Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Roger Chadwick.

Mr Jamie Ingham Clark and Mr Simon Duckworth declared  general non-pecuniary interests in respect of agenda items 12 and 13; Analysis of Grants agreed for the five years 2011/12 – 2015/16; and Benefits in Kind reporting.

To approve the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 21 July 2016.

The public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 21 July 2016 were approved.

Matters arising

Members noted that, as yet, the City of London Corporation had not been required to award a £10,000 grant in respect of the Sylvia Pankhurst Statue as the match funding target had not been met. 

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Sub Committee received its outstanding actions list and noted particularly the importance of communicating how support could be fulfilled to those organisations previously assisted by the Finance Grants Sub Committee and redirected to other sources, where appropriate.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer

Members will also receive a short presentation from Katherine Duerden, Partnerships & Engagement Manager, 360Giving.

 The Sub Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer which provided information on the 360Giving initiative.  Members also received an external presentation from Katherine Duerden, Partnerships and Engagement Manager, 360Giving.

During the presentation and questions, the following points were noted:

• The system aligned with the minimum requirements of the Local Government Transparency Code which was not mandatory in respect of the funds being distributed through the Central Grants Unit and within the remit of the Sub Committee (being charitable or from City’s Cash only).  Therefore, there was no obligation on the City of London Corporation to join the scheme but it demonstrated good practice relating to transparency in the grant-making sector. Publication of relevant information was discretionary and the system allowed for the  redaction of any sensitive data; donations to womens’ refuges being given as an example by Ms Duerden.

• Ms Duerdin had met with some of the Livery Companies and the Chief Grants Officer agreed to contact all Members of the Livery Committee, which was due to meet before the end of the year. 

• Given that the first round of grants were due to be awarded early in the New Year, the Chairman suggested, and Members agreed, that the report be shared with the relevant Service Committees and to ensure the trustees of the charities that form part of the Central Grant Programme were consulted..

• The City Bridge Trust had joined the scheme in September this year and several local authorities have expressed an interest. 

• The system had been designed for easy use with spreadsheets, with simple searching tools and could be over-layed with other data sets, such as indices of deprivation.  There had been positive feedback from existing users. 

• That the Livery Committee be provided with information about the system with a

Report of the Chief Grants Officer. 

The Sub Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer, which provided an update on the Central Grants Programme (CGP).  Members noted the outcome of a report submitted to the Policy and Resources Committee in October 2016, at which Members had agreed to (1) a secondment from the City Bridge Trust (CBT) to manage the CPG for a 6 month period; (2) to receive a follow up report in March 2017 to approve resources for 2017/18; and (3) that the CGU could recharge up to £41,000 to manage the CGU over a 6 month period.

RESOLVED, that:

1.     The interim staffing and management fee proposal agreed by the Policy and Resources Committee in October 2016 be noted.

2.     The update on the CGP be noted.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The sub committee received the Central Grants Work Programme and noted the reporting cycle of three times a year in November, February and July. 

There were no questions.

There were no items of urgent 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 1 of schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED, that – under section 100A 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 Paragraphs  2 and 3 of

Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

Item nos                     Paragraph nos

11 -15                          2, 3

To approve the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 21 July 2016.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 21 July 2016 were approved. 

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee received a report of the Chamberlain.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer.

There were no questions.

There were no items.