Report Number: 12

GREATERLONDONAUTHORITY LONDONASSEMBLY

Subject: Centre for Public Scrutiny Conference 2007

Report Number: 12

Report to: Business Management and Appointments Committee
Date: 22 May 07
Report of: Executive Director of Secretariat

1. 
   Recommendation
   

1. 
   That the Committee approve expenditure of £3,000 from the Scrutiny Programme Budget in order to sponsor the Centre for Public Scrutiny Conference 2007.
   

2. 
   Background
   

1. 
   The Centre for Public Scrutiny is a non-profit organisation which aims to enhance public understanding of what scrutiny means, why it matters and how non-executives can be effective in this role. The London Assembly was a founding sponsor of the organisation, and is represented on its advisory board by Sally Hamwee AM and Mark Roberts, Executive Director of Secretariat.
   

2. 
   The Centre acts as a centre of excellence, providing advice, training and support to scrutiny Members and officers across the UK. As part of its overall programme to promote scrutiny and facilitate the sharing of good practice amongst scrutiny practitioners and enhance understanding of scrutiny amongst executive bodies, the Centre runs an annual lecture. The purpose of this report is to invite the Committee to approve expenditure of £3,000 to sponsor this year’s conference.
   

3. 
   Issues for Consideration
   

1. 
   This year’s Centre for Public Scrutiny conference will take place on 13 June at the Victoria Park Plaza, London. The keynote address will be given by Phil Woolas MP, Minister for Local Government and Community Cohesion.
   

2. 
   The conference is usually attended by representatives from local government, health and social care, capacity building organizations, and inspectorates / auditors / regulators.
   

3.3 There are seven levels of sponsorship available. These are set out in the annex to this Report. The Centre for Public Scrutiny has offered to provide the co-sponsor package (which costs £5,000) for the price of conference badge sponsorship (£3,000). The co-sponsor package includes:

• 
  Display of the London Assembly logo on the main staging at the conference
  
• 
  A logo printed on the front of delegate packs
  
• 
  Logo featured on the conference website with a hyperlink to the London Assembly’s web pages
  
• 
  Exhibition space at the conference
  
• 
  An insert in the Delegate Pack (A4)
  
• 
  5 delegate places
  

4. 
   Sponsorship would provide the Assembly with an opportunity to disseminate reports to potentially interested stakeholders. Our representation at the event provides a useful opportunity to meet and exchange best practice with other scrutineers, as well as promoting the work of the Assembly to organizations within other sectors (including the private sector, utilities, transport and central government departments).
   

4. Strategy Implications
4.1 There are no strategy implications arising from this paper.
5. Legal Implications
5.1 Under s59 Greater London Authority Act 1999 the Assembly has the power to keep under review the exercise by the Mayor of his statutory functions. The powers of the Assembly include the power to investigate and prepare reports about:

• 
  any actions and decisions of the Mayor;
  
• 
  any actions and decisions of any member of staff of the Authority;
  
• 
  matters relating to the principal purposes of the Authority;
  
• 
  matters in relation to which statutory functions are exercisable by the Mayor, and
  
• 
  any other matters which the Assembly considers to be of importance to Greater London.
  

5.2 Section 34(1) of the GLA Act gives the Assembly the power to do anything, which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to the exercise of its powers.

5.3 It is within the Assembly’s powers, under sections 59 and 34(1) of the GLA Act, to sponsor the Centre for Public Scrutiny Annual Lecture 2007.
5.4 Section 54 (1) GLA Act enables the Assembly to arrange for any of its functions to be discharged on its behalf by a committee of the Assembly.
5.5 Under the Business Management and Appointments Committee’s (BMAC) Terms of Reference, paragraph C6, BMAC is empowered to approve scrutiny-related expenditure, in conformity with the Assembly’s decision-making framework procedure. Under this framework BMAC has the power to approve the expenditure set out at paragraph 1.1 above from the Scrutiny Programme budget.
6. Financial Implications
6.1 Conference badge sponsorship costs £3,000. The costs would be met from within the Scrutiny Programme Budget of £216,000 for 2007/08.

Background Documents: None

Contact Officer: Janet Hughes, Head of Scrutiny and Investigations

Telephone Number: 020 7983 4423

SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITION INFORMATION	Rate
Lead Sponsor Package Exclusive logo positioning on front cover of brochure to 15,000 direct mail named targets Exclusive logo positioning on main staging at conference Exclusive logo position on front of delegate packs Insert in the delegate pack (A4) Branding (logo) on conference website with hyperlink to your web pages Exhibition 3 x 2 metres at conference Three complimentary delegate places for staff and clients			£12,000
Co-Sponsor Package (up to 4 co-sponsors) Logo on front cover of brochure to 15,000 direct mail targets Logo on main staging at conference Logo on front of delegate packs Logo featured on conference website with a hyperlink to your web pages Exhibition 3 x 2 metres at conference with 2 stand staff places Insert in the delegate pack (A4)			£5,000
Luncheon Sponsorship Logo featured inside the conference brochure as ‘lunch sponsored by’ which will be mailed to over 15,000 named contacts Exclusive logo in the lunch area Logo featured on NSA website conference page with a hyperlink to your website Insert in the delegate pack (A4) Exhibition space 3m x 2m with two stand staff passes			£4,000
Conference Badge Sponsorship Logo featured inside the conference brochure as ‘conference badge sponsored by’ which will be mailed to over 15,000 named contacts Logo printed on the delegate badges Logo will feature on the NSA website (conference page) with a hyperlink to your website Insert in the Delegate Pack (A4) Exhibition space 3m x 2m with 2 stand staff passes		£3,000
Registration and Information Desk Sponsorship Logo featured inside the conference brochure as ‘registration desk sponsored by’ which will be mailed to over 15,000 named contacts Exclusive Logo-branded banners at the Registration Desk Logo will feature on the NSA website (conference page) with a hyperlink to your website Corporate material will be inserted into the Delegate Pack (A4 insert) Exhibition space 3m x 2m (space only), table, chairs and electricity provided plus two stand staff passes (refreshments and lunch included)		£3,000
Exhibition Space Exhibition space 3m x 2m (space only), table, chairs and electricity provided plus two stand staff passes (refreshments and lunch included)		£1,300