Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Nicholas Bensted-Smith, Deputy Roger Colthurst, Alderman Robert Hughes-Penney, Deputy Wendy Hyde, Deputy Clare James, Paul Martinelli, Deputy Robert Merrett, Benjamin Murphy, Deputy John Scott, Sir Michael Snyder, Deputy James Thomson, Deputy Catherine McGuinness, and Christopher Hayward.

The Chairman welcomed Genine Whitehorne, the new Commercial Director in City Procurement.

There were no declarations of interest.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 12 October 2021.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes of the meeting held on 12^th October be approved as an accurate record.

Report of the Chamberlain.

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

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the Report.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee received 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.

The Chairman of the Digital Services Sub-Committee informed Members that provision of IT equipment would be changing; the Sub had concluded that it made sense to move Apple I Phones to a corporately maintained ID as opposed to individual IDs, this will require changes but Members and officers shouldn’t see a reduction in functionality.

Members were also informed that I Pads were being phased out for Microsoft Surface devices. This was a sensible step to streamline our IT estate to fewer operating systems. I Phones would still be provided, but it was pointed that phones posed less of a security issue than I Pads.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the report.

Report of the Chamberlain.

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

In response to a query about the City’s recovery and continuity plans, the IT Director informed Members that data storage for the City was provided by two Microsoft Data Centres and business continuity plans were updated on a regular basis to ensure the City was meeting new emerging potential challenges. In addition the City was looking at running   a “white hack” exercise soon to stress test defences and other simulation exercises would be taking place in 2022. The IT Director will keep Members updated.

In response to a concern raised about the IT Budget, the Chamberlain assured Members that, broadly, as per the Month 6 data, the overall budget was balancing; whilst there were departments that were struggling to deliver on savings, the bilateral Member-Chief Officer meetings were providing a forum for rigorous discussion, and gaps were being addressed.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the Report.

Report of the Chamberlain.

To Follow.

The Committee received a Report of the Chamberlain concerning rental income.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the Report.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a Report of the Chamberlain concerning the departmental Business Plan.

A Member highlighted the need for robust KPIs around governance and reporting as well as ensuring that the departmental relationships with third parties such as suppliers and central government had a degree of oversight and performance management. The Chairman pointed out that the overall governance structure still needed to be approved at P&R and Court but encouraged the Chamberlain to keep these suggestions in mind when it came to finalising the business plan.     

The Chamberlain welcomed these suggestions and informed Members that a good deal of work was currently taking place around the types of areas that departments ultimately needed to report on; whilst we had a lot of data coming it was important to establish which information was the most valuable for the Corporation’s needs.

RESOLVED – that the Committee:

i) Noted the factors taken into consideration in compiling the Chamberlain’s Department Business Plan; and

ii) Approved, subject to the incorporation of any changes sought by this Committee, the departmental Business Plan for Chamberlain’s for 2022/23.

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.

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 12 October 2021.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 12th October be approved as an accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

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

The Chamberlain to be heard.

The Committee received an oral update of the Chamberlain concerning the Chancellor’s autumn Budget.   

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

The Committee considered a Report of the Director of Communities and Children’s Services concerning the City Corporation’s Substance Misuse Provider.

Report of the Chief Operating Officer.

The Committee considered a Report of the Chief Operating Officer concerning civil parking and traffic enforcement.

Report of the Chief Operating Officer.

The Committee considered a Report of the Chief Operating Officer concerning the award of a property insurance contract.

Report of the Commissioner of the City of London Police.

The Committee considered a Report of the Commissioner of the City of London Police concerning the provision of cryptocurrency storage and realisation services.

Non-Public appendix to be read in conjunction with ITEM 9 (Central Contingencies).

The Committee noted the non-public appendix to ITEM 9 (Central Contingencies).

Report of the Town Clerk.

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

Members considered a non-public question relating to the work of the Committee.

The Committee considered an item of urgent business relating to the Financial Statements.

Report of the Chief Operating Officer.

The Committee considered a Report of the Chief Operating Officer.

The Committee considered a Report of the Chamberlain.