Agenda item

Report of the Director of Communications.

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Director of Communications concerning the merits of making the Members Briefing available to past Members of the Court of Common Council.

The Sub-Committee noted the recommendation was not to make the Members’ Briefing available to past Members on the grounds it would erode current Members’ privileges, risk sensitive information being shared outside the City of London Corporation and lead to Members’ Briefing being seen as a public document which should therefore be displayed on the website.

The Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee expressed support for the Director’s recommendation commenting that in her view the Members’ Briefing was a means of keeping serving Members informed of the City Corporation’s activities. However, the majority of Members were of the view that past Members should be kept informed. Members felt that the majority of information in the briefing was public and that, should it be necessary to include anything sensitive, it could be suitably summarised.

Further discussion ensued on alternative options and on how non-pubic information should be dealt with.

RESOLVED – That it be recommended to the Policy and Resources Committee that:

1.      the Members Briefing be made available to past Members; and

2.      the Briefing should not be made available on the website.