Agenda item

Joint report of the Director of Innovation & Growth and the Director of Communications.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of Innovation & Growth and the Director of Communications regarding the need for a large scale and sustained promotional campaign to entice workers back to the Square Mile sooner and give people compelling reasons to return frequently.

The following points emerged during discussion:

·           Members strongly endorsed the proposed approach, as well as the suggestion that thought be given to increasing the level of resource available in support of this initiative. The Committee agreed to delegate authority to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chairman, to consider related proposals as required.

·           It was urged that any intended activity be grounded in what City businesses were planning or encouraging their employees to do. This would ensure that efforts did not end up simply functioning as a marketing exercise but, instead, resulted in a co-ordinated and considered approach.

·           It was suggested that initiatives such as the roll-out of a “City gift card” should be explored, in an effort to stimulate spending at local businesses.

·           Caution was urged in respect of ensuring that any approach, whilst supporting London-wide recovery, remained politically neutral the in run-up to the Mayoral election.

·           Members reflected on the difficult tensions between necessary budget cuts in some areas and expenditure on initiatives such as this, noting the importance of prioritisation. This included items such as expenditure on public toilets, which would be a necessary provision in plans to bring people back to the City, whilst opportunities to leverage activity in some areas for the benefit of other objectives should also be explored. In this particular instance, could this increased engagement with workers and businesses be leveraged into an opportunity to increase voter registration, for example.

·           It was urged that any planned events or activity be coordinated carefully with neighbouring boroughs.

RESOLVED: That:-

1.      The City of London recovery promotional campaign core purpose and success metrics be approved, as set out in the report.

2.      The phase 1 budget of £250k be approved, to be met from the COIVD Contingency Fund in order to launch the recovery campaign by spring/summer 2021.

3.      Authority be delegated to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chairman, to consider further funding allocation to this campaign.