Agenda and minutes

The Committee received a presentation from Debbie Leach, Chief Executive of Thames 21, after which Members had the opportunity to ask questions.

Ms Leach advised the Committee that Thames 21 was one of the country’s leading waterway charities, working with communities across Greater London to improve London’s rivers, canals, ponds and lakes for people and wildlife. She reported that the strategic grant from the City Bridge Trust had enabled the charity to maximise the activities and support they offered, and to create a development programme to reach more people and increase the level of impact on individuals and communities. Ms Leach advised that Thames 21 were seeking to ensure the sustainability of involvement, and increase the number of volunteering opportunities; engagement with the rivers offered a wide-range of benefits to wellbeing, as well as fostering community spirit and enabling people to take responsibility for the environment in which they lived.

In response to Members’ questions, Ms Leach reported that the environmental sector was seeing a positive level of engagement, with a growing awareness of green spaces and their benefits. Although monitoring of the benefits to people’s wellbeing had previously been poor, Members noted that Thames 21 had anecdotal evidence and were keen to improve the quality of available data. Ms Leach advised that it was crucial to reinforce the need to preserve green spaces, particularly as pressure on land for development was increasing.

With regard to educational programmes, Ms Leach agreed that it was important that children had the opportunity to engage with the environment in a safe and supervised way, and advised that Thames 21 were looking to expand what they currently offered young people. Members discussed restoration projects and access to waterways, noting the success in opening up the Quaggy in Lewisham. Ms Leach informed the Committee that

Apologies were received from the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor Alderman the Lord Mountevans, Karina Dostalova and Wendy Mead.

By virtue of their appointment on the Barbican Centre Board, Vivienne Littlechild and the Chairman, Jeremy Mayhew, undertook to leave the room during the discussion and decision regarding item 10a.

By virtue of their appointments on Epping Forest & Commons Committee or Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen's Park Committee; Edward Lord and Deputy Stanley Ginsburg undertook to leave the room during the discussion and decision regarding item 10b.

Alderman Alison Gowman and Edward Lord declared a non-pecuniary interest in Trust for London by virtue of being Corporation representatives.

To agree the minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 23 September 2015.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 23 September 2015 be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

RESOLVED – That the Outstanding Actions update be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk.

RESOLVED – That the Committee approves the Terms of Reference of the City Bridge Trust Committee for submission to the Court of Common Council, and agrees that meetings should remain scheduled at the same frequency.

Joint report of the Chamberlain and Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Chamberlain and Chief Grants Officer regarding the proposed budget for 2016/17.

Overall, the budgeted net expenditure for 2016/17 was estimated to be £21.406m, an increase of £458,000 compared with the budget for 2015/16. Members noted the main reasons for this net increase, which were detailed in the report, and agreed that it was vital that any expanded role for the City Bridge Trust team, as a result of the wider Grants Review, would not diminish officer support for City Bridge Trust grant-giving, and should be funded from outside Bridge House Estates monies.

RESOLVED – that:

(a)  the provisional 2016/17 revenue budget be approved for submission to the Finance Committee; and

(b)  the Chamberlain be authorised to revise these budgets to allow for any necessary realignment of funds resulting from corporate projects.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

TheCommitteereceivedtheregularprogressreport oftheChiefGrantsOfficer and discussed the updates given, including the definition of “affordable” homes. Members noted, in particular, that the East London Bond monies did not originate from the main grants budget and were, therefore, not available for further grant-making. Officers advised that the Stepping Stones Fund had received 36 applications, 23 of which had been shortlisted to submit detailed proposals. As agreed by the Committee at their meeting in January 2015, authority was delegated to the Chief Grants Officer, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, to inform unsuccessful stage one applicants for the Stepping Stones Fund. Members noted that prospective partners, including Livery companies, were being engaged regarding possible future collaboration.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

TheCommitteeconsidered a reportoftheChiefGrantsOfficer, which followed on from the Committee’s strategic away half-day held on 30th October 2015, during which the need to set more transparent criteria and a more structured process for the Trust’s pro-active grants and strategic initiatives was discussed.

Members discussed the report, noting that, with the increased budget agreed by the Court of Common Council, the proposed increase in the budget for strategic grants would not affect the monies available for the regular grants programme, nor the allocation to the Princes’ Trust. The Chairman emphasised that strategic grants were unlikely to be recurring, and Members agreed that a greater level of awareness needed to be achieved regarding the context of grants to enable the Committee to prioritise between potential strategic grants; to help organisations to be linked up, wherever possible; and to ensure that work was not being duplicated.  

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  the improvements, filters and prioritisation guidance for proactive grants, as set out, in the report be agreed;

(b)  up to 20% of the City Bridge Trust Committee’s total annual grants budget be committed through proactive grant-making (not including the £1m strategic grant to the Princes’ Trust); and

(c)  up to one-quarter of this 20% (i.e. 5% of the annual pro-active grants budget) be ring-fenced for the consideration of grant proposals that fall outside of the grants criteria, but which are informed by the broader evidence of need.

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

Vivienne Littlechild and Chairman Jeremy Mayhew left the room for the consideration of this item. Deputy Chairman Alderman Alison Gowman took the Chair.

As discussed previously in the meeting, Members noted that this was subject to the comment that there was to be no extension of these time-limited grants.

APPROVED - a grant of £400,000 over three years (£150,000; £130,000; £120,000) to the Barbican Centre Trust toward creative learning projects, which the Barbican Centre’s Creative Learning Team delivers in East London in conjunction with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Edward Lord and Deputy Stanley Ginsburg left the room for the consideration of this item.

As discussed previously in the meeting, Members noted that this was subject to the comment that there was to be no extension of these time-limited grants.

APPROVED - a grant of £400,000 over three years (£220,000; £130,000; £50,000) towards an environmental learning programme (under the Improving London’s environment strand of the Trust’s policy), designed to improve London’s engagement and sense of wellbeing with respect to green spaces; as well as a sector-specific evaluation toolkit.

APPROVED - a grant of £225,000 over three years (3 x £75,000) towards the core costs of the Human Trafficking Foundation.

APPROVED - £71,200 (£23,200; £23,600; £24,400) for the employment of a part-time (21 hours per week) Development Worker, plus project running costs, to provide ESOL classes for isolated and vulnerable Albanian-speaking women.

APPROVED - £54,000 over two years (2x £27,000) for the salary of a part-time (3 days per week) Project Assistant and related costs of the Dragon Finder project for London. The grant is subject to receipt of satisfactory, audited, accounts for 2014/15.

APPROVED - £95,950 over three years (£31,900; £31,860; £32,190) to pay the salary of a part-time (25hours per week) bi-lingual Counsellor and project running costs of a counselling service for Kurdish and Turkish-speaking Londoners.

APPROVED - £102,000 over three years (£33,000; £34,000; £35,000) for the costs of Waterloo Community Counselling's Project Manager and freelance fees for counsellors working with refugees and asylum seekers experiencing trauma, grief or loss.

APPROVED - £98,700 over three years (3 x £32,900), towards 70% of the inclusive salary costs of a full-time Employment Manager (£27,900) and 11% of the inclusive salary costs of a full-time Life Coach Manager (£5,000).

APPROVED - £135,000 over three years (£44,000, £45,000, £46,000) for a part-time LWHL (Living with Hearing Loss) Project Trainer (25 hours per week), and part-time LWHL Project Officer (10 hours per week) and associated running costs.

APPROVED - £99,000 over three years (£35,000; £32,000; £32,000) towards the salary of a full-time Artistic Director and associated running costs, in order to provide multi-accessible theatre and workshops for young disabled people in transition and to develop the skills of disabled artists.

The Chairman raised a query regarding applications with an identified dependency on a single contract or local authority grant, and was reassured that vulnerability was already carefully assessed in these cases and reported to the Committee by exception.

APPROVED - £100,000 towards the access improvements of the hub site at Norwood High Street, as part of Phase 2 of the development project.

APPROVED - £97,300 over three years (£32,900; £32,000; £32,400) towards salaries and related costs of delivering the Performing Arts Project for young adults with learning disabilities.

APPROVED - £86,500 over three years (£28,000; £28,800; £29,700) for a full-time Head of Casework and Advocacy, overseeing the delivery of Body & Soul's Practical Support programme. The award is conditional on confirmation that the charity has achieved the Advice Quality Standard.

APPROVED - £70,300 over three years (£22,600; £23,850; £23,850) for a part time (0.8 full-time equivalent) Community Skills for Work and Welfare Officer plus running costs. The offer is made conditional on receipt of satisfactory quarterly management accounts.

APPROVED - £153,000 over 3 years (£50,000, £51,000, £52,000) for a full-time Advice Caseworker and associated costs to promote and deliver debt and welfare benefit advice and provide specialist casework to indebted Hounslow residents.

APPROVED - £75,000 over three years (3 x £25,000) to contribute towards revenue costs of supporting London women under 25 leaving custody to desist from re-offending.

APPROVED - £80,000 over two years (2 x £40,000) towards the salary and related running costs of a project supporting partnership and collaboration amongst Charedi organisations in North London.

The Chairman asked officers to look into linking this organisation with contacts of the City Surveyor’s Department. 

APPROVED - £58,500 over three years (£19,000; £19,500; £20,000) to cover half the costs of LandAid's full-time Pro Bono Manager.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer, which recommended that eleven grant applications be rejected for the reasons identified in the schedule attached to the report.

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

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which advised Members of eight expenditure items, totalling £65,223, which had been presented for approval under delegated authority to the Chief Grants Officer in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which advised Members of a variation to two 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 about two visits that had taken place. Members requested that a circulation be sent quarterly in order to give members the opportunity to express interest in particular visits and to influence scheduling; and a monthly "heads up" of which visits are already scheduled also be circulated.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

The Committee noted a report of the Chief Grants Officer regarding the key meetings and events attended by Members and officers since the last meeting. At a request from Members, it was agreed that visits to CBT grantees undertaken through a Livery Company should be listed on this table for future meetings.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

15 - 18                                                             3

19 – 20                                                            -

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2015.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2015 be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

Members considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

Members considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

Members considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.