Agenda and minutes

The Chief Grants Officer informed the Committee of the work that the London Emergencies Trust had undertaken and the involvement of City Bridge Trust officer expertise in responding to terrorist attacks in the UK as well as the recent fire at Grenfell Tower in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Members paid their respect to all those affected and to all the help that had been given so far.

The Committee welcomed Jem Stein from The Bike Project to the meeting.

Mr Stein advised that refugees going through the asylum process are only granted £36 a week in benefits to live on and are prevented from finding employment. Members noted that a bike can help them access the many resources that London has to offer without having to spend their limited financial allowance on other public transport options. Mr Stein advised that the Project took second-hand bikes, fixed them up, and donated them to refugees and asylum seekers. This had started on a small-scale but, since the refugee crisis, had escalated so much that an automated system had been put in place to manage and meet the demand. In order to secure long-term sustainability for the Project, some of the bikes that are received and donated go on to be sold through The Bike Shop. This had been the recipient of a Stepping Stones grant which allowed the shop to be scaled up and had resulted in subsequent social investment.

In response to Members’ questions, Mr Stein confirmed that the Bike Project also undertook mobile bike repair, which provided an additional income stream as well as securing corporate partnerships. He advised that the Project did not ask for donations, focusing instead on sales, and were not looking to expand in terms of beneficiaries but were seeking to expand to other cities. He confirmed that bikes were collected from drop-off sites and those abandoned at racks (through liaison with building managers) and every bike was donated alongside the relevant safety equipment and cycling courses.

The Chairman thanked Jem Stein for his presentation.

Apologies were received from the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, Simon Duckworth, Vivienne Littlechild, Jeremy Mayhew, Ian Seaton and Deputy Dr Giles Shilson.

There were no declarations.

To agree the minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 11 May 2017.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 11 May 2017 be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

RESOLVED – That the Outstanding Actions update be noted.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee received the regular progress report of the Chief Grants Officer and discussed the updates provided.

Strategic Review Update

Members noted that the latest draft of the Strategy had been circulated and any further comments were welcome. The Chief Grants Officer advised that the implementation strategy would be developed in detail in the coming months. Part of this would be how to commit City Bridge Trust to extend its current activities to beyond that of simply grant-making (the total asset approach) and, therefore, the Committee’s Terms of Reference would be reviewed.

Lord Mayor’s Show 2017

Officers confirmed the arrangements for the Lord Mayor’s Show CBT float, and it was noted that interest from any Members who wanted to be involved was welcomed.

Human Resources Team Update

·         Head of Philanthropy Strategy – the Chief Grants Officer advised that interviews were underway and Members would likely be updated electronically before the next meeting.

·         Grants Administrator - the Chief Grants Officer advised that Grants Administrator Becky Green would be going down to two days a week at the Trust from next week, and an offer had been made for a new member of staff on a 12 month fixed term.

·         Social Investment Fund Associate - the Chief Grants Officer advised that the closing date for applications was 19th June.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee received a summary of applications received and action taken under the grants programmes this financial year, including those recommended for decision to this meeting. Members noted that owing to the focus on strategic grants so far this year the balance was currently lopsided but would likely rebalance by the next meeting.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

APPROVED - £337,000 over eighteen months to Age UK (Charity No. 1128267) to design and deliver an evaluated model for the prevention of fraud and support for older people in London affected by fraud.

APPROVED –

a)    £281,000 over three years (£108,000; £88,000; £85,000) for the GMI Partnership to expand and diversify its work supporting the LGBT community in London. The grant is payable to Positive East.

b)    £217,000 over three years (£80,000; £69,000; £68,000) to the LGBT Consortium to create and manage an online directory/mapping tool of services in London and to provide capacity-building and general support to the LGBT third sector.

c)    £165,000 over three years (3 x £55,000) to Opening Doors London for a Training Coordinator (17.5hpw) and an Administrator (21hpw) plus other costs for a programme to develop the quality of services provided to older LGBT Londoners by voluntary and statutory agencies.

Please see item 7b.

APPROVED - £105,000 over 3 years (3x £35,000) towards a Green Prescription Programme for children and young people.

APPROVED - £95,000 over two further and final years (2 x £47,500) towards the p/t (0.5 FTE) Forensic Service Manager, clinical supervision and oncosts for the forensic service.

APPROVED - £73,700 to refurbish lifts; for additional assisted hearing equipment, improved signalling and signage; upgrades and supplements to emergency evacuation system. The grant is conditional on renewal of the lease with Cadogan Estates.

APPROVED - £68,400 over 3 years (£19,900, £24,020, £24,480) for 75+ Coordinator (30 hours per week), activity tutors and associated costs of the 75+ programme.

APPROVED - £127,800 over 3 years (£43,100; £42,500; £42,200) for the Together project, including the salary of a freelance Project Coordinator (70 days p/a), 2 artists delivering Spare Tyre sessions (each working 36 days p/a), and associated project costs.

APPROVED - £59,500 over 3 years (£19,750; £20,000; £19,750) to contribute to the salary costs of the p/t London Regional Co-ordinator (3 d/p/w), and associated running costs for the project.

APPROVED - £98.600 over 2 years (£49.100; £49.500) to contribute to the salary costs of the P/T Wellbeing Centre and Volunteer Coordinator (3dpw) and associated running costs for the Centre for Wellbeing project.

APPROVED - £100,000 over 3 years (£33,340; £33,330; £33,330) towards the INSPIRE programme, including the salary of a part time (18hpw) Project Leader, contributions towards other staff involved In the delivery of the work, and associated project costs.

APPROVED - £123,840 over 3 years (£40.465, £41,275, £42,100) for the salary of a f/t Senior Advice Worker (including on costs).

APPROVED - £90,000 over three years (3 x £30,000) towards the costs of a project manager for 2 days per month; the costs of the artist/mentors that work with the young people in custody and on release; and associated project costs.

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

RESOLVED – That ten 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 three expenditure items, totalling £19,010, 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 six 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 one grant 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 thirty one applications to the Stepping Stones fund that had been rejected for the reasons identified in the schedule attached to the report.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer about the work of the Prince’s Trust funded by the City Bridge Trust. Officers advised that the project had seen two full years of delivery and was approaching the three year review point. In response to a Member’s question, officers advised that one of the objectives of the grant was to increase CBT’s exposure to boroughs that had historically harder to reach and this was one of the areas that would be explored during the review.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

The Committee received an update on the communications work of the City Bridge Trust.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

There were no questions.

The Committee put on record their thanks to Philippa Sewell, who had been the Town Clerk for the Committee for the past few years but was leaving the City Corporation.

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

12 - 13                                                             3

14 – 15                                                            -

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 11 May 2017.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 11 May 2017 be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer outlining the pipeline for strategic grants.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

There were no questions.

There was one item of other business.