Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Rehana Ameer, Alderman Sir Peter Estlin, Clare James, Alderman Alastair King, Andrew McMurtrie, Ian Seaton, and Deputy James Thomson.

There were no declarations of interest.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 11^th May 2021.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes of the meeting held on 11^th May 2021 be approved as an accurate record.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee received a Report of the Chamberlain outlining the workplan for the next eight months.

A Member queried whether there should be a Capital Projects Update Report in February 2022, to continue the bimonthly frequency (updates are due in October and December 2021). The Chamberlain responded that whilst discussions around capital project spending for the 2022/23 financial year should be concluded by that point, Members would be kept updated as to the final outcomes.

A Member asked about the delay to the delivery time for the audit. The Chairman and the Chamberlain confirmed that the delays were caused by resourcing issues with our auditors; whilst this was clearly unsatisfactory, this was an industry wide problem and officers would continue in their efforts to seek a positive resolution.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the Report.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a Report of the Town Clerk concerning three appointments of Members of the Court of Common Council to serve on the Digital Services (Finance) Sub-Committee for the remainder of the 2021/22 municipal year.

RESOLVED – that the Committee approved the appointments of John Chapman, Andy Mayer, and James Tumbridge to the Digital Services Sub (Finance) Committee for the 2021/22 municipal year.

Report of the Town Clerk.

To Follow.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which advised Members of the key discussions which had taken place during recent meetings of the Committee’s Sub-Committees.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the report.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee received a report of the Chamberlain which provided updates regarding the top risks within the Departmental Risk Register.

A Member asked whether the Corporation purchased insurance cover for cyber risks. The Chamberlain responded that she would return to the Committee with further details.

A Member asked if the medium-term financial outlook would be improved by the Corporation’s decision to defer the Centre for Music. The Chamberlain responded that the Barbican renewal costs needed to be scoped out first before a definitive savings figure could be confirmed.

In response to a separate query, the Chamberlain confirmed that a consultation concerning Business Rates was expected in the autumn. It was anticipated that multiple options would be examined, and the Corporation would respond formally when the time came.

Business Rates was included a main component with the wider MTFP Risk on the Departmental Register.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the Report.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a Report of the Chamberlain concerning the Target Operating Model pilot for the City of London School.

Several Members were of the view that the talent was available within the respective Bursar’s offices of each of the independent schools to manage many of their own procurement needs and that, when they became involved, the central procurement team had, on several occasions, been ineffective in securing positive outcomes. The thresholds outlined in the Report were too low and Members queried whether these should be increased to provide more operational flexibility.

The Chamberlain responded that when it came to values exceeding £180,000, it was appropriate and optimal, in terms of securing value-for-money, to carry out a full tender (as opposed to seeking quotes) with the central procurement team co-ordinating the process.

The Assistant Director of Category Management & Sourcing in the central procurement team pointed out that, whilst he was disappointed when things go wrong, it should be stressed that the team had delivered significant commercial benefits overall during the past 12 months and he and his colleagues would be working closely with the schools and other institutions to ensure that communication lines were more effective in the future.

The Chairman proposed that the Committee should review how the pilot goes and come back in six months to see if the thresholds should be raised.

RESOLVED – that the Committee:

• Considered and approved that:

o the authority to run non-works procurements up to £180k be devolved to

the City of London School with the option of drawing on the central

procurement team to advise and provide support to the procurement

process where necessary;

o Non-works procurements above £180k up to £300k, may also have more

freedom over procurement process, depending on applicability of UK

procurement regulation. Agreement on process

Report of the Chamberlain.

To Follow.

The Committee considered a Report of the Chamberlain concerning the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Solution project.

RESOLVED – that the Committee approved the governance approach of the ERP Solution as outlined in the Report.

Report of the City Remembrancer.

The Committee considered a Report of the City Remembrancer concerning the Lord Mayor’s Show.

A Member commended the work of the Remembrancer, the Chairman of the Committee, and others for their sterling work in delivering the Report.

Whilst welcoming the recommendations as positive practical steps, that should guarantee the long-term viability and success of the Lord Mayor’s Show, he stressed that, given the cost and reputational risks that would now be involved, robust commercial business plans needed to be produced each year.

Member expressed their concern that the costs involved still had to, ultimately, be borne by the Corporation. The Departments that had previously contributed to these costs should not be allowed to bank these as savings as they were essentially shunted costs. The provision should instead be deleted from the respective department’s budgets. The Chairman asked the Chamberlain to liaise with the respective chief officers to take this forward.

Separately, a Member pointed to the lack of provision for a reserve fund as being a significant risk. The Chairman responded that he would raise this at the next meeting of the Board of the Lord Mayor’s Show Limited.

RESOLVED – that the Committee approved:

(a) In principle funding by means of an ongoing payment to the Lord Mayor’s Show Limited to reflect services hitherto paid for from local risk budgets principally by the Department of the Built Environment, the Town Clerk (Communications) and the City Surveyor, in support of the Lord Mayor’s Show, to be used exclusively to meet the costs of those services. For the 2021 Show, assuming it proceeds in its customary form, the total funding need in the current financial year would be approximately £210,000 and a payment of this amount would be made out of City’s Cash Finance Contingency. If agreed in principle, a further

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee received a Report of the Chamberlain which provided Members with information regarding the current balance of the Finance Committee Contingency Funds for the current year.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the report.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which provided information of the action taken by the Town Clerk since the last meeting of the Committee, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, in accordance with Standing Order 41(b).

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.

MOTION - That under Section 100(A) 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 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 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 agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 11^th May 2021.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 11^th May were approved as an accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

To Follow.

The Committee noted a report of the Town Clerk which advised Members of the key discussions which had taken place during non-public session at recent meetings of the Committee’s Sub-Committees.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a Report of the Chamberlain concerning Corporation’s Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN).

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee received a Report of the Chamberlain concerning non-compliant waivers

over £50,000 for 2020/21 and an update on the Waiver Danger campaign.

Non-public appendix to be read in conjunction with ITEM 11 – Central Contigencies.

The Committee noted the non-public appendix to ITEM 11 (Central Contingencies).

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee noted a report of the Town Clerk detailing non-public decisions taken under urgency procedures since the last meeting.

There were no non-public questions relating to the work of the Committee.

There were no items of urgent business.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee received a Report of the Chamberlain concerning the Chamberlain’s Departmental Tier 2 Structure.