Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Marianne Fredericks and Deputy Michael Welbank.

There were no declarations of interest.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 11 December 2012.

Item 3 (Riverside Walk Enhancement Strategy) – Members were informed that a report of the Remembrancer containing information regarding the enforcement on City Walkway  would be submitted to the next meeting on 11 February 2 013.

Item 4.2 (Mitre Street) - The Director advised that enforcement officers had a proactive approach and focused particularly on streets known to be “hot spots”.  This had resulted in a large number of tickets being issued. Members were encouraged to email officers if they were aware of particular streets that should be added to the list of hotspots.

Item 4.5 (Cheapside Area Enhancement Strategy – Report on Progress and proposed review – Members were informed that repairs to the statue at the junction of Shoe Lane and St Bride Street were on-going.

Item 6 (Questions) – Members noted that the Georgian Pump at Cornhill would be reinstated in early March 2013.

Order of the Court of 6 December 2012, concerning the Post-implementation review of the Governance Arrangements. Please see the second page of the Order for the matter of relevance to this Committee.

The Committee received an order of the Court of Common Council from 6 December 2012 regarding the post implementation review of Governance Arrangements.

Members noted on the summary page, a motion was passed at the Court of Common Council meeting (6 December 2012) to withdraw the recommendation contained at bullet point 4 “The Corporate Asset and Energy and Sustainability Sub Committees be transferred from the Policy and Resources Committee to the Finance Committee and the Planning and Transportation Committee respectively”.

The Committee discussed the Order on page 8 and agreed that the issue regarding the Projects Approval Procedure should remain as on going and should continue to be monitored closely.  The Director advised that proposals were being developed such that in future a composite report detailing Gateway 2 projects could be submitted to both this Committee and the Projects Sub Committee to assist in planning the work of the Committee.  However individual projects may still be tabled to the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee as necessary. Under the Projects Procedure, at Gateway 2, the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Spending Committee are given sight of all projects.

RESOLVED – That the Order of the Court of Common Council held on 6 December 2012 be received and the comments made by the Committee noted.

Report of the City Surveyor.

Consideration was given to a report of the City Surveyor relative to the relocation of Dorothy Annan Ceramic Panels to Barbican Highway and the transfer of ownership to the City of London Corporation.

Concern was expressed by a Member that there was insufficient information in the report to make an informed decision on the relocation of the panels.  The Director assured Members that thorough consideration had been given to alternative locations, and that this had included non-Barbican estate sites. 

Members recalled that on 18 September 2012, the Planning and Transportation Committee resolved to grant listed building consent for the removal and safe storage of the ceramic panels.  This permission was subject to a S106 agreement which provided that every effort should be made to find the panels a new home in the City.  The report to committee indicated that a suitable and agreeable location had been found on the Barbican High Walk after consultation with English Heritage and the 20^th Century Society who had indicated a preference for the panels to remain in the City and to be attached to a listed building; and that the S106 required Goldman Sachs to use all reasonable endeavours to secure its safe relocation. 

Following a question raised, the Director confirmed that a suitable British Telecom building had not been identified.

Members voted on a motion to request that the Planning and Transportation Committee reconsiders alternative locations.

Vote – 1 in favour, 6 against and 2 abstentions.  The Motion was lost and it was therefore -

RESOLVED – That,

1)     the Culture Heritage and Libraries Committee be recommended to agree in principal to the relocation of the panels to the Barbican High Walk and that on completion of the works the ownership shall be transferred to the City Corporation along with a dowry

Joint report of the Director of the Built Environment and the Director of Public Relations.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of the Built Environment and Public Relations which outlined the major events planned for 2013.

It was requested that the next report for 2014 should identify how many additional events had been scheduled.

Members discussed the short term road closure which was being proposed to facilitate the Children’s parade and suggested that consideration be given to holding the event on a Saturday.  The Director confirmed that if the impact of the road closure was deemed too large, then a weekend event could be looked at in more detail and that this would be reviewed in the context of planning for 2014 events.

It was agreed to include another column in the events table which identified the benefit to the City of each event.

‘Beating the Bounds (on motorcycles)’ – following a question raised, the Director agreed to clarify the position as regards the use of motorcycles following the meeting.

RESOLVED – That,

1)     the report be major events taking place in the City be noted;

2)     the progress and planning to date in relation the RideLondon Cycling event be noted; and

3)     a short term road closure be agreed to facilitate the Children’s Parade planned to take place on 28 June 2013.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Consideration was given to a report of the Town Clerk which provided details of action taken by the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee in accordance with Standing Order 41(a) and 41(b).

In addition to the approval of the temporary installation of the Robert Hooke Bell and Globe View Walkway (opening up and enhancing the Riverside Walkway), a decision had also been take regarding the Millennium Bridge paving approach as follows –

Millennium Bridge paving approach - In September, the Streets and Walkways and Projects Sub Committees approved an options appraisal report on the Millennium Bridge area enhancement project.

Members agreed that Options 1 and 2a be progressed to ‘authority to start work stage’ at an estimated cost of £1,473,305 (inclusive of £350,000 for re-paving the Millennium Bridge Approach) and that the paving options for the Millennium Bridge Approach be finalised.

The Sub Committees agreed to trial paving options on site in order to assist Members and for approval of that element of the project to be delegated to the Town Clerk in consultation with Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of the Policy and Resources and Planning and Transportation Committees and the Projects and Streets and Walkways Sub-Committees.

The trial of the new paving pattern and the cleaning of an area of the existing paving was undertaken in November 2012.  Members of the Streets and Walkways and Projects Sub Committee visited the site to inspect the paving on 7^th December 2012.  Members expressed a preference for the area of existing paving that had been cleaned and agreed that the existing paving should be repaired. They also expressed a desire to carry out these works as soon as possible.

It was therefore agreed, under Delegated Authority, to take forward Options

A question was raised in relation to the crossing at Lower Thames Street.  Members were informed that there were problems with the crossing and it was hoped an update would be received from Transport for London in the next week.

There were no items of urgent business.