Agenda item

Report of the Managing Director

The Committee considered a report of the Managing Director of BHE providing an update on key areas of activity and outlining upcoming activities. The Managing Director of BHE introduced the report and drew Members’ attention to the key points. The Managing Director of BHE advised Members to provide any feedback on the Committee or the charity’s governance arrangements to officers ahead of the scheduled review to be considered at the 27 March BHE Board meeting. The Committee then noted the deadline for applications for Co-opted Member positions on the Committee later that day, with a number of applications having been received.

The Managing Director of BHE also reminded Members that City Bridge Trust’s (CBT) Funded Organisations Networking and Learning day would take place on 20 March 2023 at the Barbican Centre, with Members encouraged to attend and take part if available.

Foundation Practice Rating (FPR)

The Managing Director of BHE advised that CBT were pleased to be part of the FRP scheme having recently been assessed, receiving a score of AAC and an overall score of B. As CBT had scored lowest on diversity, officers were now addressing the findings to see where improvements could be made to achieve a rating of A. The Managing Director of BHE advised that a Lead Member for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) had now been appointed and officers would seek their support in this work.

A Member commented that they were aware that the issue had been raised at a recent fundraising event, adding that as the charity was under scrutiny, it was important to uphold standards on diversity, particularly insofar as particular standards were expected of others. The Managing Director of BHE confirmed that one of the Funding Directors had been present at the event where this had been discussed and that officers had been open and transparent in their response.

Another Member commented that they felt that was not necessarily an issue for CBT to expect higher standards of organisations it worked with whilst working to improve its own standards concurrently, adding the framing of EDI issues was sometimes wrong across the sector, which replicated many of the issues seen across wider society. The Member added that it was preferable to make progress as part of a shared journey than risk delaying required actions.

The Chair commented that some elements such as staffing were limited in the rate at which they could be affected, adding that whilst the charity had made great progress, focus could be increased in areas requiring more attention.

Responding to Funding Enquiries

The Managing Director of BHE reminded Members that approaches to them regarding CBT funding should be directed to the website to check matters such as eligibility prior to beginning an application. The Managing Director of BHE added that a suggested response would be circulated to Members to note and for use when responding in writing.

Anchor Programme

The Committee received a briefing on the Anchor Programme, setting out its aims and requirements ahead of a dedicated report to be brought to the next meeting. It was noted that information on the programme was expected to be accessible on the CBT website imminently.

The Chair then gave thanks to Stewart Goshawk on his last meeting of the Committee before moving on from BHE in April 2023. The Chair thanked Stewart on behalf of the Committee for his incredible longstanding service to CBT and to BHE, and for his invaluable expertise and leadership, wishing him well at WNST and for the future.

The Chair also thanked officers for their work undertaken in awarding over 300 grants in short space of time in the form of funding uplifts to assist funded organisations in tackling inflation and cost of living issues.

RESOLVED – That the Grants Committee of the BHE Board, in the discharge of functions for the City Corporation as Trustee of Bridge House Estates and solely in the charity’s best interests:

i)              Note the contents of the report; and

ii)             Approve the recommendation, in relation to London’s Giving, not to proceed with proposals to establish a Match Fund for place-based giving schemes in London.