Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from David Bradshaw, Tjies Broeke, Mary Durcan, Graham Packham and Henrika Priest.

There were none.

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the previous meeting held on 14 June 2021.

RESOLVED, that – the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 14 June 2021 be agreed as a correct record.

To receive the minutes of the Benefices Sub-Committee meeting held on 2 June 2021.

RESOLVED, that – the minutes of the Benefices Sub-Committee meeting held on 2 June 2021 be received.

Members are asked to note the Committee’s forward plan.

The Committee’s forward plan was noted.

Chief Officers to be heard.

Chief Officers were heard in respect of the updates on re-opening City attractions and services. The following updates were noted:

Head of Tower Bridge & the Monument

City of London (COL) visitor attractions all remained in close contact with each other in the run up to 19 July. The latest visitor attraction data received shows a significant public appetite for the retention of social distancing measures, with 40% of respondents saying they would not visit without some measures in place. On this basis, the general guidance from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) is to retain social distancing measures to maximise business in line with visitor confidence. All City of London attractions will follow minimum public health requirements, but the intention is to retain the majority of measures so as to retain visitor confidence after 19 July. There will be periodic reviews, with the potential for phasing down this approach in line with guidance and public appetite. The first of these reviews is likely to take place in August. The reinvigoration of business is an important part of the return to normal, and this can only happen by responding appropriately and responsibly to visitor sentiment.

A recent meeting of UK attractions covered a number of these points, with most attractions saying it was their intention to retain many of the measures. Discussions around face coverings involved how to manage and message the government’s ‘recommend and encourage’ approach. Attractions also discussed the ability to manage ‘walk-up’ visitors, with COL attractions to continue to offer flexibility on this approach, offering pre-booking as well as walk-ups. Many attractions, including Tower Bridge, have already seen a spike in bookings prior to 19 July.

Tower Bridge will retain most measures, with a few exceptions. The ‘encourage and recommend’ approach to face coverings will be adopted.

Report of the Director of Innovation & Growth.

Members considered a report of the Director of Innovation & Growth in respect of the City Arts Initiative Recommendations to the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee.

RESOLVED, that – Members ratify the City Arts Initiative’s recommendations in relation to the proposals as follows:

1. City of London Corporation - Festival Garden Entrance Sculptures: approve subject to planning permission, access requirements being met, and a sufficient maintenance fund being established

2. Westbrook Gallery – Lions Trail 2021: approve subject to final permissions being granted by Highways and relevant public liability insurance being put in place by the applicant

3. Natalie Robinson - Reflection (Totally Thames): approve subject to relevant authorisations being granted from officers managing Walbrook Wharf and the additional recommendations outlined below.

4. DP9 – The Garden of Floating Words: approve subject to maintenance being funded by the owners of the sculpture.

5. Keats Foundation - Keats Memorial Bust: approve in principle subject to final designs being approved by delegated authority and a satisfactory maintenance fund being raised by the applicants.

6. Culture Mile and Brookfield - Play Totems: noting that the application is privately funded and will likely be installed on private land and would therefore not require your Committee’s approval but, delegating authority to the CAI to approve final visuals should any part of the installation appear on the public highway.

Report of the Director of Innovation & Growth.

Members considered a report of the Director of Innovation and Growth on the Culture and Commerce Taskforce: Action Plan.

RESOLVED, that – Members approve the City Corporation’s Fuelling Creative Renewal action plan as detailed within this report, noting that the five projects identified as appropriate for the City Corporation to lead will have significant involvement and/or leadership from across City Corporation departments and teams, and the five projects that will not be pursued by the City Corporation.

The Head of Cultural Programming and Partnerships to be heard.

Members received a presentation from the Head of Cultural Programming and Partnerships on the chance for the City of London to host a stage of the ‘The Walk: Little Amal’ project, a giant puppet travelling across Europe to focus attention on the needs of young refugees. The project and the chance to host has support from the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee.

RESOLVED, that – Members approve the hosting of ‘The Walk: Little Amal’.

Report of the Town Clerk.

This item was withdrawn from the agenda before the meeting.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Members received a report of the Director of Open Spaces relative to the Keats House Risk Management.

RESOLVED, that the report be received and its contents noted.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Members received a report of the Head of Tower Bridge relative to the Monument to the Great Fire of London Full Year Performance April 2020 to March 2021.

Members heard that the Monument has been closed throughout the pandemic. Expenditure has been reduced, and it has benefited from the furlough scheme. The closure has allowed necessary maintenance work to be done. The Monument has remained digitally open with activities available on the website, which has allowed continuation of its education provision. There have been high levels of participation.

RESOLVED, that the report be received and its contents noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk relative to decisions taken under urgency.

RESOLVED, that the report be received and its contents noted.

A Member asked why the item on the Pocket Book had been withdrawn from the agenda. The Chair responded that it would be returning to the Committee at a later date.

A Member complimented the masonry work of Thomas Clark Collins on the Festival Gardens Entrance Sculptures in the CAI recommendations.

There was none.

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 agree the non-public minutes of the previous meeting held on 14 June 2021.

RESOLVED, that – the non-public minutes of the previous meeting held on 14 June 2021 be agreed as a correct record.

To receive the non-public minutes of the Benefices Sub-Committee meeting held on 2 June 2021.

RESOLVED, that – the draft non-public minutes of the Benefices Sub[1]Committee held on 2 June 2021 be received.

Report of the Managing Director of Bridge House Estate & Chief Charities Officer

Members received a report on the Corporate Charities Review recommendations for the Guildhall Library Centenary Fund.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces

Members received a report from the Head of Tower Bridge relative to the Tower Bridge 2020/21 Performance Report.

There were none.

There was none.

To agree the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2021.

RESOLVED, that – the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2021 be agreed as a correct record.