Agenda item

Report of the Town Clerk (copy attached).

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk, prepared on behalf of the Governance Review Working Party, which sought comments from the Committee on the governance arrangements introduced in 2011 and the impact that they may have had on the operation of the Committee.

A document was tabled which summarised the Chairman’s suggestion that the Committee consider the creation of a separate Committee for the consideration of West Ham Park business. The Chairman reminded the Committee that those Members who were present for business relating to West Ham Park only were eligible to stand as Chairman and/or deputy Chairman. This presented a dilemma as to the format of the discussion of Open Spaces and City Gardens matters, were one of these Members elected for the role. 

A Member suggested that the Committee return to the arrangement that predated the implementation of the 2010/11 Governance Review. Discussion ensued and Members agreed that in principle the current arrangement had not been satisfactory. 

A Member who had been nominated by the heirs-at-law of the late John Gurney advised that they appreciated the proposal, however as it had been tabled they had received insufficient time to consider the matter. The Chairman undertook personally to write to the Committee to clarify his proposed response to the Governance Review. Discussion ensued and the Committee agreed to delegate to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman the task of drafting a document to be submitted to the Governance Review Working Party for Consideration.

The Town Clerk reminded Members of the convention that one observer nominated by the Epping Forest & Commons Committee and one observer nominated by the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood & Queen’s Park Committee would sit on the Committee, however this had never been reflected in the Committee’s terms of reference. Discussion ensued and Members decided to refer this matter to the Governance Review Working Party. The Director reminded Members that the Open Spaces Committee, which existed prior to the Governance Review, had a third observer from the Committee of Managers of West Ham Park. If the option of creating a separate Committee for discussion of West Ham Park business were pursued it would be necessary for the new Committee to nominate an observer to sit on the Open Spaces, City Gardens & West Ham Park Committee.

A Member advised that they believed the Cemetery should be under the management of the Committee, rather than the Port Health & Environmental Services Committee. The Director advised that it made practical sense in management terms to have both the cemetery and the crematorium under the management of one Committee. Discussion ensued and Members agreed to reconsider the matter in twelve months’ time.

RESOLVED: that,

i)      the Committee submit the discussion captured above for consideration by the Governance Review Working Party.

ii)    the Committee delegate to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, the task of drafting a further document containing recommendations regarding future governance arrangements for the Committee, and the management of the assets currently within its portfolio, to be submitted to the Governance Review Working Party for consideration.

iii)  Members revisit the discussion surrounding the future management of the City of London cemetery and crematorium in twelve months time.