOLVED: that the content of the report be noted and the overall proposals be endorsed.

Report of the Managing Director.

Members received a report of the Managing Director providing updates from the Barbican Directors on their respective areas.

The Managing Director provided a brief update in respect of the Centre for Music, advising that a project director was to be appointed to help oversee phase two of the project. The appointee would need to be an individual with with experience of producing business cases in line with the expectations of HM Treasury who also had a track record of delivering large scale projects. The Managing Director would be considering the best mechanism by which to keep Members fully informed in the project and reassured the Board that he would be providing regular updates at meetings.

A Member, also the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, took the opportunity to comment on the success of the recent Lumiere event. The Director of Arts observed that this represented a strong example of the benefits of joint working and was confident that similarly successful collaborative events could be arranged in future.

Members also took the opportunity to comment on the Barbican’s success in respect of business events and attracting significant numbers of repeat clients.

RECEIVED.

Report of the Director of Operations & Buildings.

The Board received a report of the Director of Operations & Buildings providing the findings and lessons learnt from an investigation in to an incident concerning an alarm which had sounded for several days, causing distress to Barbican residents.

The Head of Projects assured Members that procedures had now been put in place to ensure that any faulty alarms were reported as a matter of course.

RECEIVED

Report of the Director of Arts.

(N.B. To be considered with the non-public appendices at item 14).

The Board received a report of the Director of Arts and Head of Theatre setting out the work of the department over the past year and plans for future years.

The Chairman prefaced discussion by congratulating the Head of Theatre on an exceptional year.

During discussion, the following points were made:

·      The Head of Theatre clarified that rentals were not included within the figures provided in relation to subsidy. The Board engaged in substantial discussion concerning the nature and utilisation of subsidy and the fundamental importance of using public funds as efficaciously as possible, with the Director of Arts reassuring Members that the Centre was very careful in using it as effectively as possible. It was noted that the team worked hard to ensure that subsidy was used to create output that that meshed seamlessly within the whole theatre programme, and used it not only to produce content but also to nurture new and emerging creative talents.

·      With reference to the introduction of new works and encouraging new talent, the Head of Theatre advised that this was primarily delivered through selecting European or global texts which were unfamiliar to British audiences and presenting them in a way that resonated with theatre-goers. There was also a significant volume of activity linked to the Centre’s creative learning work which was germinating new and exciting talents, and the Barbican also constantly engaged with a wide range of smaller theatres to ensure connectivity and continuous learning. The Director of Arts also made reference to a wide range of work being undertaken off-site, including with the Dagenham Broadway Theatre.

·      In response to queries around potential future competition, given the “Olympicopolis” development and the impending establishment of new theatres, the Head of Theatre agreed that it would be important to maintain the Barbican’s fresh

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.

Jeremy Mayhew

The Chairman noted that this would be Jeremy Mayhew’s final meeting as a Board Member. Mr Mayhew was thanked for his contribution to the Board over the years, including a term as Chairman, where he had overseen a number of governance improvements.

MOTION – That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items, on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of Exempt Information, as defined in Part 1, of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act

RESOLVED – That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To agree the non-public Minutes of the Barbican Centre Board meeting held on 20 January 2016.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held 20 January 2016 were agreed.

To receive the draft non-public minutes of the Risk Committee of the Barbican Centre Board held on 20 January 2016.

The draft non-public minutes of the meeting held 20 January 2016 were received.

To receive the draft non-public minutes of the Nominations Committee held on 11 February 2016 and consider the recommendations made in respect of the prospective reappointment of two external Members.

Guy Nicholson and Trevor Phillips withdrew from the meeting for consideration of this item.

The Board received the draft minutes of the meeting held on 11 February 2016 and considered the two recommendations made by the Nominations Committee.

RESOLVED: That:-

·         Trevor Phillips be reappointed to the Board for a second three-year term, to expire at the end of March 2019; and,

·         Guy Nicholson be reappointed to the Board for a third term of one year, to expire at the end of March 2017.

To receive the draft non-public minutes of the Finance Committee of the Barbican Centre Board held on 1 March 2016 (TO FOLLOW).

The draft non-public minutes of the meeting held on 1 March 2016 were received.

To be considered in conjunction with item 9.

The Board received the non-public appendices to be read in conjunction with item 9.

Report of the Director of Arts.

The Board received a report and accompanying presentation from the Heads of Marketing and Communications setting out the work of the department over the past year and plans for future years.

Report of the Managing Director.

The Board received a report of the Managing Director concerning the Centre’s management structure and informing of the proposed changes.

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RESOLVED: With two hours having elapsed since the start of the meeting, in accordance with Standing Order No. 40 the Committee agreed at this point to extend the meeting.

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Report of the Director of Operations & Buildings.

The Board considered and approved a report of the Director of Operations & Buildings which set out the Barbican’s proposed five year building works plan, listing all the projects required in the next five years with an indicative budget, and a plan for which year the works should fall into. The report also set out the different ways in which each type of works will be approved under the new system.

Report of the Director of Operations & Buildings.

The Board considered and approved a report of the Director of Operations & Buildings providing an update on the Barbican Centre’s Capital Cap programme and a number of non-Capital Cap projects.

Report of the Managing Director.

The Board received the Barbican’s business plan for 2016-19, which had been produced following the development of the Barbican’s Strategic Plan and set out the Centre’s goals and targets for the period.

Report of the Managing Director.

The Board received a report of the Managing Director providing an update in respect of the Barbican’s Service Based Review targets.

Report of the Chief Operating & Financial Officer.

The Board received a report of the Chief Operating & Financial Officer providing the updated and balanced budget for 2016/17.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Board received a report of the Chamberlain presenting the Business Review for the Period 9 Accounts 2015/16. An update was also provided on the Period 10 figures.

Report of the Chief Operating & Financial Officer.

The Board received a report of the Chief Operating & Financial Officer which set out the latest fundraising results against budget.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Board received a report of the Chamberlain providing an update on bad debts and relates to debts incurred over the period from April 2013 to December 2014 and informing Members of their intended write-off, in accordance with the terms of the Managing Director’s delegated authority.

Report of the Director of Operations & Buildings.

The Board received a report of the Director of Operations & Buildings providing an update on those projects on the Barbican Campus with an amber or red rating.

The Board received a report of the Chief Operating & Financial Officer updating Members on the key risks facing the Centre and detailing the steps being taken to mitigate these risks.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Board received a report of the Town Clerk advising of two actions taken under urgency procedures since the last meeting.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.