Key information
Executive summary
• Appointment for 2.5 days per week of the Chair of the London Night Time Commission, for an initial one-year period from Autumn 2016 to Autumn 2017.
• Appointment of the Night Czar for 2.5 days per week, for an initial period of one year from Autumn 2016 to Autumn 2017.
Decision
The Mayor:
1. Approves expenditure of up to £35,000 for the appointment of the Night Czar for 2.5 days a week for a period of one year from Autumn 2016 to Autumn 2017.
2. Approves expenditure of up to £35,000 plus on-costs for the appointment of a Chair of the Night Time Commission for an initial one-year period, for 2.5 days per week, from Autumn 2016 to Autumn 2017.
3. Make appointments to both roles.
Part 1: Non-confidential facts and advice
1.1 In his election manifesto, the Mayor has committed to deliver on a number of cultural priorities over his four-year term. A Culture and Creative Industries Delivery Group has now been set up to oversee delivery and monitoring of these manifesto pledges. Developing London into a genuine 24-hour city, protecting pubs, clubs and music venues and diversifying London’s night time economy are now top Mayoral priorities.
1.2 The appointment of a Night Czar as a part-time role was approved by the Mayor in MD2023 in August 2016. Following the recruitment process for the Night Czar, it was clear that the workload, breadth of skills, knowledge and experience required cannot be delivered by one person.
1.3 Since approving MD2023, the volume, profile and urgency of this work has increased significantly due to the closure of several key clubs and venues and the launch of the night tube.
1.4 It is therefore proposed that the Mayor appoints a Night Czar for 2.5 days per week, as approved on MD2023, and in addition appoints a Chair of the London Night Time Commission for 2.5 days per week. Each will have complementary skills and responsibilities.
• The Night Czar will develop a Vision for 24-hour London. They will also be at the frontline of this work, meeting business operators, residents, councils and the police across London, experiencing first-hand the challenges they face. The Czar will develop initiatives to support the night time economy with the Chair of the Night Time Commission. They will also provide problem-solving support where required and be a high profile champion for the night time economy.
• The Chair of the Night Time Commission will manage partnerships with key stakeholders at a London-wide level. They will convene a coalition of advisors from local authorities, the business community, culture sector, police and residents. The Chair will ensure that all key stakeholders have a voice in the formation of policy and the implementation of strategy. Together with the Night Czar they will implement policy and strategy that realises the Vision for 24-hour London.
• Both the Night Czar and the Chair of the Night Time Commission will also work closely with the London Music Board, particularly on implementing the Agent of Change principle across planning, licensing and environmental health policy, plus business rates and the a campaign to better promote London’s music offering.
1.5 As London welcomes the Night Tube, the capital needs to maximise the economic and social impact of a growing night time economy while ensuring that public safety is maintained and residents can get a good night’s sleep. To lead this work, the GLA is appointing a Night Czar and a Chair of the Night Time Commission. They will work with all of the Deputy Mayors to ensure a well-planned and strategic approach as London develops into a genuine 24-hour city.
1.6 This document seeks approval for the expenditure of GLA funds in order to provide the appropriate resources to deliver the Mayor’s ambitions for a 24-hour London
1.7 Night Czar
1.7.1 The Night Czar will be a high profile figure-head, championing London’s evening and night time economy and creating a Vision for 24-hour London.
1.7.2 The Night Czar will develop this Vision in collaboration with the Chair of the Night Time Commission and other key stakeholders in London’s local authorities, the night time and cultural industries, residents, the police, transport and other key agencies.
1.7.3 London will be the biggest city in the world to appoint a Night Czar. There will also be a significant national and international element to the role. Learning from other cities, and sharing best practice will be at the heart of the Night Czar’s work.
1.7.4 The Night Czar will be directly appointed by the Mayor on a GLA consultancy contract for 2.5 days per week for an initial fixed period of 1 year. The remuneration will be £35,000 for the year.
1.7.5 The previous Night Czar role was advertised on the GLA website for three weeks in August 2016. The specification identified the skills, knowledge and experience sought. A total of 186 candidates applied for the role and 9 candidates were interviewed. The process for appointment was fair, open and transparent.
1.8 Chair of the Night Time Commission
1.8.1 An expert Chair is required to convene and lead an advisory group of key stakeholders from across the night time economy. They will develop the work started by the current Night Time Commission. The Chair will also review the aims, objectives, membership and structure of the current Night Time Commission to ensure that this important area of work draws upon the necessary support and advice from across the night time economy.
1.8.2 The Chair will ensure that the views and ideas of local authorities, businesses, residents, the police and other key agencies are heard and properly considered during the development and implementation of policy. The Chair will work with the Night Czar to ensure that the Vision and Roadmap for London as a 24-hour City has the support of key stakeholders and, from a technical and cultural point of view, can be implemented.
1.8.3 The Chair’s role and responsibilities will complement that of the Night Czar. The Chair will have a detailed understanding of the policies, processes and systems underpinning the night time economy. They will also have a track record working collaboratively and finding common ground between diverse stakeholders. They will also be adept in developing clear and effective best practice guidance.
1.8.4 The Chair will be directly appointed by the Mayor. The role will be an Office Holder post, for 2.5 days per week for an initial fixed period of 1 year. The remuneration will be £35,000 plus on-costs for the year. The aim is to appoint the Chair in November 2016. The role will be supported by the GLA Culture Team.
1.9 Night Time Commission
1.9.1 The Night Time Commission was set up to advise the Mayor on the challenges and opportunities of the evening and night time economy. The Commission includes leading figures and key stakeholders from across the night time economy including local authorities, businesses, the culture sector, TfL, the police and other agencies. They have supported the appointment of the Night Czar, overseen research into economic, social and crime trends in the night time economy, and run various task groups.
1.9.2 Over the coming year, the Commission will be reviewed and refreshed to provide the Night Czar and Chair with challenge, advice, a wealth of experience, expert knowledge and access to vital networks. The Commission will ensure that a wide range of voices are heard in the creation of the Vision for 24-hour London. They will also play an active role in developing the Road Map, showing how the Vision will be implemented and producing the 24-hour London Best Practice Guidance. Finally, Commission members will ensure that their sectors are regularly updated.
2.1 The appointment of a Chair of the Night Time Commission for 2.5 days per week for an initial fixed period of 1 year (Autumn 2016 to Autumn 2017) to deliver the following objectives:
• Review the aims, objectives, members and structure of the Night Time Commission, including a skills audit to ensure that the group contains the diverse skills and experience required to deliver the Mayor’s commitment to transform London into a genuine 24-hour city.
• Chair up to 6 meetings of the Night Time Commission per year.
• Update the workplan of the Night Time Commission, including working groups to develop policy, process, events or publications, research and developing commercial partnerships, to support the implementation of the 24-hour city programme.
• The Night Czar and the Chair of the Night Time Commission will hold a monthly update meeting with the Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries to track progress against the workplan.
• Ensure all key stakeholders are consulted on and support the Vision for 24-hour London.
• Carry out speaking engagements on behalf of the Mayor.
• Produce a Roadmap in collaboration with the Night Czar and the Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries to implement the Vision.
• Work with the Night Czar, Night Time Commission, Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries and the Culture Team to create best practice guidance for the night time economy.
• Monitor and evaluate the success of the programme in partnership with local authorities, night time industries and other key stakeholders.
The role will deliver the following outcomes:
• Local authorities, night time industries, the culture sector, police, transport agencies and other key stakeholders have a strong voice, robust representation and are at the heart of policy development as well as implementation of the 24-hour London programme.
• There is a better understanding across all sectors of the challenges and opportunities for London’s night time economy and a plan to address / realise them.
• There is better coordination and collaboration across London in the development of London’s night time activity.
• Best practice in the development and diversification of the night time economy is contributed to and shared between London’s local authorities, businesses, the police and other agencies, including national and international examples.
• The Vision for London as a 24-hour city is widely supported by key stakeholders across London.
• Challenges around the balance between residential and late night uses have been properly addressed through the Vision and Roadmap.
• Establish London as one of the world’s leading 24-hour cities.
3.1 Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the Mayor must have ‘due regard’ to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation as well as to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. Protected characteristics under section 149 of the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership status (duty to eliminate unlawful discrimination only).
3.2 In relation to the obligation to have due regard to the need to advance equality of opportunity between those who share protected characteristics and those who don’t, this involves having due regard in particular to the need to remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by persons who share a protected characteristic that are connected to that characteristic; taking steps to meet the needs of persons who share a relevant protected characteristic that are different from the needs of persons who do not share it; and encouraging persons who share a relevant protected characteristic to participate in public life or in any other activity in which participation by such persons is disproportionately low.
3.3 The steps involved in meeting the needs of disabled persons that are different from the needs of persons who are not disabled include, in particular, steps to take account of disabled persons' disabilities.
3.4 Having due regard to the need to foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it involves having due regard, in particular, to the need to: (a) tackle prejudice, and (b) promote understanding.
3.5 London's diversity is its biggest asset and we strive to ensure our appointments reflect London's diversity at all levels. The proposed appointments will be made regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. The GLA advertised widely to attract the most diverse applicant pool. There was a shortlisting and interview process against criteria.
3.6 The Night Czar and the Chair of the Night Time Commission will take into consideration that the growth of the night time economy (7PM – 7AM) may impact different groups in different ways, for example residents, young Londoners, night shift workers, workers on low incomes. The equalities implications of the Night Czar’s work will be actively considered on an ongoing basis.
3.7 The Night Time Commission is specifically addressing how the safety of women attending night time activities or working at night can be improved. The Night Time Commission is working closely with the Queer Venues Network.
3.8 Accessibility consultants Attitude is Everything are a member of the London Music Board and will work closely with the Night Czar and Night Time Commission to ensure that disabled workers and consumers are considered in the development of policy and strategy.
4.1 Key risks and issues.
4.1.1 There is a reputational risk if the Mayor does not deliver on his election manifesto for culture. The Culture Delivery Group will meet regularly and include representation across the GLA and GLA family to ensure pledges are on target for delivery.
4.1.2 The previous Night Czar role, which included the responsibilities of the proposed consultant, was advertised on the GLA website for three weeks and a total of 186 candidates applied for the role and 9 candidates were interviewed. The proposed Night Czar consultancy contract has not been subject to a formal tender process in accordance with the GLA Contracts and Funding Code however the process for appointment was fair, open and transparent and appointments will be made from those who applied as part of this process. It was from this process (in order to secure the right skills and experience) and due to the increase in work in this area that it was identified that the role should be split and two different roles appointed. As the proposed consultant will be appointed from amongst those who applied for the previous Night Czar role as part of an open and competitive appointment process, it is therefore not considered necessary in these very specific and exceptional circumstances to engage in a further formal tender process before the consultant is appointed.
4.1.3 The Mayor has already informally consulted with all the members of the Night Time Commission, including local authorities, the Night Time Industries Association, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, the Metropolitan Police, the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, the Department for Culture Media and Sport, the Home Office, London First and Transport for London, with a number of additional local authorities and with the Music Venue Trust. Their views have been taken into account in the decision to appoint a Night Czar. Further consultation will form an integral part of the work of the Night Czar and the Chair of the Night time Commission who will actively engage with key stakeholders as part of the work he/she does.
4.2 Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities
This role will directly support the following Mayor’s manifesto pledges:
• Appointing a Night Czar to champion London’s vibrant night time economy.
• Strengthen planning protections for small industrial and creative workspaces and for London’s iconic pubs.
• Protect London’s live music venues, clubs and pubs by introducing an ‘Agent of Change’ rule so new developments next to existing venues meet soundproofing costs.
• Build on London’s vital tourist industry by promoting the city’s cultural riches – our fashion, music, design, film, art and architecture - to Londoners, the rest of Britain and the world, taking forward the work of London and Partners in this area.
And will also support the following manifesto pledges:
• Produce a Cultural Infrastructure Plan for 2030 to identify what we need in order to sustain London’s future as a cultural capital.
• Create a Love London Pass giving Londoners discounts and reductions across the city to exhibitions, galleries, restaurants, shows and concerts.
• Continue to back major cultural festivals.
5.1 The total expenditure of up to £35,000 plus on-costs of £4,000 related to the appointment of a Chair of the London Night Time Commission and up to £35,000 for the Night Czar covering a period of one year only, as detailed in the body of this report, will be resourced by a reallocation of existing funds within the 2016/17 Fourth Plinth Budget (as additional income has been generated following the sale of a commission).
6.1 Section 30(1) of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (“GLA Act) gives the Mayor the power to do anything which he considers will further the promotion of economic development, wealth creation and social development in Greater London. Section 34(1) of the GLA Act gives the Mayor the power to do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of the Mayor’s other functions.
6.2 The Mayor’s general power in section 30, and the subsidiary powers in section 34, provide a statutory basis for these appointments to be made: for the Night Czar consultancy contract to be entered into; and for the office holder and Chair of the Night Time Commission to be paid a reasonable level of remuneration commensurate with the responsibilities of the post and in accordance with GLA use of resources guidance.
6.3 In determining whether, or how, to exercise his general power in section 30(1) to make this appointment, the Mayor is required to have regard to the effect of using the power on: the health of persons in Greater London; health inequalities between persons living in Greater London; the achievement of sustainable development in the UK; and climate change and the consequences of it.
6.4 When exercising the section 30(1) power, the Mayor is also required to do so in a way which he considers is best calculated to promote or contribute to those objectives and will best further the promotion of the Mayor’s other statutory purposes.
6.5 The power in section 30(1) is exercisable only after consultation with such bodies or persons as the Mayor may consider appropriate. When considering what consultation (if any) is appropriate, the Mayor must consider consulting:
• any London local authority;
• the Common Council;
• voluntary bodies some or all of whose activities benefit the whole or part of Greater London;
• bodies which represent the interests of different racial, ethnic or national groups in Greater London;
• bodies which represent the interests of different religious groups in Greater London; and
• bodies which represent the interests of persons carrying on business in Greater London.
Signed decision document
MD2044 24-Hour London - Chair of Night Time Commission (Signed)