Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Alderman Peter Estlin, Alderman Matthew Richardson and Ian Seaton.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2018.

The Town Clerk proposed a drafting change to Item 6:

i) the finalised single top sheet went to all Members at the Court of Council meeting in February, not “all Committees”

RESOLVED – that further to the change above, the public minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2018 be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which set out the outstanding actions from previous meetings of the Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the report.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk which set out the work plan for future meetings.

Members suggested that the Town Clerk and the Chamberlain restructure future iterations of the Work Programme to incorporate the following:

i) merge the specific departmental focus line with the commercial income generation opportunities line and the Monitoring of Savings and Efficiency Programme (SBR) line

ii) under the specific departmental focus select (and confirm) a maximum of two Chief Officers for each meeting

iii) populate the continuous improvement line with more detail for future meetings

iv) include reference to the non-public outstanding item concerning the City Surveyor’s “Table of Opportunities”

In addition, given the late withdrawal of the Director of the Department of the Built Environment at today’s meeting, Members were keen to ensure that officers were providing the requisite support to Chief Officers when preparing their departmental presentations for the Sub-Committee. Chief Officers should produce a written report as a matter of course.

Furthermore, the Chamberlain updated Members on the items under the Monitoring of Savings and Efficiency Programmes (Service Based Review) line:

i) Operational Property Review (OPR), will be reviewed by the Corporate Asset Sub Committee (CASC)

ii) the Asset Management Review would take place throughout the year

iii) a final report on the Facilities Management review will be produced for the Sub-Committee for the 23^rd May meeting (TBC)

RESOLVED – That Members note the report.

Report of The Town Clerk.

Members received a Joint Report of the Chamberlain and the Town Clerk concerning the Economy, Efficiency and Effectiveness (EEE) Health Checks.

Members reiterated that existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were not, on their own, an effective way to measure departmental targets, and so welcomed the Report and the initiative behind EEE health checks as a step in the right direction.

Additionally, Members emphasised that an ongoing concern had been the way Business Plans had, hitherto, been approved virtually on the nod. Officers had to take “ownership” of the Plans as a “living document”, and Members should be given more help in scrutinising these Plans. 

Officers emphasised that progress had been slow due to the availability of appropriate benchmarking and performance data; this varied significantly across departments, but, as the process beds in over 2018-19, it was anticipated that this will improve – “small steps at the micro level are being made, the macro level is not quite there”.

Furthermore, Members asked the Chief Officers present at the meeting how effective were the Chief Officers Peer Reviews (COPR); officers were of the view that these sessions were helpful, as “talking and sharing” is a useful process. The challenge now was to identify ways in which their departments can work together across the piece, and how effective challenge could be provided in future.

RESOLVED – that Members noted the Report.

There were no questions.

There were no items of urgent business.

MOTION - That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items 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 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.

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 30^th January 2018.

RESOLVED - That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 30^th January 2018 be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which set out the outstanding actions from previous meetings of the Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED – that Members note the report.

Report of The Commissioner of the City of London Police.

To Follow.

Members received a Report of the Commissioner of the City of London Police.

Verbal Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

This item was deferred.

Joint Report of The Chamberlain and The City Surveyor.

Members received a Joint Report of the Chamberlain and the City Surveyor.  

Joint Report of The Chamberlain, The Town Clerk and The City Surveyor.

Members received a Joint Report of the Chamberlain, the Town Clerk and the City Surveyor.

Report of The City Surveyor.

Members received a Report of the City Surveyor.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.