Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Alderman David Graves, Michael Henderson-Begg, Robert Merrett, Henrika Priest and Delis Regis.

There were no declarations.

To approve the public minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2012.

The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 5 December 2012 were approved.

Orders of the Court of 6 December 2012, concerning the Post-implementation review of the Governance Arrangements. Please see the second page of the Order for the matters of relevance to this Committee.

The Committee received an Order of the Court of 6 December 2012. The order concerned the Post-implementation review of the Governance Arrangements.

RECEIVED.

In accordance with the Order of the Court of 6 December 2012, the Committee are invited to review their terms of reference prior to their submission to the Court at its meeting in April 2013.

In accordance with the Order of the Court of 6 December 2012, the Committee were invited to review their terms of reference prior to their submission to the Court at its meeting in April 2013.

RESOLVED: That:-

i)          point (d) be amended to reflect the Director’s correct title; and

ii)         Temple Bar and Prince Henry’s Room be deleted from point (e) to reflect changes to the Committee’s management and maintenance responsibilities.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk updating Members on decisions taken between meetings utilising delegated authority procedures.

RECEIVED.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk seeking in principal approval to a temporary art installation in Change Alley. The installation would consist of projected images telling the story of a little boy who lives in Change Alley and his exploration of the area.

RESOLVED – That the Change Alley arts installation application be approved in principle.

Head of Barbican and Community Libraries to be heard.  

The Committee received a report of the Head of Barbican and Community Libraries on Barbican and Community Libraries partnership working.

The Chairman congratulated the manager and her team for getting the new Library and Community Centre at Artizan Street up and running in time for the festive season. He advised Members that the absence of adequate signage in the area surrounding the new library was being addressed.

RECEIVED.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee received a report of the City Surveyor summarising the flooding incident that occurred on 31 October and 1 November at Guildhall which resulted in closure of the Guildhall Library.

In response to a Member’s suggestion, the City Surveyor undertook to examine the possibility of moving away from a system of automatic flushing at timed intervals to one that was user activated. It was suggested that this could alleviate the problem of out of hours flooding.

RECEIVED.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee considered a report of the City Surveyor seeking approval to the relocation of the Dorothy Annan Ceramic Panel to Barbican Highwalk and transfer of ownership to the City of London Corporation.

In response to a Member’s question the City Surveyor responded that planning and listed buildings consent notifications had been posted at the suggested site. He added that whilst other sites had been considered, the proposed new location was felt to be the most appropriate.

It was noted that the proposed location was a part of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama who had expressed their satisfaction with the plans.

RESOLVED: That:-

i)         that the relocation of the panels to the Barbican Highwalk be approved and on completion of the works the ownership be transferred to the City Corporation along with a dowry of £100,000 to be set aside in a ring fenced fund for future maintenance and repair; and

ii)         it be noted that the Streets and Walkways Committee Sub Committee approved the sum of £100,000 as being appropriate for the future maintenance and repair of the ceramic panels and associated light fittings and add it to the register of art works maintained by the City Corporation.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries seeking approval to a permanent new settlement of admission charges to the Guildhall Art Gallery following a trial period.

In response to a Member’s query, the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries advised that the planning department were currently examining the possibility of placing more tables and chairs in the Guildhall Yard during the summer months.

RESOLVED: That:-

i)          charging for admission to the City’s permanent collection of works of art displayed in Guildhall Art Gallery should be discontinued on a permanent basis; and 

ii)         charges should continue to be levied for admission to special exhibitions.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries seeking approval to release funds for Keats Festival 2013.

RESOLVED – That the request to use monies in the Keats House charity’s reserves to fund next year’s Keats Festival be approved.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries seeking approval to a five-tier proposal for the rehousing of the Samuel Pepys Collection.

Discussion ensued around the value of the collection and whether some of the objects could be offered to organisations associated with the City Corporation. In response, the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries undertook to take on-board Member’s comments when re-housing the collection.

RESOLVED – That the proposal for the five-tier proposal for the rehousing the Collection as described above an in more detail under paragraph 18 of the report be approved.

Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries to be heard.

The Committee received a verbal update of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries regarding the Members Cultural Strategy Working Group.

The Director informed Members that good progress was being made on the objectives set out in the City Corporation’s new Cultural Strategy. He advised that the Working Group was building upon the concept of a ‘Cultural Hub’ being based in and around the Barbican Centre.

The Director further advised that proposals were currently being examined to use Exhibition Hall 2 at the Barbican Centre for a resource/library centre which would also incorporate a long-term partnership between Queen Mary University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

RECEIVED.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries updating Members on progress made in relation to the department’s Business Plan 2013-15.

RECEIVED.

There were no questions.

There were five urgent items.

London Design Festival

The Committee heard that the London Design Festival desired to place some of its ‘Landmark Projects’ around the City during the 2013 Festival. The Director of the Built Environment advised that all applications for such projects would be subject to the City’s usual approval procedures but the Festival were seeking approval in principle before detailed plans were drawn up. The Director clarified that there would be no cost to the City for hosting the installations.

RESOLVED – That the application from London Design Festival to place ‘Landmark Project’ art installations around the City be approved in principle subject to more detail being submitted to the Committee in a timely manner.

Tower Bridge Boilers

The Committee were advised that the boiler units at Tower Bridge had proved problematic over the winter months. The Director added that a decision had been taken to replace the boilers within 4-6 weeks and that the cost would be in the region of £10,000. The Chairman requested that a written report be brought to the next meeting.

Cart Marking

The Chairman informed the Board that a recent meeting with the Worshipful Company of Carmen had been very useful. He added that work would be done to work with the Carmen to publicise the Annual Cart Marking event more widely and added that the Museum of London might have an involvement in 2013.

National Education Policy

A Member, also Chairman of the Barbican Centre Board advised the Committee that the Barbican Centre would be adding its voice to increasing concern from the Arts Community that Government plans for the English Baccalaureate effectively side-lined the Arts in education.

The Chairman endorsed the Members comments and encouraged Members of the Committee to pursue the matter with influential individuals they met whilst

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 the 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 the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To approve the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2012.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2012 were approved.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee approved a report of the City Surveyor.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee approved a report of the City Surveyor.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.