The Corporate Services Committee met on Wednesday 20 May 2026 to discuss a range of matters including the appointment of committee chairs and sub-committees, health and safety reporting, and updates on various corporate programmes. The meeting also included a review of the Senior Management Group's register of interests.

Election of Chair and Deputy Chair

The committee was scheduled to elect a Chair and a Deputy Chair in accordance with the relevant standing orders.

Appointments to Sub-Committees and Other Committees

A report from the Town Clerk outlined proposals for the appointment of members to the committee's sub-committees for the 2026/27 civic year. This included the composition and terms of reference for the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) and the Senior Remuneration Sub-Committee. The JCC's remit is to facilitate collective consultation and negotiation on salaries and terms and conditions of service for City of London Corporation employees up to Grade G. The Senior Remuneration Sub-Committee is responsible for the remuneration of officers in the Senior Management Grade. The report also detailed appointments to the Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Policy and Resources) Sub-Committee and the Member Development and Standards (Policy & Resources) Sub-Committee.

Health & Safety: Future Reporting

A report from the Deputy Town Clerk proposed a change to the reporting cycle for health and safety matters. It was suggested that routine updates to the committee move from a monthly to a quarterly cycle. The rationale provided was that the organisation had moved beyond a phase of significant system build and recovery, and that core systems and governance routes were now embedded. The report indicated that month-on-month variations in health and safety performance were limited, and that quarterly reporting would better align with the committee's strategic remit, allowing for a greater focus on organisational assurance, system performance, and emerging risks. The Director of Health & Safety would continue to bring reports to the committee more frequently if there was a material change, escalation, or emerging risk requiring oversight.

Forward Plan

A joint report from the Town Clerk and the Chief People Officer and Executive Director of HR presented the forward plan of reporting for the committee. This outlined scheduled reports for upcoming meetings, including updates on the People & HR Department, the Comptroller & City Solicitor's Department, and various departmental reports.

Action Tracker

The committee was to receive an update on public actions from previous meetings. This included information on planned Member sessions regarding The Employment Rights Act, AI transformation, the performance framework, and Ambition 25. The report also noted the ongoing review of Project Sapphire, focusing on HR modules, and the coordination of AI sessions with the Digital Services Committee.

Decisions Taken Under Delegated Authority or Urgency Procedures

A report from the Town Clerk advised members of actions taken by the Town Clerk outside of the committee's meeting schedule, in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chairman, in accordance with Standing Order Nos. 40(a) and (b). This included the approval of updated Corporate Services Committee terms of reference, following discussions and amendments proposed by members.

Internal Audit Insight Report: Employee Relations Case Management

An insight report from the Group Chief Internal Auditor evaluated the effectiveness of governance, risk management, and internal control arrangements in the handling of Employee Relations cases. The report highlighted weaknesses in governance, including an outdated Scheme of Delegations and a lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities. It also noted that risk management arrangements lacked structure, and that operational procedures for managing ER cases were not documented, increasing the risk of inconsistent outcomes. Corporate HR had reportedly addressed several issues, with an action plan in place to resolve remaining concerns.

Programme Sapphire (ERP) Update Report - January 2026

A report from the Chamberlain provided an update on Programme Sapphire, the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution intended to modernise the City of London Corporation's back-office services. The update covered planned deliverables such as the integration of the OrgManager solution with SuccessFactors, the consolidation of chatbot functionality, and an update on payroll delivery. The report noted that the hyper care period for SuccessFactors had ended and the system was returned to operational ownership. It also detailed the progress of the Payroll Parallel Run process, comparing SAP-generated payrolls with those from the previous system.

Register of Interest for the Senior Management Group

This report provided members with the individual Register of Interests for officers within the Senior Management Group. This is a requirement for Senior Managers at Grades I and J, who must declare their involvement and benefits from outside paid work and interests annually. The report indicated that one submission was outstanding at the time of reporting. The registers are reviewed by the Town Clerk & Chief Executive and the Interim Chief People Officer and become part of the public record.

Questions on Matters Relating to the Work of the Committee

This item allowed members to ask questions on matters relating to the committee's work.

Any Other Business That the Chair Considers Urgent

This item was scheduled for any urgent business that the Chair deemed necessary to bring before the committee.

Exclusion of the Public

A motion was scheduled to be considered for the exclusion of the public from the meeting for specific items of business, on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information.

Confidential Matters

The agenda also included items for a non-public and confidential session, which would not be detailed in this public summary. These included confidential minutes, confidential resolutions, and discussions on the establishment of a Department of Community and Children's Services Health and Fire Safety Team, Barbican Staffing, Member Led Recruitment for the Managing Director of the City Bridge Foundation, the Cost of Living Pay Award (COLPA) 2026/27, and HR and Town Clerk updates.