Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Karina Dostalova and Deputy Richard Regan.

There were no declarations.

To agree the minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 26 November 2020.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 26 November 2020 be agreed as an accurate record.

Matters Arising

The Chief Grants Officer and Director of City Bridge Trust (CGO) advised with regards to the Responding to the Resilience Risk initiative that the Oak Foundation were still considering the matter, and it was hoped an update could be brought to the next meeting.

A Member then raised an outstanding question relating to the Risk Register. The Chair requested the relevant update and advised the matter could be added as an outstanding action.

Report of the Town Clerk

The Committee received the list of outstanding actions, noting those which

were on the agenda or were scheduled for a future date or meeting.

RESOLVED – That the Outstanding Actions update be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk inviting the Committee to review its terms of reference. A Member suggested that, in line with Charity Commission guidance, the Committee could consider a maximum of length of service for Members when the Committee or its successor was reconstituted. The Chair responded that this should be taken forward for consideration by the prospective Bridge House Estates (BHE) Committee.

RESOLVED – That the terms of reference of the Committee be approved for submission to the Court as set out in the appendix.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer and Director of City Bridge Trust (CGO)

The Committee received the regular progress report of the Chief Grants Officer and Director of City Bridge Trust (CGO) and discussed the updates provided.

The Prince’s Trust

The Committee welcomed Venla Freeman and Rozzy Amos to speak to Members regarding the Prince’s Trust (PT), on the work that the PT has undertaken in London since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as providing a brief outline of future plans, with CBT’s 10-year strategic partnership with the PT approaching the end of its sixth year. The Committee was thanked for their invitation and advised that organisations were reassured and grateful to have supportive funders such as CBT, particularly during such difficult times.

The Prince’s Trust reported that 8278 Young Londoners had been supported through their partnership with CBT, and this number was set to increase. The partnership had enabled PT to plan longer-term and pilot new innovative approaches, focus on early prevention and intervention, grow PT’s network of partners to extend its reach, and expand courses to meet the diverse interests and needs of young Londoners, developing skills and confidence to thrive.

PT had responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with offers like Online Crisis Mentoring to young people struggling with isolation, lost opportunity, and poor mental health. Employment workshops and industry webinars also provided ongoing skills development, with a Virtual Jobs Board, advertising live job vacancies. Personal and Social Development group sessions brought young people together to improve confidence, reduce anxiety, build connections and set goals. Development Awards were pivoted to support digital poverty and an Enterprise Relief Fund was launched to support those new to self-employment, and who would not otherwise qualify for Government support.

Whilst the pandemic had presented PT with financial challenges, it also made the Trust’s work more important than ever, and in the last

Report of the CGO

The Committee considered a report of the CGO concerning proposals for the continuation of CBT’s Funder Plus programme. The CGO introduced the report and drew Members’ attention to the key points, also outlining the work undertaken as part of the programme so far, and the impact of COVID-19 on the programme.

RESOLVED – That the City Bridge Trust Committee:

a)    Approve a grant of £150,000 to the Cranfield Trust towards continuing the Triage and Connect programme to support the delivery of the next phase of the programme, subject to the satisfactory review of their financial assessment by the Charities Finance Team (representing the Chamberlain);

b)    Approve a grant of £150,000 to Locality towards continuing the Triage and Connect programme to support the delivery of the next phase of the programme, also subject to the satisfactory review of their financial assessment by the Charities Finance Team (representing the Chamberlain); and

c)    Commit up to £60,000 non-grants expenditure in order to procure, through the City of London’s procurement process, a Managing and Learning Partner to provide capacity to continue the next phase of the programme.

Report of the CGO

The Committee considered a report of the CGO summarising grant making made under temporary arrangements in respect of the corporate scheme of delegations and CBT delegated authority policy, which had been in place since April 2020, and seeking approval to implement the existing arrangements on a permanent basis, due to imminent changes in staff structure and volume grants to be approved.

In response to questions from Members, the CGO confirmed that delegations were for the overall grant rather than annual instalments of multi-year grants, and clarified that there were three Funding Director posts within the CBT senior leadership team. The CGO proposed an amendment to the wording to make explicit that the figures referred to in the delegations were the total amount.

RESOLVED – That the City Bridge Trust Committee:

a)    Note the current City Bridge Trust thresholds for grant approvals under delegated powers, and the Scheme of Delegation to Officers in respect of the Chief Grants Officer and Director of City Bridge Trust (CGO);

b)    Recommend the proposed amendment to the Scheme of Delegation to Officers as set out, for the approval of the Policy and Resources Committee and the Court of Common Council;

c)    Agree that the existing CBT delegated authority thresholds, as set out with the above amendment, should be implemented on a permanent basis, subject to the approval of the Court of Common Council; and

d)    Agree that grant application rejections can be approved under the revised delegated authority proposals.

Report of the CGO

The Committee received a report of the CGO providing Members with an update on London’s Giving, an initiative currently hosted by London Funders. The Chair introduced the item and proposed that London’s Giving be invited to present to the Committee when it was next appropriate.

A Member queried whether a borough other than the City of London had been omitted from the table set out in the report. The Deputy Chair advised that Croydon appeared to be missing. The CGO responded that officers would check this and recirculate the information after it had been corrected.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the CGO

The Committee received a report of the CGO summarising grant applications recommended for decision at the meeting, and those that had been considered since the last meeting under schemes of delegation. The CGO introduced the report and gave Members some further detail on the current picture. The CGO further advised that officers were optimistic that the annual grants budget would not be exceeded.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the CGO which advised Members of thirty-six expenditure items, totalling £3,906,979, which had been presented for approval under delegated authority to the CGO in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chair.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee considered a report of the CGO outlining a total of five

grant applications that were recommended for rejection. The Chair advised that the application in respect of Work Rights Centre had been included in error, having been withdrawn, and was not recommended for rejection.

RESOLVED – That the Committee reject the grant applications listed in the

accompanying schedule, except Work Rights Centre, which was withdrawn.

The Committee received a report of the CGO 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 CGO which advised Members of a

variation to one grant agreed by the CGO since the last meeting.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the CGO advising Members of funds

awarded through the London Community Response Fund (LCRF) under

delegated authority for Wave 4.

A Member noted that numerous applications to the LCRF were from limited companies and asked whether it would be worthwhile to review CBT’s criteria around eligibility in light of this. The CGO advised that this was a broader issue and could be brought back for discussion.

In response to a Member, the CGO advised that organisations ineligible to apply for LCRF grants were able to pair up with more established organisations, and as a result some organisations appeared to be receiving multiple grants.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the CGO providing Members with an

update on the communications work of City Bridge Trust. The Chair drew Members’ attention to some of the recent coverage of the CBT, particularly TV coverage, which had been very positive.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk advising Members of actions taken by the Town Clerk since the last meeting of the Committee, in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chair, in accordance with Standing Order Nos. 41(b).

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

19 - 20                                                             3

21                                                                    3,5

22 - 23                                                             -

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2020.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2020 be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the CGO

The Committee received a report of the CGO.

Report of the CGO

The Committee received a report of the CGO.

There were no questions.

There was other business.