Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Deputy Edward Lord, Wendy Mead and Deputy Richard Regan.

There were no declarations.

To agree the minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 28 January 2021.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 28 January 2021 be agreed as an accurate record.

Matters Arising

The Chamberlain advised with regards to the additional allocation to Bridging Divides from Bridge House Estates that of the £200 million originally agreed, £180 million was currently confirmed for allocation.

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 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.

Rocket Science

The Committee welcomed John Griffiths, a Founder Director of Rocket Science, which provides research, consultancy and evaluation services to clients across government, business and civil society, to give the Committee an overview of the combined work undertaken on the Bridging Divides Interim Review and commissioned research.

The Committee then received a presentation on the Bridging Divides Interim Review. Rocket Science outlined the process of the review, which sought to test CBT’s PACIER values, balance change with continuity, transition to the ‘new normal’, learn from the learning, and identify strategic choices. Rocket Science then advised the Committee of feedback from stakeholders and learning partners regarding CBT’s unique position, which was pertinent at this moment in time. It was recognised that CBT, as the largest single charitable investor in London’s civil society, had access to considerable other assets and was able to be a catalyst and innovator, with influence and the capacity to act over the longer term.

The CGO then outlined the recommendations of the review for the Committee, along the themes of Restore, Retain and Reimagine. The Committee was advised that the overarching recommendation was to recommit to the vision and mission of Bridging Divides by extending the programme by a further 5 years to 2028. This would provide long-term commitment and the potential to embed new approaches and models, whilst strengthening the equity lens. A number of further recommendations were set out which addressed different aspects of CBT’s work

The Chair thanked the CGO and Rocket Science for their presentation and advised that the Committee would be returning to discuss the review again later in the agenda.

LCRF Wave 5

The CGO advised

Report of the CGO

The Committee considered a report of the CGO providing an update on the implementation of the Joint Philanthropy Strategy adopted in June 2018 for the City of London Corporation (CoLC) itself, and as Trustee of Bridge House Estates in furthering the charity’s ancillary object. The Philanthropy Director introduced the report and drew Members’ attention to the key points, including the proposed 2021-2023 Implementation Plan for the strategy. In response to a question from a Member, the Philanthropy Director advised how the work undertaken on the strategy so far had been beneficial for interacting with the rest of the organisation.

RESOLVED – That the City Bridge Trust Committee, for the City of London Corporation as Trustee of BHE in the best interests of the Charity:

1. Note the update on the implementation of the Joint Philanthropy Strategy to-date; and

2. Agree the proposed 2021 – 2023 Implementation Plan set out in the report for approval by the Policy and Resources Committee.

Report of the CGO

The Committee considered a report of the CGO informing of the progress to date at the six-year mark of the 10-year strategic grant to the Prince’s Trust (PT), also providing information on the outcomes that have resulted for your consideration and outlining the planned activities for the next three-year period and the proposed allocation of resources in support of this activity. The CGO introduced the report and drew the Committee’s attention to the key points.

In response to a question for a Member, the CGO gave the Committee further detail on the offer of support to the Trust’s activity and points raised regarding the Trust’s projects. The CGO further advised that it was hoped the proposed review could be undertaken over the next four months, and that the next allocation of funding would be contingent on the review.

RESOLVED – That the City Bridge Trust Committee:

a)    Note the report;

b)    Agree that satisfactory results have been achieved by the PT in the second three-year period (years four to six) of this strategic initiative;

c)    Agree the outline of planned activities for the next three-year period, with the agreement of the detail to be delegated to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Chief Grants Officer; and

d)    Approve, in principle, the next allocation of £3m funding from the £10m approved by the Court of Common Council, as outlined, with the release of the grant on a quarterly basis contingent on the following:

i.      Receipt of additional information to include: quarterly management accounts; quarterly breakdown of CBT grant spend including outputs for each programme; and satisfactory engagement in a review led by CBT consultant Dinah Cox, to set the outcomes to be achieved for the next funding period of the strategic partnership.

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 Chair commented that a number of applications were under consideration under delegated authority which would make use of the remaining 2020/21 budget during this financial year. The CGO added that any remaining budget could be carried into the next year if required.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider the CGO’s reports on grant recommendations as follows:-

The Committee considered a report of the CGO advising Members of funds to be approved that would usually be approved under delegated but are presented instead to the Committee in order to be able to confirm the total grants awarded this financial year.

RESOLVED - That the City Bridge Trust Committee receive the report and approve the recommended amounts for the following applications:

1. City & Hackney Carers Centre

APPROVED £140,900 over three years (£46,290; £46,840; £47,770) for the salary and oncosts of a 2 dpw Bilingual Adviser/Project Manager and a 3 dpw Bilingual Advice Officer and associated project costs of running a specialist advice service for carers in Hackney and the City of London. Release of the second year’s funding is conditional on the organisation gaining an Advice Quality Standard.

2. Youth League (UK) Ltd

APPROVED £249,500 over five years (£47,800; £47,400; £50,300; £50,200; £53,800) towards the salaries of a Project Manager (16 hpw) and Support Worker (18 hpw); activity costs; and overheads of the Integration Support Project aimed at young migrant and refugee girls.

3. Ruils

APPROVED £136,300 over 3 years (£46,400; £44,400; £45,500) towards the salary of a part time Transition Worker (28hpw), staff costs for management and administration (14hpw) and other associated costs to deliver Bright Futures in Richmond.

The Committee received a report of the CGO which advised Members of forty-eight expenditure items, totalling £3,435,705, 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 four grant applications that were recommended for rejection.

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

accompanying schedule.

The Committee received a report of the CGO which provided details of oneapplication 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 ten grants agreed by the CGO since the last meeting. In response to a question from a Member, the CGO gave further details on a grant that had ultimately been revoked as the grant had not been taken up.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee considered a report of the CGO advising Members of funds awarded through The London Community Response Fund (LCRF) under delegated authority for wave 5 of the London Community Response (LCR) Funders’ Collaborative.

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.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report of the CGO presenting a learning case study about Grief Encounter, an independent charity that exists to support children and young people who have suffered the loss of a parent or sibling, and a current grant holder.

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

14 - 16                                                             3

17 - 18                                                             -

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2021.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2021 be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the CGO

The Committee considered a report of the CGO.

Report of the CGO

The Committee received a report of the CGO.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.