POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE 6 September 2012 Minutes of the meeting of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Guildhall, London EC2 on THURSDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 2012 at 1.45a.m. Present Members: Mark Boleat, Chairman Deputy Catherine McGuinness Deputy Ken Ayers, Chief Commoner Deputy Joyce Nash Deputy John Barker Henry Pollard Deputy John Bennett Stephen Quilter Deputy Michael Cassidy John Scott Ray Catt Deputy Dr Giles Shilson Roger Chadwick Sir Michael Snyder Simon Duckworth John Tomlinson Dr Martin Dudley Deputy Michael Welbank Bob Duffield Alderman Fiona Woolf Martin Farr Alderman Sir Robert Finch Alderman Roger Gifford George Gillon Deputy Edward Lord Jeremy Mayhew Officers: Chris Duffield - Town Clerk Chris Bilsland - Chamberlain Michael Cogher - Comptroller and City Solicitor Philip Everett - Director of the Built Environment Peter Bennett - City Surveyor William Chapman - Private Secretary to the Lord Mayor David Pearson - Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries Peter Rees - City Planning Officer Caroline Al-Beyerty Chamberlain’s- Office Paul Beckett - Director of Planning Policy Fiona Hoban - Remembrancer’s Office Simon Murrells - Assistant Town Clerk Liz Skelcher - Assistant Director of Economic Development Tony Halmos - Director of Public Relations Jeremy Fern - Economic Development Office John Ingamells - Economic Development Office Jenny Field - Assistant Grants Officer Tim Wilson - City Bridge Trust Neil Davies - Town Clerk’s Office Angela Roach - Town Clerk’s Office Retirement of the Town Clerk, Chris Duffield The Chairman advised Members that this would be the Town Clerk’s last meeting of the Policy Committee before he retired after nine years of service. He commended Chris Duffield on his work, particularly his ability to tackle major issues and the sensitivities attached to them such as Crossrail, the City Corporation’s ward boundary review, the review of corporate governance and the Occupy protest camp. He stated that the Town Clerk had worked with three very different Chairmen and had built a good relationship with each one, offering wise counselling when needed. He concluded by thanking him on behalf of the Committee for all his hard work, his dedication and loyalty and wished him a very enjoyable retirement. The Committee endorsed his sentiments. 1. APOLOGIES Apologies were received from Deputy Doug Barrow, Stuart Fraser, Marianne Fredericks, Alderman Sir David Howard, Hugh Morris and James Tumbridge. 2. DECLARATIONS BY MEMBERS OF PERSONAL OR PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS IN RESPECT OF ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THIS MEETING The Comptroller and City Solicitor referred to the declaration of interests in items concerning grants to outside bodies on which the City Corporation appoints a representative such as the St Lawrence Jewry proposal at Item No. 35. He advised that some confusion had arisen over whether interests were personal or prejudicial and explained that under previous rules a representative appointed by the authority to an outside body did not have an interest to declare in respect of items concerning that body. However, that rule had been abolished. Representatives now have a personal interest to declare in relation to business relating to that outside body and that interest becomes prejudicial where it concerns funding issues such as grants. The Chairman declared an interest in Item 17 as a member of the Centre for London Board and in Item 19 by virtue of receiving hospitality from the Centre for European Reform. Alderman Sir Robert Finch and John Scott declared a personal interest in Item No. 16 by virtue of serving on the Boards of the London Symphony Orchestra and the Museum of London Arts Trust respectively. Roger Chadwick declared a personal and prejudicial interest in item 35 as Treasurer to St Lawrence Jewry. Edward Lord declared a personal interest in matters affecting London Councils as Chairman of Capital Ambition and its Lead Member for Improvement. 3. MINUTES The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 5 July 2012 were approved. 4. PROJECTS SUB-COMMITTEE MINUTES The public minutes and summary of the Sub-Committee meeting held on 17July 2012 were considered and noted. 5. RESOURCE ALLOCATION SUB-COMMITTEE MINUTES The public minutes and summary of the Sub-Committee meeting held on 26th July 2012 were considered and noted. 6. CORPORATE ASSET SUB-COMMITTEE MINUTES The public minutes and summary of the Sub-Committee meeting held on 19th June 2012 were considered and noted. 7. 2012 SUB-COMMITTEE MINUTES The public minutes of the Sub-Committee meeting held on 13th July 2012 were considered and noted. 8. MEMBERS PRIVILEGES SUB-COMMITTEE MINUTES The public minutes and summary of the Sub-Committee meeting held on 27th June 2012 were considered and noted. 9. FINANCIAL LOSS SCHEME The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk reviewing the Members’ Financial Loss Scheme. A Member stated that whilst he was not supportive of the payment of allowances he did feel that there was a case for increasing the income limit of the current Financial Loss Scheme to, say, £50,000 to assist those on lower incomes. Several Members supported his sentiments. A number of Members were of the view that the current Financial Loss Scheme did not work as it did not address the issues of working at weekends, travel costs or those on lower incomes therefore the payment of an annual allowance was a better option. After further discussion the Chairman asked for an informal show of hands which resulted in 18 Members being in favour of an increase to the income threshold for the Scheme and 5 Members in favour of the introduction of an annual payment. Members also supported the income threshold being increased to £50,000. RESOLVED - That the Members’ Financial Loss Scheme be retained but that the income threshold be increased to £50,000. 10. POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE GOVERNANCE The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning proposed revisions to the Committee’s current governance arrangements following the changes implemented in 2011 as a result of a comprehensive review of the City Corporation’s corporate governance arrangements. It was noted that the suggested changes had been considered at an informal meeting of the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee and that proposals agreed this day would be submitted to the Post-Implementation Governance Review Working Party. The Committee proceeded to consider the proposals in turn:- Corporate Asset Sub-Committee (CASC) A Member stated that whilst he was content for the Committee’s operational property management responsibilities to be transferred to the Finance Committee the allocation of financial resources between property and non- property investments should remain with the Resource Allocation Sub- Committee. Energy and Sustainability Sub-Committee Members supported the wider aspects of the Committee’s responsibilities for this area of work being transferred to the Planning and Transportation Committee with the more practical energy and conservation initiatives for the Guildhall Complex and other operational properties being transferred to the Finance Committee to come under CASC. Economic Development and Public Relations Members discussed the proposal for oversight of these areas to be undertaken by the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee rather than creating a new Sub- Committee. It was suggested that, as Resource Allocation Sub already had a very wide remit, it would be more appropriate for the City Corporation’s Economic Development activities to be incorporated into the work of the existing Public Relations Sub-Committee. The Committee supported this suggestion including widening the membership of the new sub-committee to reflect the change. Hospitality and Members Privileges Members noted the proposal to create a new non-ward committee to oversee hospitality and Members’ privileges activities. Concern was expressed about the possible loss of strategic direction if the two activities were to move to another committee. It was therefore suggested that both areas should be combined and be overseen by a sub-committee, Board or such other body of the Policy Committee. It should be chaired by the Chief Commoner and he or she should have the ability to speak and respond to questions at the Court. It was noted that the arrangement would be similar to that in place for the Chairmen of the Financial and Property Investment Boards and that it would also facilitate some Members to serve bearing in mind the rule on the number of Grand Committees on which Members could serve. Position of the Deputy Chairman The Chairman highlighted the reasons for considering alternative arrangements for the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, particularly to address the long lead-in time to becoming Chairman, the need to include more Members in the work of the Committee and to assist with the increasing high volume of work undertaken by the Chairman. He explained that appointing more than one Deputy Chairman would help with this and that it would not have implications for other committees. A Member suggested that rather than appointing three Deputy Chairmen on an annual basis as proposed, consideration should be given to appointing one Deputy Chairman as now, but with the addition of two Vice Chairmen. This would add clarity and be less complicated than the current proposal. Several Members supported this suggestion. RESOLVED – That the following be approved and be submitted to the Post- Implementation Review of Governance Working Party for consideration:- i) the operational