Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Mark Boleat, Kevin Everett, Tom Hoffman, Robert Merrett, Deputy Richard Regan, Alderman William Russell, Deputy Dr Giles Shilson and Alderman David Graves.

Jeremy Mayhew and John Scott declared a non-pecuniary interest as Trustees of the City Arts Trust. 

To approve the public minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2013.

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2013 were approved.

Matters Arising:

Pocketbook Working Party

The Chairman advised that the Working Party had met for its first meeting and Members had asked the Court of Aldermen to consider being part of the process by nominating an Alderman to join the group.

The Committee are invited to review their terms of reference before they are considered at the 1 May meeting of the Court of Common Council.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk inviting Members to review the Committee’s Terms of Reference and frequency of meetings prior to their submission to the Court of Common Council on 1 May 2014.

RESOLVED – That the Town Clerk update the Committee’s Terms of Reference viz;

a)    updating the references to tourism to reflect work on the Visitor Strategy; and

b)    to have responsibility for the City of London Pocketbook.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk presenting the recommendation of the City Arts Imitative following its last meeting on 12 December 2013.

In response to a Member’s question, the Town Clerk clarified that the Puss & Mews installation would be setup behind the hoardings along the Thames Path at Blackfriars.

RESOLVED – That the Books About Town and Puss & Mews applications be approved, subject to the applicant securing planning permission and other appropriate licenses. 

Report of the Director of Public Relations.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Public Relations updating Members on Public Relations activities in support of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee during the period October 2012 to December 2013.

The Director reported that the City was reaching new audiences across the world through social media.

In response to Members’ questions, the Director undertook to look at improving the content of Ward Newsletters and reporting on them within the annual update report.

In response to a Member’s question, the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries responded that the London Metropolitan Archives did have film material dating back to 1920 and his team were gradually making this more widely accessible.

In response to a Member’s question, the Director of Public Relations responded that his team were working closely with Gresham College to deliver effective promotion of their lectures and events.

Presentation by the Director of the London Metropolitan Archives.

The Committee received a presentation by the Head of Collections at the London Metropolitan Archives.

The presentation covered the partnership work the LMA were undertaking with Standard Chartered Bank and a new project using archive materials from the Royal London and Free Hospital together with the London School of Medicine for Women.

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 update the Guildhall Art Gallery Acquisitions Policy.

In response to the Chairman’s question regarding a new contemporary collection at the Art Gallery, the Director was confident that external funding could be secured for further acquisitions of this kind.

In response to a Member’s question, the Director responded that the Gallery did not currently have the resources to actively pursue bequests.

RESOLVED - Endorse the proposed amendments to the Guildhall Art Gallery Acquisitions detailed within this report and highlighted at Appendix 1.

Presentation by the Head of Guildhall Art Gallery.

The Committee received a presentation by the Head of Guildhall Art Gallery. The presentation covered: -

·         the success of the events such as Victoriana and performances in the Roman Amphitheatre;

·          a visitor number increase on the previous 12 month period;

·         the work of the conservation and research team; and

·         the Gallery’s first contemporary art purchase.

A Member, also Chairman of the Education Strategy Working Party, requested that areas of work around education and learning were joined up with other parts of 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 endorse the principle and approach set out for the creation of a comprehensive digitisation policy for the London Metropolitan Archives.

A Member emphasised the importance of digitisation, for preservation reasons and widening the audience for London’s archival material.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    the following principles for the digitisation project be endorsed: -

a.    free access to material for non-commercial purposes, noting the positive reputational gain for the City Corporation;

b.    any web portal or app through which digitised content is viewed should be City of London Corporation branded.

b)    the request in principle for funding to conduct a detailed feasibility study into the scale and scope of the digitisation project be endorsed; and

c)    the contribution towards building a ‘Digital Britain’ be noted.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee considered a report seeking approval of a loan to the City Arts Trust to cover the cost of a temporary pop-up venue and the City’s ongoing financial support of the City of London Festival.

In response to a Member’s question, the Director of the City of London Festival responded that the owners of Paternoster Square and the City of London Police had given positive indications towards the Bowler Hat Project.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    the request for a loan of £150K to the City Arts Trust, to be paid back over a maximum of five years, to pay the costs of a temporary pop-up venue, be endorsed; and

b)    City’s ongoing financial support of the City of London Festival at the current level, a core grant of £297K p.a. with a further £87,676 p.a. for outdoor events, for the year 2015, be endorsed.

Report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries seeking Member approval to a revised approach to Weddings at Keats House following consultation with the local community.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    the positive initial assessment of the potential feasibility of raising funds by initiatives and events other than weddings, be noted

b)    the Principal Curator had already paid £1000 fees in applying for the licence, be noted;

c)    no wedding ceremonies be held at Keats House in the financial year 2014/15;

d)    the Principal Curator working in collaboration with the residents group to raise substantial funds for Keats House, be agreed; and

e)    a report on the success of the fundraising efforts be provided in early 2015.

There were no questions.

There was one urgent item.

The Chairman extended his thanks to William O’Callaghan, the Senior Library Assistant at the Barbican Library upon his retirement for his 40 year service to the City Corporation. 

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 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 approve the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2013.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2013 were approved.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee approved a report of the City Surveyor.  

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee received a report of the City Surveyor.

There were no questions.

There were two urgent items.