Agenda item

To receive a joint report of the Chief Grants Officer, Town Clerk, Chamberlain, and Comptroller and City Solicitor.

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk, Chamberlain, Comptroller and City Solicitor and Chief Grants Officer in response to a request from Members to explain the role of the City of London Corporation as Trustee of the charity, Bridge House Estates (BHE) and to clarify the distinct functions and responsibilities of Committees that carry out business related to BHE.

The Chief Grants Officer remarked that the information contained within the report was all found in the public domain and served to bring all aspects of BHE governance together, and to note that City Bridge Trust (CBT) was the name given to the grant-giving arm (or activities) of the BHE, of which the City of London Corporation was the sole trustee.

Members suggested that this report would serve as useful information for all Members of the Court of Common Council and it was agreed that it be circulated for information to Members at a future meeting of the Court.

The Deputy Chairman drew the attention of Members to the Charity Commission’s guidance on a Council’s Role as Charity Trustee (page 4), which highlighted the importance of separating the management of the charity from the business of the local authority, thereby serving to minimise the risk of conflicts of interest. He noted the recent Quinquennial Review of CBT grant programme categories, and the overall grant-making strategy and its future direction then agreed by the City Bridge Trust Committee and approved by the Court of Common Council, was a sensible arrangement. This process of agreeing grants policy was then supported by Resource Allocation Sub Committee of Policy and Resources who advised on the quantum of BHE income surplus to be used for CBT grant giving.

The Deputy Chairman added that any proposal which shifted CBT grant-giving should be tested against the criteria of local authorities as trustees of charities as set out in the Charity Commission’s Local Authorities’ Charities Guidance.

Members and officers discussed the clarity of information presented in paragraphs 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 on page 5, and it was agreed that these paragraphs should more correctly be made sub paragraphs of paragraph 16. 

A Member suggested that it would be helpful for the revised report to append the current CBT Grants Policy which had recently been agreed.

Members and officers discussed the wording of paragraph 31 (page 8), which currently implied elements of the BHE’s work were conducted through Policy and Resources, which were the remit of CBT. To clarify the information relating to terms of reference currently listed in the report, it was agreed the report would be revised to properly clarify the role of Policy and Resources Committee when acting as BHE trustee.

It was noted that CBT grant-giving over £500,000 was approved through the Court of Common Council and in the past, if the Policy and Resources Committee had noted a surplus it had been given to CBT to be applied by way of grants.  It was requested that the report further clarify the existing governance arrangements in the event that additional BHE funds be released beyond the income surplus allocated annually to the CBT grants budget.

The Deputy Chairman recommended that the existing grant-giving arrangements, which were in accordance with the Charity Commission’s Local Authorities Charities Guidance and demonstrated good governance of charitable activities within a local authority, be continued in the future.

The Chairman proposed and it was agreed that officers revise the report with amendments noted and the Town Clerk circulate to Members of the Committee for comment. The report would then be agreed though delegated authority by the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, in consultation with the Chief Grants Officer, and presented for information at a future meeting of the Court of Common Council.

RESOLVED- That

a)    a report be brought to the Court of Common Council for information, subject to the amendments referred to in the detail above that explains the role of the City of London Corporation as Trustee of Bridge House Estates; and

b)    the report to clarify the role of the Trust, the separation of functions and responsibilities of the Policy and Resources Committee, with particular reference to its Resource Allocation Sub Committee, Bridge House Estates, and the City Bridge Trust Committee.