Agenda item

Redesigning the Trust's Work for the Covid-19 Health Crisis and Beyond

Report of the CGO

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the CGO assessing the impact of the Covid-19 health crisis on the work of City Bridge Trust and offering several recommendations for the work of the Trust going forward. The Committee noted the revised version of the report that had been circulated. The CGO introduced the report and drew Members’ to the key points and recommendations.

 

The Committee discussed the additional resource of £200 million Bridge House Estates funding agreed by the March 2020 Court of Common Council meeting, noting that drawing some of this funding into the 2020-21 grant year had been considered. Members recognised the significant impact of Covid-19, but hoped to retain opportunities for larger, longer-term strategic grant funding. The CGO responded that this was the case, and whilst it was possible there would be some call on the funds to facilitate CBT’s ongoing response to Covid-19, a significant balance would remain.

 

The Chairman drew the Committee’s attention to the revised recommendation to draw funding from the overall Bridging Divides budget for the time being, and suggested that the additional resource be discussed further at the Committee’s strategic away half-day. Whilst there may be unique opportunities post-Covid to use the funding, this would require further detail and discussion at that time. A Member added that they were sympathetic to the notion that the additional resources should be reserved, but noted that the unprecedented nature of Covid-19 and unknown nature of the situation going forward had to be taken into account.

 

RESOLVED – That the City Bridge Trust Committee:

 

a)    Approve an extension to the pause on funding for new grantee projects until the last quarter of 2020-21, asking officers to present plans for funding programmes at your Committee on 28th January 2021;

 

b)    Approve a further £15M allocation from the ‘Bridging Divides’ agreed 5-year (2018-2023) budget for expenditure in this financial year (2020-21); and,

 

c)      Approve £50,000 from the central risk budget for work on the interim Bridging Divides review.

Supporting documents: