Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from the Rt Hon. the Lord Mayor Alderman Alan Yarrow and Edward Lord.

Deputy the Revd. Stephen Haines made a non-pecuniary interest in item 8(f) as he had previously volunteered for Centrepoint. The Deputy Chairman declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 8(d) by virtue of her Livery Company supporting Providence Row.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 25 September 2014.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 25 September 2014 be approved as a correct record.

Matters Arising

Trust for London

The Deputy Chairman reported that at the joint meeting with Trust for London to approve Moving On Up initiative awards, 6 awards were selected and would start operating over the next few months. Members noted the high quality of applicants and asked that a formal report be submitted at a future meeting on the successful organisations.

London Councils

The Deputy Chairman reported on the meeting of the London Council Grants Committee she had recently attended. 

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received the Outstanding Actions update.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee received the new Risk Management Strategy and plans for the phased roll-out within Departments and City of London Institutions. Members noted that the Town Clerk’s department would be reviewed on 24^th February 2015. In response to a Member’s request, officers undertook to circulate the Risk Tracker on a quarterly basis, alongside the Business Plan update.

RESOLVED – That the Risk Management Strategy and planned roll-out be noted, and the Risk Tracker be circulated to Members on a quarterly basis.

To receive a progress report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee received the regular progress report and events update of the Chief Grants Officer. As an outcome of the recent Away-Day, a programme of strategically focused sessions would be drawn up for the Committee’s meeting in January 2015, to begin in March 2015.

The Youth Offer had held a mid-way learning event on 18^th November, the outcome of which would provide good knowledge and information for organisations and grants made in the future. With regard to the London Living Wage, a condition was being introduced into the Trust’s grant offer letter stipulating that any post funded in whole or part by the City Bridge Trust must pay at least the London Living wage; Members noted this should not include apprenticeships. Members also noted the launch of Stepping Stones, a social investment programme with a London focus, and at encouraging small and medium businesses to engage with the social investment market.

In response to Members’ questions concerning comments regarding the cost of generating funds, the Chamberlain reported that there was a lot of variability owing to the range of activities and, although analysis was undertaken on every application, a comment was only provided for those where the cost of generating funds was outside a range of 5 - 35% of turnover. After a short discussion, it was agreed that, in addition to this, a comment would be provided on other applications, where appropriate, to reflect whether the costs were reasonable.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  From 1 January 2015, the City Bridge Trust will require all organisations being offered a grant to support all or part of a post to pay at least the London Living Wage in respect of that post (except for apprenticeships), and that officers make the appropriate amendments to the grant offer letter and guidance;

(b)

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer summarising applications received and action taken under the 2014/15 grants programmes. In response to a Member’s question, officers agreed to continue to monitor the data to ensure the appropriate effort was being made to encourage grants from all programmes and to determine, where possible, the likely factors (including local authority cuts) affecting on the number of applications received.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

Members discussed the application, which had been deferred from the previous meeting, owing to concerns regarding the proposed EU funding programmes.

APPROVED - A Strategic Initiative of £60,400 over 30 months to enable Access Europe Network to run a pilot programme of capacity building support, designed to enable voluntary organisations in London to take up funding opportunities offered by various European funding streams.

APPROVED – That the Court of Common Council be recommended to approve a grant of £634,000 over 18 months to continue the Anchor Project, supporting families in London who have experienced domestic violence to resettle and live independently.

APPROVED – £57,700 over three years (£18,700; £19,200; £19,800) towards English classes for women speakers of other languages in Sutton. Release of the grant is subject to receipt of the courses' syllabus and publicity showing English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) as the project's sole focus.

APPROVED – £52,600 over 3 years (£18,000; £18,000; £16,600) towards the costs of engaging homeless people in food growing initiatives.

APPROVED – £100,000 over two years (2 x £50,000) towards CALM's work to prevent suicide and reduce self-harm amongst men in London.

APPROVED – £208,400 over three years (£56,000; £76,000; £76,400) towards the salaries of two Dual Diagnostic Practitioners and related costs.

APPROVED – £38,900 (£19,250; £19,650) over two years to provide bereavement counselling services for 30 children and families.

Members noted a discrepancy in the figures quoted in the report; 37% of sessions were cancelled or missed, rather than 73% as quoted.

APPROVED – £52,700 over two years (2 x £26,350) towards the running costs of 'Bridging the Gap' project including counselling costs, non-therapeutic sessions, weekly drop-in sessions and related overheads.

APPROVED – £72,000 over three years (£22,000; £24,000; £26,000) for the salary of a part time (3 days per week) Project Worker, plus a contribution to project and management costs of the Canerows project.

APPROVED – £145,700 over three years (£47,800; £48,200; £49,700) to fund a full-time Caseworker, with related costs, to assist disadvantaged young men in Westminster, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Kensington and Chelsea in reducing their risk of acute mental illness or suicide.

APPROVED – £100,000 towards the provision of disabled access at Beth Jacob House, subject to Big Lottery funding being secured.

APPROVED – £121,000 (£39,000; £40,400; £41,600) towards the cost of a full-time (35 hours per week) Elite Team Leader Sports and Job Coach (5 hours per week) within the Change the Game sports programme.

APPROVED – £90,000 over three years (3 x £30,000) towards the salary of an Engagement Officer, plus management and project running costs.

APPROVED – £90,000 over 3 years (3 x £30,000) towards the salary costs of a full-time counsellor and the costs of clinical supervision for the post-holder.

APPROVED – £75,000 over three years (3 x £25,000) towards core costs to sustain administration and fundraising capacity.

APPROVED – £81,300 over three years (£26,600; £27,100; £27,600) for a part-time Community Champion (one day a week); and a part-time Marketing Assistant (ten hours a week), plus project costs, for the development and delivery of a series of arts events and creative activities designed for socially isolated elderly people aged 75+.

APPROVED – £30,000 over three years (£10,000, £10,000, £10,000) for the maintenance and running costs of two wheelchair accessible minibuses.

The Committee observed that an element for inflation was not included within the request and agreed that additional funds may be made available for this in years 2 and 3 if the organisation felt it was necessary and justified.

APPROVED – £83,000 over three years (£28,000; £27,000; £28,000) for the salary of a part-­time worker (21 hours per week) together with management and other project related costs for work with older people aged 75 and over.

APPROVED – £84,000 over three years (£28,000, £28,000, £28,000) towards the salary of a part-time (28 hours per week) Project Manager and associated project costs, subject to sufficient funds being raised to ensure the viability of the project for years 2 and 3.

APPROVED – A grant of £49,200 over 3 years (£15,400, £16,400, £17,400) towards the costs of a part-time (15 hours per week) Project Worker, plus running and management costs.

APPROVED – £132,200 over three years (£43,800; £43,800; £44,600) to meet the salary of a full-time (37.5 hours per week) Debt and Benefits Advisor and associated running costs.

APPROVED – £99,000 over three years (£32,000, £33,000, £34,000) towards the salary costs of two part-time Advisors and related running costs, subject to the grant being less than 50% of the organisation's total income in each year.

APPROVED – £135,000 over three years (£50,000; £41,000; £44,000) for the costs of OC Kitchen, a catering training programme for ex-offenders, including salary costs for a 0.5 full time equivalent Project Manager.

APPROVED – £165,000 over three years (3 x £55,000) for the 'Valuing Volunteers Project' with funding to cover the costs of a part-time (0.7 full time equivalent) project manager and support costs.

APPROVED – £128,000 over two years (£66,000; £62,000) for a London-wide programme matching expert volunteers with charities seeking consultancy support.

APPROVED – £65,700 over two further and final years (£32,500; £33,200) towards the salary and associated costs of a part-time (3 days per week) Support Worker for London.

In response to a Member’s query, officers confirmed that the applicant had made a full application, but a glitch in the City Bridge Trust’s computer system had resulted in missing sections on the attached report. Officers undertook to circulate the full application after the meeting.

APPROVED – £180,000 over three years (£68,000; £56,000; £56,000) towards the salary of a full-time Development Worker to deliver support and training on finance, monitoring, and impact reporting.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer which recommended that thirteen grant applications be rejected for the reasons identified in the schedule attached to the report. Members noted that Wandsworth Mencap had withdrawn their application, and that officers were liaising with the Town Clerk regarding the recommended rejection of the Sir Simon Milton Foundation application.

RESOLVED – That the twelve grant applications detailed in the schedule attached to the report be rejected.

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

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report which advised Members of variations to three grants agreed by the Chief Grants Officer since the last meeting.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which advised Members of nine expenditure items, totalling £63,186, which had been presented for approval under delegated authority to the Chief Grants Officer, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman.

·         NationalArmyMuseum - £2,000to matchCEP fundingtowardsthe wage costsof 1Apprenticefor1 year.Thenational minimumwagemustbe paid.

·         RoundhouseTrust - £2,000to matchCEP fundingtowardsthe wage costsof 1Apprenticefor1 year.Thenational minimumwagemustbe paid.

·         VoluntaryAction Harrow - £3,400(8.5days) toprovide an eco-audit.

·         CommunitiesWelfareNetwork - £20,310over twoyears (£7,782;£12,528)towards thecost o

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer about two visits that had taken place.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.

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.

RESOLVED – That under Section 100(A) 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 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

Item No.                                                                     Exempt Paragraphs

13–15, 17                                                                              3

16,18                                                                                      -

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 25 September 2014.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 25 September 2014 be approved as a correct record.

Joint report of the Chief Grants Officer and the Director of Public Relations.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer (TO FOLLOW).

Members noted that this report had been withdrawn and deferred until January 2015.

There was one question.

There was no other business.