Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Stuart Fraser, Vivienne Littlechild, Edward Lord and Ian Seaton.

The Chairman noted there were no charities in attendance and gave thanks to Ray Catt for his service to the Committee, now that he had resigned from the Court of Common Council.

Deputy Ken Ayers, Marianne Fredericks and the Chairman declared a non-pecuniary interest under Item 9.a) Pan-London Personalisation Project, due to their involvement with Broadway Homelessness Support.

Alderman Alison Gowman declared a non-pecuniary interest under Item 8.b) National Theatre.

To agree the minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 30 October 2013.

The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 30 October 2013 were approved as a correct record, subject to a correction of the recommended grant at Item 7.h) Choice in Hackney to read £71,800.

To receive a report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk that identified items which required further action by officers.

Members were informed that a satisfactory budget for 2013/14 had been received from Mousetrap Theatre Productions.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which sought approval for the terms of reference of the City Bridge Trust and the frequency of meetings.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    The terms of reference be approved for submission to the Court.

To receive a progress report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee considered the regular progress report and events update of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Chief Grants Officer informed Members of the launch of Trust support for the London Youth Quality Mark as part of the Trust’s Investing in Londoners programme. The Chief Executive of London Youth had been very impressed with the partnership approach initiated by the Trust.

The Chief Grants Officer advised Trust officers had been attending training on the City’s new procurement regulations and at this meeting the extension of the Champollion contract was being requested at a cost of £14,000, which would be met through the Trust’s local risk budget. It was noted that an additional expense of £4,950 towards the work of Champollion to completethe Parklife London website would be sought through delegated authority.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    Members note the contents of this report; and

b)    with respect to the proposed extension of Champollion’s contract, the waiver of the City’s Procurement Regulations relating to tender threshold for consultants be approved.

To consider an introductory report of the Chief Grants Officer relative to grant recommendations.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer, which dealt with recommendations relating to applications received from the current programmes. Members noted that a total of 24 applications would be dealt with at the meeting, of which 2 were strategic initiatives, 10 were recommended for approval, 5 recommended for rejection, 5 had been withdrawn. 2 grants were noted as proposed for approval under delegated authority.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    Members note the contents of the report; and

the individual grant recommendations in relation to the application set out in summary schedule and other papers be considered.

To consider the Chief Grants Officer’s reports on grant recommendations, as follows:-

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer which recommended grants to various organisations.

Members considered each application and the following observations were noted:

Item 8.d) (NOVA new opportunities) – Members expressed concern over the organisation’s past financial records, and officers noted their financial situation had improved and monitoring would be undertaken with the grant released quarterly.

Item 8.g) (Vitalise) – it was noted that a revised section 8, most recent audited or independently examined accounts for the year ending March 31 2013, had been received. Members and officers discussed the changes to the organisation’s debt and surplus figures over 2012/13, and officers advised the overall deficit comprised of 3 elements due to revaluation, operating activities from renovation and restructuring costs which had been well managed.

Item 8.h) (Havering Association for People with Disabilities) - it was noted that a revised section 8, most recent audited or independently examined accounts for the year ending March 31 2013, had been received.

Item 8.j) (Coram Voice (formerly Voice for Child in Care) – Members and officers discussed the recent change in structure of the organisation and it was noted the grant was subject to satisfactory updates and officers were satisfied with the governance structure.

£35,600 over three years (£11,200; £11,800; £12,600) for the costs of providing a specialised Music School for one day per week, subject to receipt of satisfactory budget for 2014.

£50,000 towards access improvements at the National Theatre.

£86,150 over three years (£36,200; £33,300; £16,650) towards the salary and support costs of a full-time Business Development Manager.

£51,300 over there years (3 x £17,100) for the salary of a part-time (3dpw) ESOL Co-ordinator to oversee the delivery of Pre-entry and Level 1 ESOL courses.

£37,880 over two years (£18,750; £19,130) to run English Language and sewing classes twice a week for isolated women, subject to receipt of satisfactory audited accounts for the period to 31^st March 2013.

£79,200 over two years (£39,300; £39,900) towards the salaries of a Project Manager (3 dpw) and Outreach Worker (2 dpw) and costs of rolling out the Green Guide and Award scheme to support London’s mosques and other Islamic groups to become more environmentally friendly.

£51,000 over three years (£17,000; £17,000) towards running costs for Jubilee Lodge and related core costs for Vitalise.

£25,000 for a further and final year for the salary and on-costs of the part-time (4 dpw) Personal Budgets Advocate.

£72,600 over three years (£23,500; £24,200; £24,900) towards the salary of a full-time Transitions Support Worker and related costs, on condition that the balance of funding is raised from other sources.

£81,300 over three years (£27,000; £27,000; £27,300) towards the salary of a full time Specialist Advocate, and the costs of training and support to London professionals, for young people in London leaving care. The grant is conditional on the receipt of satisfactory updates on the implementation of the new business strategy.

To consider a report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer which proposed the Committee support the continuation of a project which provides support to some of London’s most entrenched rough sleepers into a life away from the streets. Members remarked that this project was in line with the work of the City’s Department of Community and Children’s Services and was an initiative that was making an impact.

It was noted that the organisation’s free unrestricted cash reserves held at 31 March 2013 were £1.23 million and not £1.23 as stated.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    A sum of £80,000 over 18 months to enable Broadway Homelessness and Support to continue the roll out of the Pan-London Personalisation Project be approved, to be costed against the budget for Strategic Initiatives for 2013/14.

To consider a report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer which proposed that Members support New Philanthropy Capital to research impact measurement practice by a range of grant-making organisations including trusts and foundations, family foundations and corporate funders.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    support for the New Philanthropy Capital to research the work that UK voluntary sector funders undertake to asses impact be approved, at a cost of £5,000 to be charged against the City Bridge Trust Strategic Initiatives allocation for 2013/14.

To consider a report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which set out proposals to develop a hardship fund, in partnership with Buttle UK, for survivors of domestic violence in London.

The Chairman stated he was pleased work was being undertaken with Buttle UK. Officers explained Buttle UK had a strong record of supporting families in crisis and this work would incorporate learning from a project in Scotland to establish a network of referral agencies to provide resettlement support that would enhance the financial assistance of Buttle UK. It was noted the organisation had submitted a proposal for a project over three years, and the Trust was recommending that funds be commited for 18 months initially with a re-assessment of the likely funding requirement for the remaining 18 months presented to the Committee in 2014/15.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    Buttle UK be awarded a grant of £470,000 from your grants budget for 2013/14 in order to establish and administer a hardship fund for survivors of domestic violence in London.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer which recommended that 5 grant applications from the Working for Londoners programme be rejected for the reasons identified in the schedule attached to the report.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which provided details of 5 applications which had been withdrawn.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which advised Members of 2 grants, totalling £44,500, which had been presented for approval under delegated authority to the Chief Grants Officer in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer relative to 2 visits that had been undertaken.

To receive a report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee received a report which provided Members with statistical analysis of the Working with Londoners programmes that were launched in July 2008 and looked at the 2,230 application received between the launch date and 31^st March 2013.

Officers informed Members that the success rate for applications had remained steady since 2008 and the average annual success rate of applications received was 43%, which was considered realtively high in the sector. The break-down of funding per borough was also listed and it was observed that there were come boroughs that the Trust was not reaching and there were also smaller organisations which did not meet the Trusts’ eligibility criteria.

Members and officers discussed how the Trust could be more strategic in its grant giving to smaller organisations going forward, and it was advised that Trust’s work going forward in this area would be presented to the Committee at its February 2014 meeting. The Chairman remarked that this was a fascinating and useful report.

Officers felt that the promotion of the Investing in Londoners programmes would proactively reach out to boroughs which had received less funding in the past.

The Deputy Chairman remarked that there was a lack of knowledge in some boroughs of the work of the Trust. It was the case that the Chief Grants Officer would continue to follow up with relevant contacts established by Members at events when the opportunity arose, such as Members of Parliament in deprived boroughs.

Members sought clarity over how the borough benefit of grants to boroughs had been presented and analysed (Table 1, pg. 191). Officers advised that the grant amount awards were ranked against their relative position of indices of multiple deprivation. However they cautioned that, due to the quality of the data provided by applicants the information presented

To receive a joint report of the Chief Grants Officer, Town Clerk, Chamberlain, and Comptroller and City Solicitor.

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk, Chamberlain, Comptroller and City Solicitor and Chief Grants Officer in response to a request from Members to explain the role of the City of London Corporation as Trustee of the charity, Bridge House Estates (BHE) and to clarify the distinct functions and responsibilities of Committees that carry out business related to BHE.

The Chief Grants Officer remarked that the information contained within the report was all found in the public domain and served to bring all aspects of BHE governance together, and to note that City Bridge Trust (CBT) was the name given to the grant-giving arm (or activities) of the BHE, of which the City of London Corporation was the sole trustee.

Members suggested that this report would serve as useful information for all Members of the Court of Common Council and it was agreed that it be circulated for information to Members at a future meeting of the Court.

The Deputy Chairman drew the attention of Members to the Charity Commission’s guidance on a Council’s Role as Charity Trustee (page 4), which highlighted the importance of separating the management of the charity from the business of the local authority, thereby serving to minimise the risk of conflicts of interest. He noted the recent Quinquennial Review of CBT grant programme categories, and the overall grant-making strategy and its future direction then agreed by the City Bridge Trust Committee and approved by the Court of Common Council, was a sensible arrangement. This process of agreeing grants policy was then supported by Resource Allocation Sub Committee of Policy and Resources who advised on the quantum of BHE income surplus to be used for CBT grant giving.

The Deputy Chairman added that any proposal which shifted CBT grant-giving should be tested against the

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.

MOTION – That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business 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.

A Member expressed in relation to the standing order to exclude the public, given the nature of this meeting as a non-local-authority Committee, and the Town Clerk undertook to investigate this matter.

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 1 of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

Item No                                   Exempt Paragraphs

17                                            3

18                                            3

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 30 October 2013.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held 30 October 2013 were approved as a correct record.

Questions were raised as follows –

The Garden Bridge project.

There were no items of urgent business.