Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Alderman Sir Michael Savory, Alderman Neil Redcliffe, Deputy Richard Regan, Hugh Stubbs, Victoria Russell and Col. Peter Durrant.

There were no declarations.

To receive the order of Common Hall appointing the Committee.

(Copy attached).

The order of Common Hall appointing the Committee was received.

RECEIVED.

To elect a Chairman for the year ensuing.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Chairman for the ensuing year. 

The Town Clerk read out a list of those Members of the Committee eligible to stand as Chairman and, Deputy William Fraser, being the only Member expressing a willingness to serve, was duly elected for the ensuing year and took the Chair.

Deputy Fraser thanked the Committee for their continued support.

To elect a Deputy Chairman for the year ensuing.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Deputy Chairman for the ensuing year. 

The Town Clerk read out a list of those Members of the Committee eligible to stand as Deputy Chairman and, Nigel Pullman, being the only Member expressing a willingness to serve, was duly elected for the ensuing year.

In their absence, the Chairman welcomed three new Members to the Committee: - Deputy Richard Regan, Hugh Stubbs and Col. Peter Durrant. The Chairman also went on to welcome Officers Billy King-Harman (Mansion House) and Caroline Al-Beyerty (Chamberlain’s Department) to the meeting.

Copy attached.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 13 June 2012 were approved and agreed as a correct record.

The Forthcoming Mayoralty (page 6) – The Chairman reported that Mansion House were now publishing a list of Mayoral Visits for the year ahead which he felt was a very welcome move.

A Member, also Clerk to the Brewers’ Company wished to record his thanks to the Private Secretary for his assistance in confirming dates for a Brewers’ Company event.

Opportunity for the Private Secretary, the Town Clerk and the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen to update the Livery Committee on current issues.

The City Marshall/Senior Programme Manager (representing Mansion House) updated the Committee on current issues.

Billy King-Harman – City Marshal/Senior Programme Manager (Mansion House)

Livery Events attended by the Lord Mayor

The City Marshall reported that the Private Secretary had recently been surveying the number of Livery events the Lord Mayor had attended over the past three years which added to the data already collated on the last ten years. Officers now intended to review the data in order to determine which Livery Companies had received little or no contact with the Lord Mayor in recent years and look to rectify this.

Lord Mayor’s Address to Livery Masters and Clerks

The City Marshall reported that this year’s Lord Mayor’s address to Livery Masters and Clerks would take place at the Mansion House at 3.45pm on Wednesday 14 November.

Events at Mansion House

Mansion House requested that Clerks booking future events at the Mansion House be encouraged to include Wayne Garrigan (Keeper of the House) in any email discussions with Caterers from the outset of their planning.

The Olympic Period

The City Marshall reported that the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress had been delighted to be involved in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games and had visited as many venues and events as possible.

Members were informed that the Lord Mayor had written to Simon Fraser (Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) outlining the City’s contribution during the Games and the many events either hosted or attended by the Lady Mayoress and him.

The Lord Mayor felt that London was the natural business partner of choice for many of the Olympic and Paralympic nations and that the Games provided an excellent ‘shop window’ for the UK’s national offering. Members were informed that Mansion House intended to follow up on many

The Town Clerk to be heard.

The Town Clerk took this opportunity to update the Committee on arrangements for the Election of Lord Mayor on Monday 1st October. Copies of the Ceremonial, the list of candidates and the Order of Procession were circulated within the Committee papers.

Members were reminded that breakfast would be available in a Committee Room from 9am for those arriving early to perform a ‘meet and greet’ role and that the Chairman would also be hosting a Committee lunch in the Guildhall Club after Common Hall.

The Town Clerk went on to report that the Assistant Town Clerk, the Chairman and Deputy Chairman had recently been considering how the ceremony might be shortened following a number of comments made following last year’s event. Members were informed that several measures would be trialled this year including the shortening of proceedings in the Print Room and proposing that movers and seconders of any votes of thanks move simultaneously to their lecturns. It was hoped that all of the proposed ‘small fixes’ combined would shorten the proceedings by approximately 5-6 minutes.

The Chairman reminded Members that strict guidelines were already issued to the movers and seconders of Votes of Thanks as to how long they should look to speak for.

A Member suggested that, in future, the anticipated end time of the proceedings should be published on documentation circulated prior to the day. Another Member commented that there were other seating options in ‘overflow’ arrears such as the Old Library and the Livery Hall for those who were not comfortable being seated in the Great Hall for a given length of time. He went on to state that Livery Companies should, by now, be well aware that Common Hall proceedings tend to last until 1.10/1.15pm and should therefore adjust their schedules for the day

Report of the Comptroller and City Solicitor (copy attached).

The Committee considered a joint report of the Town Clerk, the Chamberlain and the Comptroller & City Solicitor relative to the introduction of qualifications for the office of Auditor of Chamberlain’s and Bridgemasters’ Accounts and changes to the tendering arrangements for the audit of non-City Fund accounts. The Committee also received a resolution of the Audit and Risk Management Committee who had already seen and approved this report.

The Chamberlain reported that, if approved by the Livery Committee, this report would be submitted to Common Hall on 1^st October and then a Bill for an Act of Common Council would be brought forward to regularise the electoral timetable and processes for a number of offices elected by the Livery (Bridgemasters and Ale Conners as well as Auditors).

The Chamberlain went on to report that a Member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee had questioned what would happen if an Auditor were to die in office or a candidate in an uncontested elected died after the close of the nomination period (but before taking office). Members were informed that various scenarios had been considered and that appropriate measures would be included in the Bill for an Act of Common Council.

In response to a question, the Chamberlain stated that one of the present Auditors was not currently a practicing auditor and would not therefore meet with the new requirements. It was also reported that a Member of the current Audit Review Panel had declined to sign the Audit Panel’s report on the City’s Cash Financial Statements and had sent a report to the Audit and Risk Management Committee outlining his reasons for this. Members noted that these concerns had been rebutted in a letter from the Chamberlain and the Audit and Risk Committee were satisfied with this response.

 RESOLVED –

The Chairman of each of the Working Groups to report on the work of their group since the last meeting:-

(A)  Communications        -     Nigel Pullman (Report attached, pages x - x)

(B)  Livery Companies       -    John Spanner (Report attached, pages x - x)

(A) COMMUNICATIONS

The Chairman of the Livery Communications Working Group reported that the Group had met last week to review the format and content of the Courses and Briefings for which the Livery Committee were responsible. He reported that the Working Group had now agreed to drop the video from future City Briefings as it was felt that this was now too dated and ‘out of touch’. Members were informed that the Chairman of the Working Group and Mr Seaton were now working up a brief presentation on the ‘livery movement’ to fill this slot.

The Chairman of the Working Group went on to encourage members of the Committee to continue to promote City Briefings to their respective Livery Companies and also to attend for themselves where possible as this was an important networking opportunity and would also help to more effectively ‘showcase’ the Livery Committee and support those hosting the events.

Members were reminded that this year’s Wardens’ and Court Assistants’ City Course would be held on Monday 24^th September with the next Clerk’s Briefing scheduled for Tuesday 27^th November 2012. The Chairman of the Working Group reported that the agenda for the Clerks Briefing changed each year to reflect current key issues and that it was therefore advisable for Clerks to attend on more than one occasion.

In response to a question, the Chairman of the Working Group stated that City Briefings were open to non-Liverymen and reported that HAC and Christ’s Hospital Representatives had recently attended.

(B) LIVERY COMPANIES

The Chairman of the Livery Companies Group highlighted that Livery Company allocations under the Livery Liaison Scheme had now changed to include new members of the Livery Committee. He asked that all Members make contact with their allocated companies by the end of this week if

To consider a report of the Chairman (Report attached, pages x - x)             

The Chairman of the Livery Committee reported on events since the last meeting. He began by highlighting that the ‘Celebrate the City’ Weekend in late June had been very well supported by Livery Companies and very well attended by members of the public. The weekend had also marked the opening of the Livery Exhibition (Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker) in the Guildhall Art Gallery which would run until 23^rd September.

The Chairman went on to refer to two articles that had been published in ‘The Times’ following the Livery Lunch held in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen in Westminster Hall during the Diamond Jubilee and reporting on the work of the Livery movement in general.

Members were informed that, on 9^th July, the Lord Mayor had hosted an early morning seminar in Mansion House on ‘Apprenticeships’. The Chairman reported that this event had been organised by the Livery Skills Council and invited Mr Seaton to report on some of the Council’s recent work. Mr Seaton reported that the Livery Skills Council had recently put in a bid to Government for public money. He reported that, if funding were to be received, this would be an innovative move. The Chairman reported that the Chairman of the Livery Skills Council had been invited to address Clerks at this year’s briefing. He went on to propose that Mr Seaton be formally appointed as this Committee’s representative on the Livery Skills Council.

It was suggested that both Mr Seaton and Mr Herbage (the Committee’s Livery Schools Link representative) should be invited to submit reports to the Committee on any pertinent issues from both bodies at future meetings.  

Finally, the Chairman reported that the Town Clerk had recently carried out some research amongst Livery Companies in order to determine how many of

To consider any other business that the Chairman considers urgent.

City of London ‘Pocketbook’ diaries

The Town Clerk distributed copies of the City’s latest Pocketbook diary to non-Court of Common Council members.

Precepts for Common Hall

In response to a question, the Town Clerk reported that precepts for Common Hall were sent to all Livery Company Clerks on the understanding that these would then be sent/advertised to Liverymen.