Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from the Right Hon. The Lord Mayor, Stuart Fraser and Deputy Stanley Ginsburg.

The Chairman welcomed David Warner from London Funders and Amanda Tincknell from the Cranfield Trust to the meeting.

The Deputy Chief Grants Officer declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 9(b) by virtue of being a Trustee of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).

The Board received presentations from David Warner from London Funders and Amanda Tincknell from the Cranfield Trust, after which Members of the Committee had the opportunity to ask questions.

Mr Warner advised the Committee that the voluntary sector was going through a period of change and challenge, as local authorities had to make significant cuts. This had resulted in a lack of charitable funding coupled with increased need. Mr Warner reported that many organisations were looking at more innovative ways to deliver services and that there was a growing recognition that more support was needed for charitable infrastructure, i.e. second tier organisations, in place to support front-line services. Mr Warner confirmed that London Funders was working with its partners to challenge the level and structure of existing infrastructure, and advised that the City Bridge Trust and City of London Corporation were uniquely placed to provide leadership in this area.

Ms Tincknell built on Mr Warner’s presentation, speaking specifically about the work Cranfield Trust was doing in London. Members noted that the Cranfield Trust supported charities and other not-for-profit organisations through pro bono management consultancy projects and HR advice and information. Ms Tincknell advised that the organisations being helped by the Cranfield Trust were specialists in delivering their service but required the business expertise of volunteers who in turn were supported by a staff team of regional Project Managers and HR specialists. Ms Tincknell advised that there were three main concerns regarding skills and management: resistance to change; lack of funding for business/management support; and inexperience in planning and forecasting.

In response to Members’ queries, Ms Tincknell advised that many charities didn’t seek to merge until they were already financially unstable, and Mr Warner added that ensuring joined up service provision was the priority. Mr Warner confirmed that London Funders continued

To agree the minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 28 January 2015.

RESOLVED –That theminutesofthemeetingheld on 28 January 2015 be approvedas a correctrecord.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received the Outstanding Actions update, noting that all the items were being considered at today’s meeting.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

TheCommitteereceivedtheregularprogressreport andeventsupdateofthe ChiefGrants Officer. Members discussed the branding for the 20^th Anniversary Year, amending the strapline to read “City Bridge Trust: 20 years of investing in Londoners”, and reviewing the logo proposals. Members agreed the Vision, Mission and Values, and, with regard to the elevator pitch, requested officers to revise the wording and examples used and look into including figures demonstrating the reach of the City Bridge Trust. These revisions would be incorporated in a short communications briefing paper, to be circulated electronically to Committee Members by the end of March 2015, which would also include any feedback Members had on the proposed Questions and Answers.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  “Celebrating” be removed from the  strapline;

(b)  The elevator pitch be revised in line with Members’ comments;

(c)  Any feedback on the proposed Questions and Answers be forwarded to officers;

(d)  A short communications briefing paper be circulated electronically to Committee Members by the end of March 2015; and

(e)  The report be noted.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which introduced the City Bridge Business Plan for 2015-16. Members discussed the plan, noting that the Vision and Mission would be aligned with the changes made previously in the meeting, and that a target date would be added for the Social Investment Communications Plan. The Chairman asked the Town Clerk to review Business Plans at the next opportunity, with a view to making them more accessible, and requested that Departmental Objective 5 be reworded to read: “To ensure that the Trust is led by strategic decisions and is resourced appropriately to deliver quality outcomes.”

RESOLVED – That the Business Plan for 2015-16 be approved.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

TheCommitteeconsidereda reportoftheChiefGrantsOfficerwhichgavea statisticalanalysisof the401 applications submitted from September 2013 to January 2015 (16 months), and the 165 grants awarded (totalling £12,375,042) from January 2014 to January 2015 (12 months). Officers advised that the general standard of applications had risen, leading to a higher success rate.

Members discussed the spread of applications by London boroughs, noting that, although work could be undertaken to address any major discrepancies in funding against deprivation level, it was too early for any firm trends to emerge.

RESOLVED– Thatthe reportbe noted.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

TheCommitteeconsidereda reportoftheChiefGrantsOfficersummarising applications received and actiontaken underthe 2014/15grants programmes.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  Officers put formal arrangements in place to carry forward the sum unspent from the 2014/15 grants budget into the grants budget for 2015/16; and

(b)  The report be noted.

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

Members discussed the application, and requested details of the event be circulated electronically to Committee Members, and that the newly appointed Chairman of the City Youth Forum, Lulu Watuta, be invited to this event.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  A sum of up to £24,000 be allocated to support a Youth Inclusion event at Mansion House in May 2015;

(b)  Details of the event be circulated electronically to Committee Members; and

(c)  The Chairman of the City Youth Forum be invited.

Members discussed the application and, in response to a Member’s question, officers confirmed that free reserves of £812,525 were forecast for the next financial year (2015/16), £690,000 of which had been allocated for activities to benefit the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)’s membership. The Committee voiced its support for the merge, but queried the recommended grant in relation to the level of benefit London would receive, and suggested a more proportionate amount be funded.

RESOLVED – That a grant of £25,000 over one year to the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) be approved, to support the successful merger between NCVO and the Charities Evaluation Services (CES).

Members discussed the application, asking for and receiving further assurance from the Comptroller & City Solicitor that this application was not seeking to substitute existing funding from elsewhere in the City of London Corporation. Heart of the City was eligible to secure funding from the City Bridge Trust under existing policies, and the City Corporation’s role in the Heart of the City charity did not give rise to a conflict of interest.

In response to a Member’s concern, officers advised that Heart of the City would not duplicate work being done by other charities, and confirmed that this application had been subject to the same due diligence as all other applications. Members requested that the charity be requested to consider inviting a representative from the City Bridge Trust to join its Board.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  A grant of £278,328 over three years (£118,820; £102,008; £57,500) to Heart of the City be approved, to roll out its Corporate Social Responsibility Newcomer programme across Greater London and to deepen the connections between the London business sector and the voluntary and community sector, building on the combined networks of the charity and City Bridge Trust; and

(b)  The Heart of the City be requested to consider inviting a representative from the City Bridge Trust to join its Board.

RESOLVED - That a grant of £50,000 over one year to Social Finance for a Lambeth-based mental health pilot be approved, with the award to be charged against City Bridge Trust’s Strategic Initiatives allocation for 2014/15.

Members discussed the application, and asked for officers to bring back further information regarding who the charity would be benefitting with reference to the nature of the disadvantage they faced, how the charity were raising funds locally and the reasons for the level of funding being requested.

RESOLVED – That the application be deferred.

Members noted this organisation was currently registering with the Charity Commission.

APPROVED - £27,000 over three years (3 x £9,000) for the salary of a part-time (14 hours per week) Biodiversity Network Co-ordinator and associated costs.

APPROVED - £60,000 over a further two years (2 x £30,000) for the costs of providing specialist consultations to young Londoners.

APPROVED - £119,600 over three years (£36,700, £41,100, £41,800) for the salary of a part­-time (3.5 days per week) Service Co-ordinator; clinical supervision; room hire; and associated running costs.

APPROVED - £31,000 over three years (£10,000; £10,500; £10,500) for the costs of 6 support groups in London for adult survivors of childhood abuse.

APPROVED - £96 000 over three years (3 x £32 000) for the costs of delivering 720 hours of family counselling per year and related running expenses. Each year, the grant is to be apportioned as: Family counsellor - 60% of sessional payment costs of £18,200; Project management of £2,300; and 10% contribution to overheads of £11,500.

APPROVED - £121,300 over 3 years (£41,400, £39,600, £40,300) towards a full-time Independent Living Officer and associated running costs.

APPROVED - £54,000 over three years (£22,000; £18,000; £14,000) towards the salary of a 22 hours per week Disability Activity Development Coordinator, and related running costs, to increase disabled people's participation in sports.

APPROVED - £143,600 over three years (£48,500; £47,000; £48,100) for the salary of a full-time Sports Co-ordinator and some related project costs.

APPROVED - £102,000 over three years (£33,000, £33,000, £36,000) for the salary of a part-time (3 days per week) Community Activities Project Manager and related project costs.

APPROVED - £44,420 over three years (£11,900; £14,300; £18,220) towards project set-up costs (i.e. recruitment, training and support of volunteer buddies) of the Buddying service in three London boroughs.

APPROVED - £45,900 over one year towards the choreographic commission, and delivery and evaluation, of the Dance to Health programme at the AmicusHorizon Sheltered Housing Scheme In Lambeth and the Redbridge Jewish Community Centre. Grant is subject to the appointment of a suitably qualified treasurer.

APPROVED - £40,000 over 3 years (£13,280; £13,320; £13,400) towards the costs of a music and visual arts project for older people with dementia and their carers.

APPROVED - £90,000 over three years (3 x £30,000) towards the salary costs of the full-time Psychosocial Therapies Lead post within the Day Service programme.

APPROVED - £140,000 over 3 years (£47,000; £46,000; £47,000) for the salary of a full-time Older Carers Peer Support Coordinator and the running costs of a project setting up and supporting small neighbourhood-based groups of older carers.

APPROVED - £39,100 over three years (£126 770; £136030; £13,300) towards the costs of a part-time (1 day per week) Project Worker's salary, project costs, and overheads.

APPROVED - £76,600 over three years (£13,500; £31,200; £31,900) towards the salary, and associated running costs, of a full-time Welfare Benefits and Money Adviser.

APPROVED - £87,800 (£27,900; £29,240; £30,660) towards the part-time (25 hours per week) Adviser post, direct costs of the Housing Crisis Intervention Service, and a 10% contribution to overheads.

APPROVED - £29,500 for research to support and inform the Loneliness Project. A first payment of £14,750 is to be made, followed by £14,750 on satisfactory completion of the research.

APPROVED - £138,000over threeyears (£37,400,£47,700, £52,900)towards thesalary ofa part-time (3 days per week)Play Works.Mentor; costsof trainingplayground staff;and relatedoperational andmanagement costs. Releaseof thegrant issubject to thereceiptof satisfactoryquarterly managementaccounts.

APPROVED - £142,000 over three years (£47,300, £47,000, £47,700) for a part-time (4 days per week) Development Lead, related admin support (0.5 days per week), associated running costs, and the costs of events and training sessions.

APPROVED - £96,900 over two years (£48,000, £48,900) for the costs of a part-time (4 days per week) Project Officer; 1 day per week Senior Project Officer; associated running costs; and the costs of delivering training courses.

TheCommitteeconsidereda reportoftheChiefGrants Officer,which recommendedthattwenty one grantapplicationsberejectedforthereasons identifiedin thescheduleattachedto thereport. Members discussed why Farms for City Children had been rejected, and noted that the Trust had a long-standing arrangement not to fund individuals. Officers confirmed that the application, and reasons for rejection, had been discussed with the organisation. A Member suggested that officers might review the policy on funding such activities, where funds were requested in the form of subsidies to individuals.

RESOLVED –That:

(a)  Twenty one grant applications detailed in the schedule, attached tothe report, be rejected; and

(b)  Officers review the approach to funding activities by way of subsidising individuals.

At this point, the time limit for Committee meetings, as set out in Standing Order 40, had been reached, but there being a two-thirds majority of the Committee present who voted in favour of an extension, the Committee agreed to continue the meeting.

TheCommitteereceiveda reportoftheChiefGrants Officerwhichadvised Membersof tenexpenditureitems,totalling£39,300,whichhad been presentedforapproval,underdelegatedauthority, bytheChiefGrantsOfficer,in consultation with the Chairman and DeputyChairman. Officers reported that one application, Wandsworth Older People's Forum (WOPF), had yet to be approved.

TheCommitteereceiveda reportofthe ChiefGrantsOfficer,providingdetailsof eleven applications which had been withdrawn or which had lapsed. Officers reported that one of these applications, from SPID Theatre Company, was no longer being withdrawn.

RESOLVED– Thatthe reportbenoted.

TheCommitteereceiveda reportwhichadvisedMembersofvariationstoeight grants agreed by the ChiefGrants Officer since the lastmeeting.

RESOLVED –That the reportbenoted.

TheCommitteereceiveda reportoftheChiefGrantsOfficerabout one visit thathad takenplace. A Member updated the Committee about a visit she had undertaken to Adfam, a national organisation working with and for families affected by drugs and alcohol, which had been awarded a grant from the City Bridge Trust in September 2014.

RESOLVED –That the reportbereceived.

A Member queried the current meeting schedule with regard to the balance between strategic discussion and grant consideration during Committee meetings.

RESOLVED – That the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Chief Grants Officer discuss the meeting schedule.

The Chairman thanked Deputy Ken Ayers for his service on the Committee, as his term was at an end and he did not intend to stand for re-election.

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

14, 16                                                                          3

15                                                                                -

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2015.

RESOLVED  –  That  the  non-public  minutes  of  the  meeting  held  on  28 January 2015 be approved as a correct record.

There were no questions.

There were two items of other business.