Agenda item

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

Members considered a report of the Director of Economic Development regarding the City of London Corporation’s activities at the 2016 Party Conferences and the following points were made.

·         A Member expressed disappointment at not being included in a City Corporation roundtable event. In response, the Chairman noted that the City would derive greater benefit from its Members attending as wide a range of fringe events as possible.

·         A Member noted that this year’s format of private roundtables was a new approach by the City, and that the format could have been better communicated to Members.

·         Members agreed that attendees at conferences should seek to be more collaborative with one another to ensure the City Corporation derived maximum benefit from their attendance. For example, officers should identify a programme of key fringe events that Members should aim to attend.

·         Members should be encouraged to feedback from their meetings so that any relevant intelligence was ‘captured’ and fed into the work of the City Corporation.

·         Members felt that the roundtable approach was more effective than fringe events. Officers should however design events that were more likely to attract key audiences. One example would be a reception-style event that would attract flying visits from key stakeholders who wished to attend several events in one evening.

·         The Chairman noted that it was his impression that senior City figures did not attend the Conservative Party Conference and that instead attendance came from mid-level public affairs figures. In response, a Member therefore suggested that the Economic Development Office map out likely attendees from City businesses so that guest lists could be designed accordingly.  

·         A Member noted that the City should seek to reach out beyond City issues and deal with other issues such as social mobility.