Agenda and draft minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda. No interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 7 July 2010.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the meeting of the Mansion House and Mayoralty Advisory Group held on 7 July 2010 be approved and signed as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Groups remit can do so.  Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officer on the contact details listed at the foot of this agenda. The deadline for registering is Tuesday 1 February 2011 at 5:00pm.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This report seeks the endorsement of the Advisory Group to the Mansion House Business & Development Plan 2011/21. The Plan sets out a vision for Mansion House over the coming years, as the city’s primary civic residence and as an important and viable community asset.

The Group received a report seeking their endorsement of the Mansion House Business and Development Plan 2011-21 which sets out a vision for the Mansion House over the coming years as the city’s primary civic residence and as an important and viable community asset.

The Group acknowledged there was a need to find ways of generating income which could be ring-fenced for the upkeep and maintenance of the Mansion House and that opening up the house further was the way forward. However they highlighted the need to ensure that the house was managed in such a way that it continued to meet the needs of the Lord Mayor in performing his/her role for the benefit of the city and its residents, as well as respecting the history of the building. The Group emphasised the importance of balancing these two objectives successfully. The Democratic Services Manager reassured the Group that appropriate civic usage of the Mansion House would be maintained under the Mansion House Business and Development Plan.

The Group referred to the page 54 of the report which gave some examples of civic occasions for which free use of the Mansion House would be available for the Lord Mayor and Civic Party and expressed concerns that this list was too restrictive. The Democratic Services Manager explained that the list was not intended to be exhaustive and a further category could be added to include other uses subject to availability.

RESOLVED:             (i)         That comments made by the Group be noted.

(ii) That the Mansion House Business and Development Plan 2011-21 be endorsed by the Group subject to some minor amendments being made to the phraseology, particularly emphasising its role as a civic home within the introductory paragraph.

                                    (iii)       That the Mansion House Business and Development Plan  be referred to the Executive.

REASON:                  To ensure a vision and planned approach for managing the ongoing development of the Mansion House is in place for the future.

Members are asked to consider the Advisory Groups Work Plan and future meeting dates.

The Chair reminded the Group that it had been established on a task and finish basis and that there was no further business identified to date in the workplan for the current civic year.  

Members of the Group were keen to see the Group continue to meet as and when required during the forthcoming civic year in order have the opportunity to look in more depth at issues surrounding the Mayoralty and to assist in monitoring the Mansion House Business and Development Plan

The Democratic Services Manager advised the Group that all the political groups would, as a matter of course, be consulted on the ‘committee structure’ as part of the nomination  process prior to Annual Council in May so the issue of whether the Group would be constituted again would be addressed at this point. The Group felt that it might be useful to have a further meeting in the current civic year if required.

Councillor Taylor requested that a link be placed on the Mansion House website to the World Heritage Site for York site and advised the Group that a reciprocal link would be incorporated on this site back to the Mansion House Site. The Group and officers confirmed they were happy with this arrangement.

RESOLVED:             That it be noted that members of the Group were of the opinion that the Mansion House and Mayoralty Advisory Group should continue to meet on an as and when required basis in the new civic year.

REASON:                  The Group were of the opinion that they had a role to play in assisting with the monitoring of the Mansion House Business and Development Plan and would like to look in more depth at issues around the management of the Mayoralty.