Agenda and minutes
GLA Oversight Committee - Thursday 11 December 2014 10.00 am

1.1  Apologies for absence were received from Joanne McCartney AM and Valerie Shawcross CBE AM for whom John Biggs AM attended as a substitute Member.

The Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Note the offices held by Assembly Members, as set out in the table at Agenda Item 2, as disclosable pecuniary interests;

(b)   Note the declaration by any Member(s) of any disclosable pecuniary interests in specific items listed on the agenda and the necessary action taken by the Member(s) regarding withdrawal following such declaration(s); and

(c)   Note the declaration by any Member(s) of any other interests deemed to be relevant (including any interests arising from gifts and hospitality received which are not at the time of the meeting reflected on the Authority’s register of gifts and hospitality, and noting also the advice from the GLA’s Monitoring Officer set out at Agenda Item 2) and to note any necessary action taken by the Member(s) following such declaration(s).

2.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

2.2  Resolved:

That the list of Assembly Members’ appointments, as set out in the table at Agenda Item 2, be noted as disclosable pecuniary interests.

The Committee is recommended to confirm the minutes of the meeting of the GLA Oversight Committee held on 20 November 2014 to be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

3.1  Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting of the GLA Oversight Committee held on 20 November 2014 be signed by the Chair as a correct record

4.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

4.2  Resolved:

That the completed and outstanding actions arising from previous meetings of the GLA Oversight Committee be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  John Barry; [email protected]; 020 7983 4425 

The Committee is recommended to note the action taken by the Chair of the Committee under delegated authority.

5.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat setting out recent correspondence issued by the Chair of the GLA Oversight Committee under delegated authority.

5.2  Resolved:

That the recent actions taken by the Chair of the Committee under delegated authority be noted.

6.1  The Committee received the oral update of the Head of Paid Service.

6.2  The Head of Paid Service advised the Committee of the Mayor’s recent meeting with the Congress of London at which it was agreed that the Mayor and the Chair of London Councils would write jointly to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and to the Minister of State for Universities, Science and Cities, requesting a meeting on devolution and public service reform. The letter would also include suggested items for discussion, including a number of issues that the Assembly had previously commented on, such as skills, employment and welfare to work. The Head of Paid Service agreed to circulate the letter to Assembly Members in due course.

6.3  The Committee was also advised of arrangements for the New Year’s Eve London firework display and the Head of Paid Service was joined by the Assistant Director, External Relations for the item. The Committee was informed that the decision to ticket the event had arisen from the emergency services’ advice that the event in its previous format had become untenable due to the large numbers involved and so, after considering a range of options, the Mayor had taken the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Report of the Head of Paid Service

Contact: Juliette Carter; [email protected]; 020 7983 4194

The Committee is recommended to note the report and respond to Head of Paid Service consultation on the pay award.

7.1  The Committee received the report of the Head of Paid Service.

7.2  The Committee was informed of a further suggestion from Unison, submitted that day, proposing a 1.5% consolidated increase for 2014-15 backdated to 1 April 2014 and a further 1.25% consolidated increase for 2015-16 which Unison had estimated would equate to a 2.75% increase to basic salary over two years and which would cost the Authority £1.2 million to implement.  Although the timing of the proposal had not allowed for detailed analysis, the Head of Paid Service stated that initial calculations had indicated a more significant cost to the Authority and that the proposal would impact on the GLA’s budget position and ability to meet its savings targets; the Head of Paid Service was therefore not minded to recommend the proposal for consideration.

7.3  Andrew Boff AM was of the view that the current state of the economy would be unable to sustain generous pay increases and therefore he, and other Members in the GLA Conservatives, would support the 1% pay award suggestion, detailed in paragraph 4.2 of the report. However, the Labour Group, Liberal Democrat Group and the Green Party Group Members on the Committee expressed a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact: Katie Smith; [email protected]; 020 7983 4423 

The Committee is recommended to note the report, put questions to the invited guests and note the discussion.

8.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

8.2  In attendance for this item were the following people:

·  Sir Edward Lister – Chief of Staff, GLA;

·  Tom Middleton - Head of Governance & Resilience, GLA;

·  Dr Deborah Turbitt - Deputy Regional Director for Health Protection,  Public Health England (PHE); and

·  Marc Beveridge - Regional Lead EPRR London, PHE.

8.3  A transcript of the discussion is attached as Appendix 1.

8.4  Resolved:

That the report and discussion be noted.

Report of the Head of Paid Service

Contact:  Amanda Coyle; [email protected]; 020 7983 4321

The Committee is recommended to note the report.

9.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

9.2  In attendance for this item were the following people:

·  Munira Mirza, Deputy Mayor for Education and Culture; and

·  Amanda Coyle, Assistant Director of Health and Communities.

9.3  During the course of the discussion, the Deputy Mayor for Education and Culture was asked to provide the following additional information:

·  Details of how the GLA would maintain an objective and fair-handed approach in administrating European Social Fund monies so that GLA and non-GLA projects would be weighted equally;

·  Confirmation that consideration be given to proactively and dynamically disseminating the project evaluation to young people; and

·  Confirmation that the project evaluation would analyse the reasons for failed matches.

9.4  A transcript of the discussion is attached as Appendix 2.

9.5  Resolved:

That the report and discussion be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Resources

Contact:  Matthew Beals; [email protected]; 020 7983 5721 

The Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Comment on and note the updated position as set out in the report.

(b)  Comment on and note the update on the work that has been carried out to date regarding the establishment of a pan-GLA collaborative procurement team.

10.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

10.2  In attendance for this item were the following people:

·  Sir Edward Lister – Chief of Staff, GLA; and

·  Martin Clarke – Executive Director of Resources, GLA.

10.3  During the course of the discussion, the Chief of Staff was asked to provide the following additional information:

·  The updated schedule of shared services savings and efficiencies; and

·  Details of the potential joint working arrangement between the London Pensions Fund Authority and Lancashire Council.

10.4  Resolved:

That the report and discussion be noted.

Report of the Director of Communications and External Affairs

Contact: Dáire Basra; [email protected]; 020 7983 4033

The Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Note the proposals for the 2015 State of London Debate; and

(b)  Provide any views, ideas or suggestions on further ways to improve the State of London debate as a consultative event.

11.1  The Committee received the report of the Director of Communications and External Affairs. In attendance for this item was the Assistant Director, External Relations, GLA.
 

11.2  During the course of the discussion, the Committee raised the following points:

·  That the format of the meeting had become jaded over time;

·  That the format lacked authority and gravitas;

·  That in the past the event had been much larger and more involving;

·  That, given that the Mayor appeared regularly on LBC Radio, the event in its current format had become routine; and

·  That more work could be undertaken to involve established bodies, such as London borough young people’s councils, and to engage Londoners.

11.3  The Committee also requested details of the tendering process for the event’s official media partner. The Committee suggested that whilst it might be too late to influence the State of London Debate format under the current Mayoralty, the Assembly could draw on its experience to usefully present informed options for the next administration.

11.4  The Assistant Director, External Relations undertook to provide the Committee with details of the tendering process for the media partner and explained that, whilst acknowledging the Members’ concerns and committing to working more closely  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact: Katie Smith; [email protected]; 020 7983 4423 

The Committee is recommended to note the core Secretariat quarterly monitoring report for the second quarter of 2014-15 (July to September 2014).

12.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat. The Head of Scrutiny & Investigations in particular highlighted the Economy Committee’s work on regulation and the Planning Committee’s work on the Further Alterations to the London Plan.

12.2  Further, Andrew Boff AM praised the support and assistance he had received in undertaking his rapporteurship on access to health services for d/Deaf people on behalf of the Assembly’s Health Committee.

12.3  Resolved:

That the core Secretariat quarterly monitoring report for the second quarter of 2014-15 (July to September 2014) be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  John Barry; [email protected]; 020 7983 4425

The Committee is recommended to agree its work programme for 2014-15 and identify any additional issues it wishes to consider at future meetings.

13.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

13.2  Resolved:

That the work programme for the remainder of 2014-15 be agreed.

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled to be held on 27 January 2015 at 10am in Committee Room 5.

14.1  The next meeting of the Committee was scheduled to be held on Tuesday 27 January 2015 at 10.00 am in Committee Room 5.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact: Katie Smith; [email protected]; 020 7983 4423 

The Committee is asked to agree the proposal to convene an informal meeting in January 2015 to discuss the Assembly’s future work on Royal Albert Dock and the issues it raises.

15.1  The Chair, in accordance with section 100(B)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, had agreed to accept Agenda Item 15(a) (The Regeneration of Royal Albert Dock) - which had been circulated under cover of a Supplementary Agenda for the meeting - as urgent business in order to allow the matter to be discussed at the earliest opportunity.

15.2  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

15.3  During the course of the discussion it was suggested that using the GLA Oversight Committee to clarify the process for work arising from similar motions agreed by the London Assembly would serve as a useful model in future.

15.4  Resolved:

That the proposal to convene an informal meeting in January 2015 to discuss the Assembly’s future work on Royal Albert Dock be agreed.

16.1  The meeting ended at 12.17pm.